SAN FRANCISCO — The star of the host team who welcomed All-Star fans to the Bay Area for the weekend collected his second NBA All-Star MVP.
Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry earned Sunday’s Kobe Bryant All-Star MVP trophy with a 12-point, four-rebound performance in the championship game of the event featuring a new four-team mini-tournament.
Curry’s performance helped Shaq’s OGs defeat Chuck’s Global Stars, 41-25. In the three-game event, the first team to 40 points won each game.
‘This is just a special weekend all the way around,’ Curry said. ‘This is very symbolic of the entire journey. I hope we have a lot to accomplish on the court and not ending the journey anytime soon. But again, for me and my vantage point, having played here for 16 years, this is the only place that I’ve played, it was just a great celebration of basketball in this area, and this (MVP trophy) is pretty cool to have, too.’
Curry had eight points and six rebounds in the semifinal victory against Candace’s Rising Stars, giving him 20 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and two assists in two games. He made four 3-pointers in the final game and two 3s in the semifinal.
Curry helped bring the game to a conclusion with two quick 3-pointers near the end of the game – one 3 gave Shaq’s OGs a 36-21 lead and he followed that with another 3 for a 39-21 advantage.
Curry opened scoring in the final game with a 3-pointer and later connected on a 3-pointer from 39 feet. He followed that with a heat check from half court that did not go in.
‘Stories kind of write themselves,’ Curry said. ‘Just having a moment where you get the crowd into it and do what I love doing on the floor.’
In the MVP balloting, Curry received 12 of 14 votes. Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (Shaq’s OGs) and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Chuck’s Global Stars) each received one vote.
Curry played the perfect host along with is wife Ayesha in San Francisco and Oakland. They spent the weekend at philanthropic events, official All-Star events and hosted a party.
“The hosting experience was unbelievable,” Curry said. “I’m not going to complain about being tired or exhausted. This is an honor and a blessing to be able to celebrate and share this beautiful Bay Area that’s been a part of my life for the last 16 years and the basketball history and culture that’s here and the amazing fans that are here and the impact that the game being here has had on both cities.”
(This story was updated with new information.)
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