THE PATH OF ΚΑHN

Exiled from the NBA, David Kahn, the former exec best known for passing over Stephen Curry in the drafttwice-has found a new home and a new purpose in France, which he hopes to build into a basketball hotbed

- CHRIS BALLARD

In June 2009, two days before the NBA draft, Warriors general manager Larry Riley received a tip from what he calls "a pretty reliable source" that, if true, would be huge for his team.

At the time, the Warriors were mired in a dark era. Other than a blip in 2007, Golden State had missed the postseason every year for the better part of two decades. "I felt like we had to hit on that draft pick," says Riley.

In preparation, they'd ranked the players. At No. 1: consensus top pick Blake Griffin of Oklahoma. At No. 2, Davidson's Stephen Curry. Riley knew the Knicks also liked Curry.

Fortunately for the Warriors, they picked seventh, one spot ahead of New York. What concerned Riley was Minnesota, which held both the fifth and sixth picks and was in the market for a point guard. And if Riley's source was to be believed, the Timberwolves planned to take not one but two point guards but neither was Steph Curry. It seemed too good to be true.

On the night of the draft, Riley and the Warriors' staff watched as Griffin went first. James Harden and Tyreke Evans, both guards, went third and fourth.

"With the fifth pick in the 2009 NBA draft," David Stern said, "the Minnesota Timberwolves select... Ricky Rubio."

In Oakland, Riley and his team exhaled. It was the next pick, No. 6, that mattered.

Then the phone rang. It was the league office, alerting the Warriors they were on the clock.

The Timberwolves are picking Jonny Flynn.

Riley recalls feeling "tremendous relief," a weight lifted off his shoulders. They had their man.

From there-well, you know what happened. Curry became Steph Curry. Rubio became a borderline All-Star. And Syracuse's Flynn lasted three seasons in the league, his career derailed by hip surgery. Looking back, Riley knows better than to gloat. "Steph Curry's made a lot of us look good."