Becoming Steph Curry’s teammate on the Golden State Warriors seems like a no-brainer for almost every NBA player. One of the greatest of all time, Lebron James, even looks to be contemplating the idea after their successful run at the 2024 Summer Olympics. However, a select few have turned down the opportunity to be Curry’s teammate. For some, it was a lack of playing time as they would play the same role as Curry. For others, it was the desire to carve their path instead of standing in his family member’s shadow.
The players could’ve had a couple of NBA Championships if they had stuck with or joined Curry. However, the players who chose to stand by Curry’s side are the benefactors. Let’s look at three rare players who didn’t want to be Steph Curry’s teammates: Seth Curry, Monta Ellis, and Kelly Oubre Jr.
Seth Curry wanted to carve his own path
It always felt like there would be a day when Seth Curry and his brother teamed up to create a feel-good story. However, Seth rejected the opportunity to play in their prime years, as he didn’t want to be in his brother’s shadow.
Seth would rather carve his path and compete against his brother whenever possible. NBA fans thank Seth for that decision, as they often have memorable moments as opponents.
Seth played one year at Liberty University before transferring to Duke. He went undrafted in 2013 but worked his way onto the Memphis Grizzlies as a free agent. He played on many teams, including the Cleveland Cavaliers, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, Dallas Mavericks, Portland Trail Blazers, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, and Charlotte Hornets.
For a player who bounced around so much, you’d think he would have found himself on the Warriors. The good thing for Seth is that every team is willing to acquire a player in eighth place on the all-time three-point field goal percentage rankings.
Monta Ellis didn’t see the Warriors’ vision
Monta Ellis wasn’t happy when the Warriors drafted Curry from Davidson. He believed a lineup with two small guards wouldn’t help a team win in the Western Conference. Ellis should have been careful because the Warriors agreed with his hypothesis. They traded Ellis for Andrew Bogut, and the Warriors began their dynasty run through the 2010s.
Ellis entered the NBA out of high school, as the Warriors drafted him with the 40th overall pick in the 2005 draft. He won the Most Improved Player award in 2007 and became one of the best scorers in the league. He averaged nearly 25 points per game in two different seasons.
The Warriors traded Ellis to the Milwaukee Bucks in March 2012. Ellis’ career dropped off after the trade, failing to reach the 20-point-per-game threshold for the remainder of his career. He remained a starter for the next four seasons, spending time with the Bucks, Mavericks, and Indiana Pacers. Ellis’ minutes dropped in his final season with the Pacers, and the team waived him after the 2016-17 season.
Ellis retired from the NBA but the Pacers had to pay him through the 2021-22 season.
Kelly Oubre Jr. wasn’t a fit for Golden State
Kelly Oubre Jr came to Golden State with plans of helping Curry and the gang win another championship. However, Oubre struggled to find a role in the offense. He blamed the Warriors’ game plan for most of his struggles, claiming it catered too much to Curry. Oubre felt he was better than setting screens for Curry in the Warriors’ offense.
Oubre was a star coming out of college at the University of Kansas, as the Atlanta Hawks drafted him with the 15th overall pick in the 2015 draft. The Hawks immediately traded him to the Washington Wizards, where he struggled with opportunities.
Oubre’s career took off when the Wizards traded him to the Phoenix Suns. He had back-to-back seasons where he achieved career highs in points per game, averaging 16.9 and 18.7, respectively. Oubre was part of the Chris Paul trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but then the Thunder flipped him to the Warriors for the remainder of the season.
Oubre didn’t succeed as Steph Curry’s teammate in Golden State, but his performance earned him a two-year, $25 million contract with the Hornets. The guard averaged 20.3 points per game in his second year with Charlotte but failed to get many offers in the offseason. The 76ers signed him to a one-year, $2.9 million deal for the 2023-24 season but a couple of off-court incidents hurt his progress.
Oubre re-signed with the 76ers in the offseason and will suit up for them in 2024-25.