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Curry: 'Great mentor' Paul taught me what it takes to succeed in NBA

Ezra Shaw / Getty Images Sport / Getty

As Stephen Curry prepares to go toe to toe with Chris Paul in the Western Conference finals, he reflected on the days when he considered the veteran point guard his mentor.

Before he was selected seventh overall by the Golden State Warriors, Curry worked out with Paul during the summer of 2009 and learned what it takes to be a great player in the pros.

"He was a great mentor when it came to understanding how a guy on his level prepared over the summer for an NBA season," Curry said Friday, according to ESPN's Chris Haynes. "How disciplined he was, his work ethic, and I got to see that firsthand after summer league through the beginning of the season. And, obviously, we (have) got a Carolina connection."

Paul was 24 at the time and revealed what he told the son of former shooting guard Dell Curry before "The Chef" entered the NBA and carved out a legacy of his own.

"I just told him to be aggressive, as aggressive as possible," Paul said then. "And as you watch games, because you're not sure if you're going to start when you come in as a rookie, I told him when you watch, learn different things. The best thing you can do coming in as a rookie is to watch. Watch basketball. When your team's not playing, watch another team play because that's how you learn."

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Curry indicated that having the opportunity to compete against a star of Paul's caliber gave him confidence as he embarked on his professional career. Since then, the 30-year-old point guard has developed into perhaps the greatest shooter of all time and a surefire Hall of Famer.

The two-time MVP and NBA champion is looking to lead his team to a fourth consecutive trip to the Finals, with his former mentor standing in the way. In his first season with the Houston Rockets, Paul has been instrumental to Houston's success and its first-place finish.

The teams' Western Conference finals series opens Monday at Toyota Center.

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