While most franchise cornerstones are expected to be the highest-paid guys on the roster, Stephen Curry has always stood apart from that conventional mindset. Even though he has dominated an era where superstars aggressively pursue lucrative deals, Curry's approach has been drastically different.
A prime example of this came when doubts arose about whether Steph was genuinely satisfied being the fourth-highest earner on the Golden State Warriors .
Early in Curry's career, ankle injuries raised serious concerns about his long-term durability in the NBA. Even though he was showing signs of becoming a star in the league, the Warriors took a cautious approach, handing Curry a team-friendly four-year, $44 million contract in 2012.
Years later, Curry established himself as (arguably) the best player in the league, leading Golden State to a championship in 2015 and winning consecutive MVP awards in 2015 and 2016. At that point, his salary did not reflect his on-court greatness.
When Kevin Durant joined the team ahead of the 2016-17 season, he, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson all earned more than Curry.
Naturally, speculations began swirling that being the fourth-highest-earning player on the team bothered Curry. However, he dismissed that notion entirely, making it clear that his earnings were far beyond what most people could imagine and that the team's payroll hierarchy had no bearing on how he viewed himself or his value.
"One thing my pops always told me is you never count another man's money, " the two-time MVP said . "It's what you've got and how you take care of it. And if I'm complaining about $44 million over four years, then I've got other issues in my life."
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The Warriors eventually ensured his importance was reflected on paper, signing Curry to a five-year, $201 million contract extension in 2017. However, even before that historic extension, Curry never sought validation through money or the need to outshine his teammates.
This mindset was key when Durant won the Finals MVP honors in 2017 and 2018 after the Warriors won back-to-back titles.
Not that it didn't bother Curry that he didn't win those awards — former Warrior Nick Young even said that losing the 2018 Finals MVP almost brought the legendary shooter to tears . Still, he never let personal accolades distract him from the ultimate goal: hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
"I remember they was neck and neck, KD and Steph," Young said on "Gil's Arena." "Then, Steph had one bad game; KD was hitting. Locker room, Steph's head was down, damn near in tears, yeah, after a win. Man, he wanted to win that b—h."
That being said, Curry's career reflects the confidence of a superstar who has always been secure in his identity. Whether it came to his salary, scoring average, or being the loudest voice in the locker room, none of it defined him.
Instead, Curry trusted that his game, his impact and his consistency would speak louder than any number ever could. That is still a defining trait of his greatness.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jan 25, 2026, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
