{"id":11911,"date":"2024-12-18T01:47:17","date_gmt":"2024-12-18T01:47:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=11911"},"modified":"2024-12-18T01:47:17","modified_gmt":"2024-12-18T01:47:17","slug":"breaking-warriors-projected-to-land-potential-stephen-curry-protege-in-nba-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=11911","title":{"rendered":"breaking: Warriors Projected to Land Potential Stephen Curry Protege in NBA Draft.."},"content":{"rendered":"

Golden State Warriors\u00a0superstar\u00a0Stephen Curry\u00a0is at the point in his career when fans are wondering just how many years he has left in the\u00a0NBA.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Even though he\u00a0recently 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman\u00a0has Golden State drafting Arkansas’ Boogie Fland with the 17th overall pick.<\/p>\n

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Arkansas Razorbacks guard Boogie Fland (2) during the second half against the Pacific Tigers at Bud Walton Arena.<\/p>\n

Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

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.<\/p>\n

“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.”<\/p>\n

After a solid high school career, Fland made waves when he\u00a0committed 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\u00a0follow ex-Kentucky head coach John Calipari to Arkansas\u00a0six months later.<\/p>\n

Although changing programs isn’t always effective, playing under Calipari for the Razorbacks couldn’t have worked out better for the 2025 NBA prospect.<\/p>\n

In 11 games this NCAA basketball season, Calipari is averaging 15.5 points and 3.6 rebounds with an\u00a0SEC-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.<\/p>\n

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