The Bond Stephen Curry Has with Bay Area Parallels the One David Ortiz Shares with Boston; Perhaps That's Not a Coincidence

Lifelong Red Sox fan Stephen Curry, and David Ortiz, led their franchises as they became two of the most successful in sports in the 21st century.

Stephen Curry has gone from the skinny kid at Davidson who lit up the NCAA men's basketball tournament in 2009 to a member of the NBA's pantheon.

As Curry revolutionized the game of basketball, he, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green turned the Warriors into one of the NBA's most prominent franchises.

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

In the process, Curry forged a relationship with the Bay area that resembles the one David Ortiz built with Boston. But their bonds with their respective regions go beyond the two of them winning three championships; a ring total Curry might add to as soon as the final buzzer blows at the end of Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

Ortiz was at the heart of the Red Sox evolving from a cursed franchise to the team that's won four World Series titles, the most in the MLB this century.

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

When Golden State drafted Curry, they'd made the playoffs once since their postseason appearance in 1994. Now, the Warriors are playing in the NBA Finals for the sixth time in eight years, something not seen since the Michael Jordan-led Bulls dynasty of the 90s. And with one more win, they'll improve to 4-2 on the NBA's brightest stage.

Discussing the parallels between the connection Ortiz and he share with Boston and the Bay, respectively, Curry, a lifelong Red Sox fan, shared whether there was anything from Ortiz's bond with Boston he's applied to his relationship with the Bay area.

"I wouldn't necessarily say I learned; I was just inspired by it," said the two-time NBA MVP.

Curry, who grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, didn't make a trip to see Ortiz's exploits in person at Fenway Park as he grew up, but "watched and enjoyed the history and those iconic moments that Big Papi was always a part of. The championship moments and the way that he was kind of an ambassador for the city. A spokesman for the city, and the reception and the chemistry he had with this town. All of that is inspiring for sure."

Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY

Curry may not have visited the confines of friendly Fenway as a kid, but he later found an occasion to make the trip.

"I had a raver of a bachelor party at a Red Sox game back in 2011. I got to go to two games in an inter-league series against the Cubs, and I got to connect with him for the first time and meet him; he gave me a bat. I got to go into the depths of the green monster, and to see the atmosphere and the culture that he was trying to continue as an iconic Red Sox player. So, all that stuff mattered. It was just dope to have that come full circle for sure. And a pretty special career obviously that he had."

Further Reading

Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown Reflect on Personal and Team Growth Through Celtics' Playoff Run

Ime Udoka Addresses Potential Lineup, Rotation Changes for NBA Finals Game 6

Celtics Determined to Avoid Warriors Celebrating a Title on Their Home Floor: 'All the motivation in the world'

[Film Room] Keys to Celtics Getting Jayson Tatum Going in Game 5 of NBA Finals

[Film Room] In NBA Finals Game 3, Jaylen Brown Balanced Scoring and Facilitating, Showing How He Can Raise Celtics' Ceiling

Tony Parker Sizes Up the NBA Finals, Talks Ime Udoka and His Collaboration with MTN Dew LEGEND

The Anatomy of the Celtics' Fourth-Quarter Comeback in Game 1 of NBA Finals