Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry is at the point in his career when fans are wondering just how many years he has left in the NBA.
After all, the 2024-25 campaign marks the 36-year-old point guard’s 16th season in the Association. He’s still playing at a higher level than the majority of his peers. However, Curry’s production has noticeably declined this year, raising questions about his future.
Even though he recently told Bloomberg’s Emily Chang that he doesn’t plan to retire soon, the 10-time All-Star is clearly closer to the end of his career than the beginning.
With Curry’s contract (and career, potentially) ending following the 2025-26 season, it’s in general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr.’s best interest to start thinking about the future of Golden State’s point guard situation.
Aside from Curry, the Warriors don’t have any point guards on multi-year contracts as both Dennis Schroder and Gary Payton II will hit free agency at the end of the season.
The 2025 NBA Draft is one avenue that can lead the Warriors to Curry’s eventual replacement, or at least improve their point-guard depth. If that’s the case, then Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman has Golden State drafting Arkansas’ Boogie Fland with the 17th overall pick.
Arkansas Razorbacks guard Boogie Fland (2) during the second half against the Pacific Tigers at Bud Walton Arena.
Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
It likely wouldn’t take Warriors fans long to become a fan of Fland. Even though he likely won’t perfectly replicate Curry’s on-court presence, the 6-foot-2 point guard’s combination of speed, dribbling, and shooting is reminiscent of the Golden State fan favorite.
“Fland handles, moves, and creates with convincing speed and decisiveness,” Wasserman wrote. “He’s consistently getting to the spot he wants to… (He’s) consistently making reads in ball-screen, drive-and-kick, transition, and entry-pass situations.”
After a solid high school career, Fland made waves when he committed to Kentucky as a five-star recruit in October 2023. His team with the program ended before it started, though, when the teenage PG de-committed from the Wildcats to follow ex-Kentucky head coach John Calipari to Arkansas six months later.
Although changing programs isn’t always effective, playing under Calipari for the Razorbacks couldn’t have worked out better for the 2025 NBA prospect.
In 11 games this NCAA basketball season, Calipari is averaging 15.5 points and 3.6 rebounds with an SEC-leading 5.7 assists per game. He’s also been stretching the floor with his sharpshooting abilities, averaging 1.9 threes made with a 39.6% success rate.
Fland isn’t the tallest (6-foot-2) or heaviest player (175 lbs), which could impact his ability to find success closer to the rim. Having said that, his shooting and passing more than makes up for that. Besides, adding weight is an area that he can work on with the Warriors’ coaching staff.
It’s worth noting that Curry was reportedly only one inch taller and six pounds heavier than Fland at the time of the 2005 NBA Draft. Even though both players’ careers will likely end on entirely different notes, it goes to show that a prospect shouldn’t be underestimated based on their frame alone.
With that in mind, it’s easy to see how Curry would be the perfect mentor for Fland. Even if they only play together for a season or two, that time could be enough to prepare the Arkansas playmaker for the NBA level, which would likely solve any concerns about the Warriors’ PG situation for years to come.
There’s still plenty of time before Warriors fans know if they should start preordering Fland jerseys, though. Although the 2025 NBA Draft’s date has yet to be announced, it’ll likely occur towards the end of June as it normally does.
