Former Golden State Warriors executive Jerry West had front row seats to witness Stephen Curry’s ascent to greatness.
Curry received 45 first-place votes, 18 second-place votes and 19 third-place votes, en route to 298 total points, to beat out the likes of DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the plum. DeRozan was a close second with 272 points, while Gilgeous-Alexander was a distant third with 160 points.
Other notable names considered for the award who received first-place votes included Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks, Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks, Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics.
The complete voting results for the 2023-24 Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year. pic.twitter.com/vAEzGmiZS3
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 25, 2024
‘The Logo’ commends Stephen Curry on Clutch Player of the Year nod
Among those that gave Curry his flowers were former Golden State Warriors executive Jerry West, who noted the sharpshooting guard’s hard work and effort during his career that paid off.
“During my time with the Warriors, I had the chance to observe first-hand your incredible work ethic and saw the joy you brought to millions of fans around the world. You have become one of the most iconic players this game has ever seen,” West said in a statement released by the Warriors.
"Congratulations, Stephen, on winning the Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year Award." — Jerry West pic.twitter.com/Psr20wNZ0L
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 25, 2024
Jerry West served as part of the Golden State Warriors’ front office from 2011 to 2017. During this time, the Warriors won the NBA championship in 2014, the franchise’s first in 40 years. He would leave the team after the 2017 championship to take up a similar front office role with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Two seasons removed from the franchise’s seventh title, the Warriors are in an uncertain offseason following a dismal 2023-24 campaign that saw them finish 10th in a highly competitive Western Conference and a swift exit in the Play-In Tournament at the hands of the Sacramento Kings.
The 2023-24 season saw the Warriors struggle to get their rhythm throughout the season, compounded by the tragic death of well-loved Assistant Coach Dejan Milojevic midway through the season.
The Warriors front office is considering letting go of Curry’s Splash Brothers partner Klay Thompson, who put up dismal numbers in their Play-In Tournament exit.
With the team sent home for the season, Stephen Curry reflected on being on the outside looking in during an interview with Inside the NBA, saying this gave them an opportunity to figure out how to get back to a level that would bring the team back into championship contention.
