“Right before I came in here Mike D’Antoni walked up to me and told me ‘We can’t draft you’. I asked ‘Why?’ and he said ‘Because Allan Houston said he then would be the second best shooter in Knicks history.’”

Perhaps that is why when asked what kind of pro he will make, it took less than a split second for him to give his answer.

“A great one.”

Curry can thank his strong genes for his innate basketball talents as his father, Dell, played 16 seasons in the NBA and was the NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 1994 while with the Charlotte Hornets.

“Ever since I can remember (I’ve been around him on the basketball court),” he said. “Just going to shootarounds and practices and every game at home, and then towards the end of his career, me and my brother would go and shoot before games on the court while they were in the locker room changing, and then go up to the practice gym during the game and shoot. I’ve just been around NBA arenas and NBA teams all my life. Now it’s my turn to do it for myself.”

The 6-foot-3, 180-pounder not only has the genes, but the resume after leading the nation with 28.6 points per game. Making the feat even more impressive is that he led the country the same year he moved to the point full time, improving his assist numbers as well, averaging 5.6 per game. Curry credits that move as a pivotal moment in his basketball career, shaping what type of player he is destined to become.

“I’m a point who has the ability to move over on the floor if somebody else gets the ball and brings it down the court. So I guess you can call that a combo, but with my experience last year playing (the point) at Davidson full time, it improved my skills as far as managing the game. That helped me improve myself as a player.”

The junior is also a charismatic force who has made friends in high places, including reigning MVP LeBron James.

“We talk once in a while, like once a week,” he said. “He’s helping with what to expect as well with this draft process, the hype about the draft and how to handle it and the pressure of the workouts.

“He showed up at our Wisconsin game in the Elite Eight last year, and I went to one of his games against the Bobcats, and it went from there. He became a Davidson fan, and we went from there. I was tempted to ask why he left the arena too quick (after he lost to the Magic), but I didn’t.”

This lethal combination of talent, production and charisma has Curry poised to be a high draft choice. Still, he wouldn’t mind it if he slipped to the Knicks at number eight.

“It’s great for me to go as high as I can, but coming here would be equally as fun for me. I’m going into it with an open mind, and making the best situation of the situation I come into. I’m just excited to see what happens.

The system that I’ve played in my whole life, up and down and up tempo, comparing how I played in college to how it translates to in the NBA, this is the system to be in. D’Antoni, he had Steve Nash so he knows how to develop a point guard. Why wouldn’t I want to come here?”

Curry also relishes the opportunity to be a key part in the Knicks renaissance as they transform themselves in D’Antoni and President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh’s image should he land in New York. After all, it’s the type of situation in which he thrived in at Davidson.

“Coming from Davidson where nobody knew about us my freshman year, and then coming to the end of my junior year, we established ourselves on the national stage,” he explained. “So I’ve seen the process in how we got there, and I like being on this stage and competing and having fun. I love this game, and to play on the highest level with a lot of people watching, it’s fun.”

Now the only thing left to see is whether or not that stage will be the World’s Most Famous Arena. If so, he is confident he will be a “great player” for the Knicks.

“I was feeling pretty good today. I like this practice facility. My shot was falling very well, and I was very happy with the way things turned out. I have a will to work and a lot of room to improve physically and with my skills, so I guess with my desire to get better, getting my foot in there and getting on the court and competing, I’ll be a great player.”