Hype is a fickle friend. One minute you’re everybody’s favorite reason to watch hoops, next you’re the, “What’s he been up to?” kid lost somewhere in northern Cali. Playing sub-.300 basketball on Pacific timing – and in front of disenchanted crowds – isn’t the fastest avenue for delivering on that hype. That’s why it’s a good thing Warriors rook Stephen Curry doesn’t mind the lack of props just yet.

After being plugged more than any other mid-major collegiate star this side of Wally Szczerbiak to head into the League, Curry has somehow already been tossed to the wayside in favor of other rookie point guards. Still, he has been fighting through spotty minutes and a slew of losses to emerge as one of the ’09 class’ best gamers.

With Curry already taking on a commanding role in an otherwise volatile team, it’s no wonder his new coach – who’s notorious for limiting young guns to garbage time – beefed him up before the Draft as if he were Nellie’s own kin. In all truth, the hype surrounding Steph has been justified to date; so how’s the Bay Area’s most likeable new resident shrugging off the doubters and taking in his first year as a taxpayer? Steph tells you in an exclusive Dime interview…

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Dime: You’ve already hit the halfway mark on your first NBA season, how are you doing with everything?
Stephen Curry: Everything’s going well. I mean as a team, we’re not where we want to be – we had a sluggish start to the year – but individually, I think I’m getting better every game. That’s my kind of outlook on the season: just try to get better, learn from my mistakes that I made earlier in the year and just be a more complete player by the end of the year.

Dime: Is this what you anticipated the transition from college would be like?
SC: Yeah I think so, I mean a lot’s said about how many games we play and we’ve already played more than a college season. Physically I feel pretty good; that’s the main key, is just making sure your body is ready to play every night since you play so many games and I feel like I’m there.

Dime: You still keeping tabs on your alma mater and an eye on their play this season?
SC: Yeah I watch pretty much every game I can if we don’t play that same night. It’s definitely still weird to watch them play without me out there. I talk to my coach [Bob McKillop] pretty much once a week and all of my [former] roommates and teammates. It’s really like I haven’t left kind of thing.

Dime: Was there any one game or play that everything clicked and the light bulb went on; OK, now I’m comfortable?
SC: Probably when we played Washington [Wizards] (Steph dropped 27 points, eight boards and four dimes in a 118-109 loss on December 18, 2009) and it was our first ESPN game of the year. I had a career high that night and everything was pretty much flowing. I was shooting the ball well, getting assists and things like that. So that was the game I felt most comfortable out there throughout the whole season [so far].

Dime: What does Golden State need to do to start playing more consistent?
SC: It’s injuries, but after awhile you can’t really blame it all on injuries the whole time. But we have four key guys that have been on the inactive list, so we would have a totally different team if those guys were healthy. Right now it’s just defensively trying to, I guess, stop our opponent a little more than we are and getting ourselves in the game in the fourth quarter and hopefully winning some more.

Dime: So how do you like being out in the Bay Area? Have you been feeling some homesickness?
SC: Not really, my fam comes out probably once every two or three weeks, so I get to see them a good amount for them being so far away. You know the bay is treating me very well. I love the weather out here, loving the team and having a lot of fun living out here.

Dime: What about the Steph Curry doubters out – everyone’s got them?
SC: You know, if you compare myself to the other rookies that are coming up out of my class, I think I’m right there in the top category with all the guys. There are a lot of intangibles that don’t go into the stat sheet I think I do that my coaching staff sees every day in and day out. I mean that’s who I’m trying to impress, that’s who I’m trying to earn their trust and like I said, just try to get better every game and not really worry about what people are saying.

Dime: Who are you closest with in the rookie class?
SC: I’m good buddies with Jonny Flynn; he’s probably the main guy out of our rookie class. Omri Casspi too, I hung out with him in Chicago at the combine. Those two guys are doing pretty well for themselves and it’s good to see those guys playing well.

Dime: How has your game further developed since coming into the League?
SC: I think I’m a better point guard as a whole. Not trying to make plays by passing the ball in tight spaces – especially with those big guys, waving their long arms – trying to throw behind the back passes and all that kind of stuff just to get the ball from point A to point B. I think I’m getting better at that timing-wise and accuracy with my passing. That’s what my coach wants me to do.

Dime: Five, 10, 12 years from now – when people look back on this Draft – what are they going to be saying next to your name?
SC: Hopefully I’ll be one of those marquee guys that you see in the League – like a Monta Ellis right now, who’s playing at an All-Star level – and just trying to be a team leader. Hopefully I’ll have a championship by then.

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