8 Ways Steph Curry And The Warriors Are Like Prince And The Revolution
The Golden State Warriors are having one of the best seasons in NBA history.
They're a mere five wins away from wrapping up the greatest regular season record of all time, and knocking off the '96 Bulls seemingly unbreakable record of 72-10.
They possess the greatest basketball player on the planet in Stephen Curry, and they're well on their way to winning back-to-back titles.
And though this may seem like an absurd choice I've decided to draw a comparison between Steph Curry and the Warriors and Prince and The Revolution.
Why? I was trying to think, who outside of the sports world had captivated everyone as thoroughly and suddenly as the Warriors had these past few years?
The first person I though of was Prince and, of course, The Revolution. So why not do a five-on-five breakdown of each group to see how they match up?
But first, let's compare the seasons that have tied them together.
For the Warriors it's the 2015-16 season.
The Warriors had an amazing season last year, solidifying themselves as NBA power players and beating the Cleveland Cavaliers for the 2014-2015 NBA title.
But even with that title under their belts they were nowhere near the team they are now. They came into the 2015 season with a heightened sense of competitiveness after hearing other teams make excuses.
And though the Warriors were lacking the guidance of the man who got them there in the first place, Steve Kerr, they hit the ground running and started the season on a 24-0 run, not taking a moment to look back while amassing an incredible 68 wins, while allowing only seven losses with all but seven games left.
For Prince and co. it was their epic run in 1983 - 84.
Prince was four records in by the time he released 1999 in the fall of 1982. And though it went four times platinum and produced smash hits like, "Little Red Corvette" and "1999," it was nowhere near the masterpiece Purple Rain would turn out to be.
Prince hit another level when he got to the the studio in 1983. He was determined to write a power ballad equal to that of Bob Seger's, "We've Got Tonight," or "Turn the Page," and he did so with the Journey-inspired "Purple Rain."
In addition, he wrote the script for a film version of "Purple Rain" that would follow months later after the release of the record. At one point, in 1984, Prince had the number one record in the country, the number one single and the number one film. He was, for all intents and purposes, on top of the (purple) world.
Now, to that starting five. And since Prince was a basketball player, I'm sure he'd appreciate this.
Steph Curry = Prince
This is easy; these two are clearly the best at what they do and are the unquestioned (though quiet) leaders of their groups. They're both freakishly talented men, who continually rise to the occasion and have each changed the way we look at their crafts.
They're each undoubtedly in the upper ranks of what they do and we wouldn't be having this conversation without them.
Klay Thompson = Dez Dickerson and Wendy Melvoin
Klay is the sidekick of all sidekicks.
He never has to shoulder the spotlight Steph does and is always there to drop a 40-point game when needed. He, along with Draymond, really act as the Pippen to Curry's Jordan.
He's a quiet killer, much like Steph, and is easily the second greatest three-point shooter of all time, behind his prolific teammate.
Dez was there from the beginning with Prince, and was initially a major contributor to the song writing process, but the explicit sexuality of Prince's music bothered Dez's born-again Christian sensibilities, so he left the band shortly before Purple Rain's release.
Dez was replaced by Wendy Melvoin, who can be seen playing guitar in Prince's first ever live performance of Purple Rain at a show in Minnesota in 1983 (I've watched this video at least eight millions times).
Wendy, along with fellow musician and partner, Lisa Coleman, were crucial members of Prince's inner circle.
Harrison Barnes = BrownMark
If the Warriors were an actual band, who would you pick to play bass? HARRISON BARNES, no question.
He's a solid player, always kind of hanging out in the background, never taking much attention away from the star players. He's perfect! He's the James Jamerson of The Warriors. That's a compliment.
BrownMark (Mark Brown) was with The Revolution from 1982 to 1986. He flew pretty far under the radar in The (ever boisterous) Revolution. He and Barnes share a common trait; they're both hard workers, helping to move the masses toward a greater good.
Draymond Green = Lisa Coleman
Draymond is the catalyst for the Warriors. He's the Alpha dog, the sh*t-talker. He really is the straw that stirs the drink (sorry, Reggie).
When the Dubs need some energy after a back-to-back on the road, Dray's the one who brings it. He's the unquestioned heart and soul of the team, and the motor that's driving them in the direction of another title.
As noted when talking about Wendy's relationship with Prince, Lisa, though not in the Revolution very long, had a big impact on Prince while there.
Wendy and Lisa were Prince's closest confidants up until leaving The Revolution in 1986 to start their own project affectionately called, "Wendy & Lisa."
If Steph is the Prince of the Warriors then Klay and Dray are the Wendy & Lisa. It's all starting to come together...
Andrew Bogut = Dr. Fink
Bogut has been in the league over a decade and is easily one of the NBA's savviest -- and dirtiest -- players. He's relied on heavily to control the paint against other teams' big men, and is undoubtedly the team's enforcer and protector of all things sacred, Steph Curry.
Dr. Fink was the longest tenured and probably most consistent member of The Revolution, starting out with Prince in 1979 and staying all the way through 1991. That's a hell of a run, especially considering how often Prince burned through band members.
It's super weird that he still wears doctors scrubs and a stethoscope (TO THIS DAY!) while performing, but I respect his dedication to the character.
Andre Iguodala = Bobby Z and Sheila E
Iggy is a major cog in the Warrior winning machine.
He was Finals MVP when the Dubs took the title last year and, along with Bogut, brought a high level of basketball savvy and experience to an incredibly young team.
Though injured through the back half of this current season, there's no doubt in my mind that the Warriors will need all the clutch shots and timely playmaking Iguodala brings to the table if they plan to repeat as champions.
Bobby Z started playing music with Prince in 1978 and much like Dr. Fink was crucial to the consistency of The Revolution. That said, when he left in 1986, he was replaced by Sheila E., a known commodity in the industry who quickly became the band leader of the Revolution and helped them eventually evolve into The New Power Generation.
Though she came on board post-Purple Rain, Sheila had been working with Prince long before she joined the band, singing back up vocals on "Let's Go Crazy" and "Erotic City."
She was by no means more famous than Prince, but everybody absolutely LOVED Sheila E (for one reason or another).
So, there you have it.
They may not be mirror images of each other, but they definitely carry a few common traits. But, seriously though, Steph should go as Prince for Halloween one year. He'd absolutely kill it.
