Warriors GM had Blake Griffin over Steph Curry on draft board

The Golden State Warriors got one of the greatest steals in NBA history when they grabbed Steph Curry with the seventh pick of the 2009 draft. Curry has won two MVPs, three Championships and is far and away the greatest shooter in league history. However, if the team had received the first pick, Curry isn't who they would have grabbed.

The Athletic's Marcus Thompson wrote that Warriors GM Larry Riley was definitely ahead of the curve when it came to seeing the value of Curry.

"Now, to his credit, Riley was always talking about Curry. He was the type of GM who would chat with you. I remember on many occasions we were talking about prospects, and he brought up Steph. ... So I know this for a fact — Larry Riley was all over Steph waaaaay before the 2009 draft."

However, he also revealed that there was one player who Riley had ahead of Curry on his board.

"But as Steph blew up, and the Warriors ended up with the No. 7 pick, he just didn't think Curry would be available. Their board was 1. Blake Griffin, 2. Steph Curry. He could've been lying to me, but he said that to me and I think (SF Chronicle beat writer) Rusty Simmons. They were expecting to land Jordan Hill. Riley and Nelson even flew to Memphis to talk to Monta Ellis, who was unhappy, and told him — according to what my sources told me — that they got on the same page with Monta, including that he would be the point guard."

This isn't that much of a shock, as Griffin was considered one of the best prospects in recent memory when he was drafted by the Clippers. Still, it's fun to imagine an alternative reality where the Warriors have Griffin instead. And maybe in that reality, the Timberwolves don't pass on Curry twice.