NBA-bound Curry (Tim Cowie photo)

But will he stay in California?

Davidson College basketball star Stephen Curry, who left school a year early to enter the NBA draft, was picked seventh Thursday night by the Golden State Warriors.

But almost as soon as his number was pulled, there was speculation about a possible trade – to Phoenix.

The draft, at Madison Square Garden in New York, also sent Duke’s Gerald Henderson to the Charlotte Bobcats as the No. 12 pick. Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina went 13th, to Indiana.

A report in Friday morning’s Arizona Republic quotes unnamed sources as saying that Mr. Curry could wind up in Phoenix through a trade. The newspaper suggests Mr. Curry would welcome a trade, noting that he did not work out for the Warriors and considered the pick a “worst-case scenario.”

The report had no word from Mr. Curry on the speculation. Elsewhere Mr. Curry was quoted as being thankful to be drafted.

Mr. Curry had said he would love to be drafted by the New York Knicks. The Charlotte Observer‘s Scott Fowler described the scene as Mr. Curry was picked, noting that he bowed his head when his number came up. “I was just thanking God for allowing me to be drafted. Plus it also helped me focus and drown out the boos of the Knicks fans a little,” he told Mr. Fowler.

Mr. Curry led the nation in scoring his junior year at Davidson, averaging 28 points per game. He announced in April he would forego his senior year to enter the NBA draft.

He is the first Davidson College player to be drafted in the first round since Fred Hetzel in 1965. Mr. Hetzel went to the same team – then called the San Francisco Warriors.

Mr. Curry is also the first Wildcat to be drafted since 1983, when Cliff Tribus was selected in the eighth round by Denver Nuggets.

He is a Charlotte native, the son of former NBA standout Dell Curry.

RELATED LINKS

June 26, 2009, Charlotte Observer, Scott Fowler column, “Warriors dash Curry’s hopes of being a Knick.”

June 26, 2009, SFgate.com, “Warriors insist they have a place for great shooter.” Bruce Jenkins column.

June 26, 2009, Arizona Republic/Azcentral.com, “A new look in the works for Suns.”

Read DavidsonNews.net‘s previous coverage of Mr. Curry at tag “Stephen Curry”