While promoting CarMax’s Call Your Shot campaign with the NBAPA, Seth Curry talked about rejoining the Dallas Mavericks, playing his brother and more.
CarMax, the nation’s largest retailer of used cars, has partnered up with the NBA Players Association to select four NBA players (Seth Curry of the Dallas Mavericks, Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls, Kelly Oubre Jr. of the Phoenix Suns and Justise Winslow of the Miami Heat) and retiree Chris Bosh for the Call Your Shot campaign.
The players were selected based on their personalities and on-court play style that could help bring the campaign to life as they help talk about the way car buying should be. Each player as well as some group video action will be featured in a series of social media vignettes that will kick-off at the start of the season in October and run through end of year. Fans will be able to see the videos via CarMax’s Instagram channel as well as view teasers from the players as the content goes live.
After a year in Portland, Seth Curry has returned to Dallas, where he had perhaps the best season of his career in 2016-17 before having to sit out the next year due to injury. Following a deep playoff run with the Portland Trail Blazers, where he and his brother, Stephen Curry, became the first pair of siblings to pair off in the conference finals, Curry hopes to help the Mavericks reach similar success alongside the young pair of Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis.
I recently had a chance to speak with Seth and together we talked about why he returned to Dallas, what it is like playing against his brother, and the Popeye’s chicken sandwich.
Micah Wimmer: What have you been up to during the offseason?
Seth Curry: I’ve been relaxing, taking time to get fully healthy again. Getting off my feet a little bit, the normal grind of working out, staying in shape, getting better. This offseason has been different for me because I haven’t had to rehab at all, just working on my game and getting ready for next season.
Wimmer: What led you to want to return to Dallas?
Curry: A lot of things. I’m very familiar with their system, the organization, and Mark [Cuban] and Rick [Carlisle]. I had some of my best years already in Dallas, that one year I played some of my best basketball. It fits my style and they value me. They wanted to come and get me in the free agent market. They value what I do and I’m looking forward to going back there and hit the ground running.
Wimmer: What are you most looking forward to this upcoming season?
Curry: Becoming a member of a young team that has a lot of promise. A lot of people don’t know what to expect from us just being a new team, we got two young superstars in the making and I’m just looking forward to going there and helping those guys get better and get to the playoffs. I had a taste of the playoffs last year for the first time and we made a long run so now, getting that taste, you want to feel it every year so I’m looking forward to hopefully making another run.
Wimmer: Are there any personal goals you’re looking to achieve next season?
Curry: Right now, coming in and taking on a bigger role than I had last year. Looking forward to going in and helping those guys get to the playoffs — whether I start or come off the bench, whatever the case may be. I’m looking to expand my role every year. I’m in my prime right now so it’s just a matter of being familiar with the situation, playing well and making a run in the playoffs.
Wimmer: What has been the highlight of your NBA career thus far?
Curry: I think this last playoff run we had in Portland is it NBA-wise. I had a great year last year shooting the ball and being able to play in the 3-Point Contest in Charlotte against my brother with my dad there in attendance was a lot of fun. That was probably one of the highlights of the season, but being able to get to the Western Conference Finals and play against the Warriors was a special moment for me and my family.
Wimmer: What was that like, playing against your brother in the conference finals?
Curry: It was a surreal moment. You grow up playing against each other in the driveway and then being able to do it on the biggest stage possible, in the Western Conference Finals, was a lot of fun. I want to get another taste of that next year.
Wimmer: Was there any awkwardness going up against your brother or once you’re on the court, do all those feelings dissolve?
Curry: There’s no awkwardness. We played together enough in the past to get that out of the way. At that point, with those high stakes, it’s all about doing whatever it takes to win the game, to get to the next round. That’s what it was all about.
Wimmer: You missed all of the 2017-18 season due to injury. What was the most difficult part of coming back last year?
Curry: There was a lot of difficulty early in the season. I wasn’t sure about where I was physically and mentally, just going to a completely new team and trying to fit in while trying to get my game back at the same time was tough. It was frustrating not playing the way I wanted to play, but the organization and the team stayed patient with me and it paid off in the long run. I was able to get my feet back, get integrated into the team, and I had a great second half of the year.
Wimmer: On a similar note, it took a few years of playing in the G League before you found your place in the NBA. What kept you believing you would eventually make it?
Curry: My love of the game. Being in the G League wasn’t too tough on me because I was able to play basketball every day, I was able to hone my craft and show what I could do and I never took it for granted. I enjoyed going to the gym every day and working on my game. I felt like I knew I would get a shot to show what I could do at the NBA level and that time came and I was able to make the most of it. I think it was my love of the game that kept me going every single day.
Wimmer: You’re one of the best shooters in the league — how did you come to develop that skill?
Curry: Time, work ethic, a lot of repetition. Obviously growing up around my dad and seeing the way he works on the game and watching NBA players, the way they worked, gave me a little bit of a leg up at the start. But as far as shooting the ball, you gotta go in the gym on your own and work on your game and I think that’s carried me a long way.
Wimmer: What’s your favorite thing about being an NBA player?
Curry: Being able to do what I love for a living. That’s my favorite part. Every day I wake up and that’s probably the highlight of my day, being able to go to the gym and whether it’s practice or a game or whatever, just being able to compete. That’s what I’ve wanted to do from a young age and being able to do that now, it’s very special.
Wimmer: If you could steal the skill of any other player in the league — Monstars style — what would you take?
Curry: Probably someone’s athleticism and size. I have a good knowledge for the game and a pretty good skill-set, I think just a little bit of size and athleticism would help my game a little bit.
Wimmer: If you could dunk on anyone, who would it be?
Curry: I haven’t dunked on anyone in my life so I don’t care who it is.
Wimmer: Are you a cat person or a dog person?
Curry: Dog.
Wimmer: Do you have one now?
Curry: Growing up, but not right now.
Wimmer: Have you tried the new Popeye’s sandwich?
Curry: I haven’t. I’ve been out of the country the last 10 days. I would’ve if I’d been in the States.
Wimmer: Where’ve you been?
Curry: Italy… I saw the whole Popeye’s-Chick-Fil-A, whatever you want to call it, on social media… It’s a real thing.
Wimmer: Are you done traveling for the summer now?
Curry: I’m done for the summer. It was a long, good trip. Now I’m just getting ready for training camp coming up in the next month.