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The NBA community has often questioned Steph Curry's leadership qualities because he hadn't won a Finals MVP. But Vince Carter believes his 2022 Finals performance corrected that misconception.
The Golden State Warriors overcame the Boston Celtics in the finals to win the 2022 title. Despite falling behind twice in the series, they won three straight to clinch the series 4-2.
For his efforts, Curry won his first Finals MVP award in four title runs. Andre Iguodala and Kevin Durant (2) were the recipients of the award in their other championship runs.
On "The VC Show with Vince Carter," the former NBA player was asked what the Finals MVP award means for Steph's legacy. Carter, who played in the league for 22 seasons, said it was Cury's mission to show that he is a capable leader. Carter said:
"I think we all knew he wanted to prove to the world that he is a capable leader and Finals MVP, and he could accomplish that. That was his mission, that was his goal.
"And you could tell how he was coming out in the finals to show y'all forgot. Regular season and playoff Steph is for real, but so is the finals Steph Curry for real. I think he was on a mission. He was a man on a mission."
While the personal accolade was rewarding, Curry and the Warriors franchise were thrilled with the championship. Many had written the Warriors off following their struggles in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.
Fortunately, they successfully proved their doubters wrong and bounced back in exquisite fashion. They have won four titles in six finals appearances over the last eight seasons.
The title also put an end to a long-time debate, centered around the Warriors needing Kevin Durant to win a title. After their disappointing 2016 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Warriors acquired KD and won back-to-back titles.
In the two seasons following Durant's departure, the Warriors failed to make the playoffs. This tied many of their achievements to KD's presence. However, the Warriors have shown that they can win without him, silencing many of their critics.
Steph Curry is the only unanimous MVP and Finals MVP in NBA history
Curry won his first Finals MVP while setting a new record. In league history, no player has been awarded the MVP and Finals MVP through a unanimous vote, until Curry.
Although Andrew Wiggins put together an incredible showcase in the series, his contributions were nowhere close to Curry's. Even if the Warriors lost the series, many expected Curry would have had a chance to walk away with the award.
Curry averaged 31.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals in the six-game series. He was also efficient from beyond the arc, knocking down 43.7% of his shots on 71 total attempts.
It was a record-breaking season for Curry. He set a new 3-point record in December at Madison Square Garden. With the Finals MVP, he is also the only player in league history to win both MVP awards through a unanimous vote.
Guess the Lakers players!
