Steph Curry reveals origins of his pregame warmup crediting ex-Warriors guard for his unique ritual

A mic'd up Steph Curry was caught revealing the origins of his pregame warmup at All-Star weekend in San Francisco. Cameras picked up Curry speaking on the inception of his routine and who he got it from during All-Star practice on Saturday.

Steph Curry, widely considered the greatest shooter in NBA history, is also known for something else. His iconic pregame warmup involves various shooting and ball-handling exercises that typically end with him performing an awe-inspiring circus shot. In a video posted to X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday afternoon, Curry shared the routine's origins with Trey Murphy III.

"So the originator was Monta Ellis," Steph Curry said.

Curry credits former NBA player Monta Ellis with creating what would become his pregame warmup. Ellis, a guard who played for the Warriors from 2005 to 2012, acted as a veteran mentor to Curry in the early years of his career.

"After shootaround he did a backwards one, made like three in a row", Curry said while gesturing a behind-the-back shot.

Curry continued, "That was the year before my rookie year so I kind of adopted it from him".

Among the many lessons he likely learned, the two-time MVP first saw Ellis hit three consecutive trick shots during a team shootaround. As a young basketball player who had yet to play an NBA game, Curry was amazed and added it to his routine.

---

Steph Curry makes unbelievable halfcourt shot at All-Star practice

Steph Curry is world-renowned for his shooting prowess. Beyond the ability to hit difficult shots during high-pressure situations, he also regularly shows off his skills during his pregame warmup by making backward shots from improbable distances.

In a viral clip posted to Instagram by House of Highlights on Saturday, Curry performed his signature pregame warmup move during All-Star practice. In the video, the Warriors star lined up at halfcourt before sinking a behind-the-back shot that barely touched the rim.

Curry hardly hesitated before nailing the one-handed, halfcourt shot in front of numerous other players, including former Warriors teammate Kevin Durant, during All-Star practice on Saturday. The eye-popping shot drew intense excitement from the crowd, who simultaneously gasped and cheered as they followed him to celebrate it.

This season, Steph Curry earned the eleventh All-Star selection of his career. He will suit up for his tenth game on Sunday night, this time playing in front of a friendly San Francisco Bay Area crowd.