Rookie Curry steps into a maelstrom in Golden State

Rookies are sometimes made to feel like a roadside trash can, so much is thrown at them. You know, the usual stuff: New coach. Stiffer competition. Strange city. A teammate who says you and he aren't compatible. Another teammate who goes off, screams at the coach, gets suspended and then demands to be traded.

You can imagine it didn't take long for Stephen Curry to know he ain't in Davidson anymore.

Training camp introduces a whole new world for rookies who have no idea what the league is all about. It's a bridge to the next stage in life, where players find the atmosphere, expectations, personalities and culture altogether different from the place they left, either high school or college. Nothing quite compares. This is true even when there's no chaos swirling around them.

Then there's Warriors' camp, when these words greeted their No. 1 draft pick on the very first day:

"Us together? Can't. We just can't. You can't put two small guys out there."

And this:

"I don't feel like my job is in jeopardy at all. I don't feel like my position, my minutes, nothing are going to be taken."

That Chamber of Commerce welcome was courtesy of Monta Ellis, who harbored doubts about he and Curry spending any productive time together on the floor and drew a territorial line. Ellis has since become a fan of Curry, who witnesses say has taken it to Ellis in practice. Chalk it up to a rookie being put in his place by a veteran whose pride and verbal elbows are equally sharp.

Next came the series of eruptions from Stephen Jackson, who argued with coach Don Nelson, compared himself favorably to Kobe Bryant and took teammates to task for not having his back. We're not sure which act by Whack Jack was more flagrant. But this much is certain: Curry's exposure to the grown-up realities of NBA life arrived before his first paycheck.

The good news is the Warriors don't expect Curry to be distracted, bothered or negatively influenced by the surroundings, like other rookies might. That's always what teams fear, that their young players could follow the wrong example or pick up bad habits.

Well, Curry has what they don't: A father who knows the deal.

"We talked about that," Dell Curry said. "There's going to be situations and circumstances. He just has to be accountable for his own actions, not anyone else's. That stuff going on with other players is not a concern. That's between them and the organization. He's not going to get caught up in that or anything else."

Dell Curry saw his share of tantrums, petty disagreements and insubordinate behavior. That happens when you last 16 years in the league. The difference is his rookie camp was Disney World compared to his son's. The father was lucky enough to spend it in Utah, where stability and serenity went hand-in-hand, like Stockton to Malone. Jerry Sloan was on the bench, then as an assistant now as the coach, and the Jazz had Ricky Green, Darrell Griffith, Bobby Hanson and other respectable vets in the locker room. Only the Mormon Church was more sacred in Salt Lake.

"We were loaded with good, solid veterans," Curry said, "and Jerry Sloan made sure everything stayed right."

That's not the case in all situations with all rookies. Especially those who arrive making lottery-pick money, or become a favorite of management, or take a starting role or minutes away from someone else. Politics often rule and there's a water cooler in every office. While the reception is usually favorable, especially for a rookie who can bring a few more wins, there's also jealousy and insecurity. Whenever there's big money at stake and reputations and careers are on the line, that happens.

Stephen Curry is getting a point-blank education in October, and it's just getting started. The Warriors have the potential to be entertaining both on the court and on the bench. Jackson, for example, might be a season-long migraine, given his moods and trade demands. Teams are offering only a stale bag of popcorn and a flat soda for him, meaning if Jackson refuses to shut up, the low-ball offers will keep coming and he'll keep sticking around. If that's the case, then the Warriors can only hope Jackson doesn't destroy the locker room along with his trade value.

Ellis is a talent the Warriors intend to keep, but you get a sense of lingering frostiness between him and the team from the moped accident/cover-up/suspension. On Media Day, he gave this cryptic summation about the realities of the NBA: "You're going to have drama. You're going to bump heads. Everybody does it. We're not the first organization to bump heads. Won't be the last."

Best advice for Curry and any other rookie is to get plenty of rest and get respect. And above all, get wise. Quick.

Shaun Powell is a veteran NBA writer and columnist. You can e-mail him here.

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