Stephen Curry might not hail from San Francisco, but he has become the messiah the city’s sports certainly needed. In his rich stint with the Golden State Warriors, he has set the benchmark for an athlete. Apart from his numerous accolades which command a place in the league’s hall of greats, as a person, Curry’s magnetism and grounded nature have inspired millions. Among them is an NFL rookie who is over the moon because he plays right across from his idol.

The 86th selection in this year’s draft, Dominick Puni will suit up for the San Francisco 49ers. The offensive guard, even though only a rookie, has showcased transcending maturity. A part of his persona being molded with such availability is the influence Curry had on him. Until 2011, he wasn’t even aware of the phenom on the basketball court. But once he got a glimpse, Puni couldn’t stop. “He’s not the biggest guy out there, but his efficiency is through the roof,” the 313 lbs offensive guard expressed his sentiments.

“On the court, I mean his effort is ridiculous. His work ethic is ridiculous. I really like the person. Any time he talks to the media or [the] public, he’s just awesome,” he said of Curry. As much happiness came with him living his NFL dream, being in San Francisco topped it off. The first conversation he had with his brother, who unveiled Curry to him was “‘We’re definitely going to a Warriors game,”.

Puni though has gone a step beyond. When asked about what his reaction would be, he seemed nothing different than a fan who enamors Stephen Curry. “I would just be like, ‘Dude.’ I’d first get a picture with him, and then I don’t know if I’d fanboy out after that. But I’d definitely tell him I looked up to him growing up,” he told NBC.

However, he feels his elder brother might not be able to handle the experience. “He would die if he met him too,” he says.

Puni hopes Stephen Curry and the Warriors can win another one

Having followed him since 2012, Dominick Puni witnessed the golden days of the Bay. He saw a dynasty unfold, with his memories going back to the time Kevin Durant donned the jersey. Then he thought “You always knew they were going to win”. However, for him, if it came to ranking championships, the moment Curry achieved an accolade that evaded him throughout his career took precedence over his other three titles.

“But I think the best year was [2022] when they beat the Celtics. It was just so awesome because Steph finally got his [Finals] MVP. He kind of just put the team on his back,” the 24-year-old 49ers offensive guard professed.

His only wish now remains for the Warriors to relive glory once again. A new dynamic is acting in the building with no Klay Thompson standing beside Curry anymore. However, the experimenting and highly competitive atmosphere led to a perfect preseason. The Bay winning all six games found production from various outlets, with Moses Moody and Kuminga being the standouts.

However, Puni doesn’t want to overestimate their preseason success and assume it will translate to the regular season. However, the experience of watching the crashing of the Lakers is an experience he will forever cherish. Having got the experience of the “rowdy” fans at the Chase Center, there are two games Puni doesn’t want to miss.

The first is the return of Klay Thompson to the Bay, which comes in November. The matchup even though emotional holds great significance as part of the NBA’s In-Season Tournament. And like most would, he also wants to witness Curry and LeBron James go against one another as their legendary rivalry will soon fade away.

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