Nellie knew best, drafting Stephen Curry in 2009 despite his parents’ desires

Good thing for a lot of people that Don Nelson doesn’t take “I beg you not to do this thing” for an answer.

Nelson has long maintained that it was his wish to pick Stephen Curry in the 2009 NBA draft. He didn’t think it would be possible. When Curry fell to the Warriors at No. 7, Nelson was euphoric — and still is.

Turns out there was another dynamic in play that night.

According to an NBC Sports Bay Area report, before Nelson drafted Stephen Curry, he had a conversation with Dell Curry, Stephen’s dad.

“I remember Don Nelson calling me and saying, ‘Hey, what’s your feelings toward us drafting your son?'” Dell Curry told NBCSBA’s Josh Schrock. “I said, ‘Don’t. You ask me the question, I’m going to tell you the truth. Don’t.’ Conversation went on and he said, ‘Well if we get the opportunity we’re going to do it.’ I said, ‘Coach, that’s your decision.'”

You couldn’t blame Dell Curry for looking out for his son’s best interests; he thought the Knicks would be a good fit, according to cbssports.com. The Warriors? At the time of the 2009 draft, they had made one playoff appearance in 15 seasons — during which there were nine coaching changes. The team was owned by the much maligned Chris Cohan.

Three months after the draft came the Warriors’ media day, a feel-good chance to parade their players and coaches in front of the press ahead of training camp. The event turned into a disaster. Stephen Jackson, the team’s leading scorer in 2008-09, kicked off the festivities by reiterating his desire to be traded.

Then point guard Monta Ellis doused cold water on the prospect of he and Stephen Curry sharing the court.

“Us, together? No,” Ellis said in response to a question.

“(Do) you understand they say you can?” Ellis was asked.

His chill reply: “They say we can, but we can’t.”

Let’s go out on a limb and assume this news was not received warmly by Dell Curry.

P.S.: Dell Curry wasn’t the only parent who had misgivings over his son’s employment with the Warriors. Unlike Dell’s practical concerns, Sonya Curry’s feelings came from the heart.

“(There’s) the dad answer and the professional athlete answer,” Sonya Curry said. “Mine was, ‘Golden State was too far away. Where is my baby going? I don’t know where Golden State is.”

Actually, it’s more a state of mind than something you can locate on GPS.

But she knows that now. Just as we all know that Nellie knew best — for the franchise and for the Currys, even though it didn’t seem like it at the time.