“Don’t Mess With” Stephen Curry & Klay Thompson’s Special Bond, Warns Media Veteran as Splash Leaves Town for Good
“Splash”- Every time Stephen Curry or Klay Thompson sunk a 3, Bob Fitzgerald used this term on the Warriors’ commentary desk. With some modifications from Andre Iguodala, the name “Splash Brothers” came into existence and ever since has stuck with the Steph-Klay duo.
After Klay Thompson’s heart-wrenching exit from the Bay Area, the Dubs fans were looking for his replacement, and they just stumbled upon the next big thing in Buddy Hield. To continue the tradition, many Dubs fans have dubbed Hield and Curry’s new partnership as “Splash Buddies”, but this has offended a veteran podcast host who has fired warning shots at the fans.
Mark Willard, the voice of Warriors-centric podcasts “97.5 The Game” and “Willard and Dibs” took issue with the new moniker bestowed upon Curry and Hield. For many, the “Splash Brothers” nickname is a sacred entity just like the crest and jerseys and Willard is certainly one of them. He made his sentiments clear during the latest episode of “Willard and Dibs” podcast and, quite clearly, he is not repping the “Splash Buddies” anytime soon. “This little ‘Splash Buddies’ thing? ‘Splash’ left town. It’s over. Don’t do it. We’re not attaching splash anything to any other players…Klay and Steph. Don’t mess with that,” said a dissatisfied Willard.
Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
The connection between the two duo was a sight to behold. Any team going against the Dubs knew they were about to see a bombardment of 3s courtesy of Steph and Klay from all angles possible. The duo changed how the game is played with their catch-and-shoot style that built the foundation of the Warriors dynasty. With Thompson’s exit, that dynasty met its demise and not many are ready to move on so quickly. “That was special. They earned that,” Willard concluded.
Buddy Hield is a capable shooter in his own right with a 40% career 3-pts shooting. While that’s 1.3% lower than that of Klay, Hield’s Iron Man-esque fitness can compensate for that. Hield played 84 games in the 82-game regular season due to his trade from the Pacers to the Sixers. Klay, on the other hand, missed significant court time in recent years due to his injuries, so output-wise it’s a like-for-like switch. But can Hield live up to the legacy left by the former number 11 of the franchise?
Buddy Hield opens up about his team-up with Stephen Curry
The former Sixers swingman came to the West Coast after as a part of Klay’s historic trade to the Mavs. Hield is well aware of the sky-high expectations he’ll have to fulfil as the replacement for Klay Thompson. During his introductory press conference, Hield opened up about it and his imminent link-up with Curry. “There’s no pressure. Just come and do my job. What Klay has done for this organization has been tremendous. I love Klay a lot. I’ve watched him over the years. He’s special,” Hield said about his predecessor.
How does Buddy Hield feel about him and Steph being called the Splash Buddies?
“I don’t see nothing wrong with it but we just gotta take it day by day.” pic.twitter.com/a1Uoth2WIU
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) July 18, 2024
“So, I don’t look at it as pressure. I think it’s fun just being in that role and seeing if I can get the same looks he gets,” the 31-year-old further added. Hield finished last season with a 38.9% success rate from downtown while scoring 12.1 points on average. With the franchise stuck in a rock and hard place with the Curry Window and decisions involving Stephen Curry’s future, Hield can provide a stabilizing effect to the team that they missed last season. If he succeeds in doing so, then we can safely assume that “Splash Buddies” are here to stay.
The post “Don’t Mess With” Stephen Curry & Klay Thompson’s Special Bond, Warns Media Veteran as Splash Leaves Town for Good appeared first on EssentiallySports.
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