Tearful Stephen Curry climbs MVP mountain

Stephen Curry is the best player on the best team in the NBA.

Monday the league validated that statement by announcing that Curry is the winner of the Maurice Podoloff Trophy as the 2014-15 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player.

Before Curry was handed the trophy, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr congratulated his sharp-shooting star:

“Steph, I want to thank you for making my job really, really easy.  Because to build a team, you need that kind of continuity and joy and love for what we’re doing, and you embody all of that.”

From 129 voters — sportswriters and broadcasters — Curry received 100 first-place votes, while runner-up James Harden earned 25.

Curry, a sixth-year guard, posted averages of 23.8 points (sixth in the NBA), 7.7 assists (sixth), 4.3 rebounds and 2.04 steals (fourth) in 32.7 minutes, the fewest minutes played by an MVP in league history.

Curry continued to prove he is one of the best shooters in the game and led the league in three-point field goals, hitting 286 threes to break his own NBA-record for single-season three-pointers.

Tuesday afternoon, Curry was presented with the MVP trophy and gave a emotional and thoughtful speech thanking every one from his family and friends to the Warriors equipment manager.

Clearing his throat to hold back tears, Curry thanked his wife Ayesha for being his backbone and allowing him to focus on a basketball career and still have a family:

“The sacrifices you make are unbelievable, and I can’t thank you enough for who you are as a person, how you challenge me, how you inspire me every single day … I love you so much.”

As emotions mounted and Curry directly addressed his father, former NBA star Dell Curry, the tears flowed:

“I remember a lot of your career, and to be able to follow in your footsteps, it means a lot to me.  This is special.  I’m really proud of what you were able to do in your career, and I don’t take that for granted at all.”

After showing gratitude to those close to him, Curry said four things led to this point in his journey; faith, passion, drive and will.

When explaining what drives him, Curry pointed to his teammates and he spent the majority of his speech addressing every player on the Warriors roster individually, thanking them for their contributions.

Curry is the second player in Warriors history to be named MVP — and the first in the team’s West Coast Era (since 1962-63) — joining Wilt Chamberlain, who earned the honor as a rookie with the Philadelphia Warriors in 1959-60.

Curry, 27, led the Warriors to a franchise-record and NBA-best 67 wins in 2014-15 (67-15, .817) and helped the Warriors capture their first Pacific Division title since 1975-76. Golden State is just the 10th team in NBA history to win 67 games in a single season.

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