Stephen Curry's tears really did tell the whole story. As preparations begin for yet another title defense with the Golden State Warriors, the reigning Finals MVP explained to Ashley Nicole Moss of Sports Illustrated why his fourth championship ring was “the most special.”

“You don't find me ugly crying on the court for no reason. That raw emotion that came out after Game 6 kind of signaled how much this meant to me, how much this meant to our team,” he said. “The first one, you don't really know what you're doing until you accomplish it, and then you're celebrating. The next two were kind of validation, trying to remain champions. But after the last three years and winning that one, [2022 is] definitely the most special.”

Then Curry was asked if he'd rather have Golden State's 2022 championship taken away or the pair of Larry O'Brien Trophies he won alongside Kevin Durant in 2017 and 2018. He barely hesitated before answering decisively.

“No, I want this one,” Curry said. “Give me this one all day, every day.”

Curry's personal preference for Golden State's 2022 title comes as no surprise, and not just due to the flow of happy tears that began cascading to the TD Garden floor in the iconic final moments of Game 6. Steve Kerr, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson also haven't been shy to share the same opinion, either.

It's easy to forget how much doubt the Warriors faced before last season tipped off, having missed the playoffs consecutive seasons and awaiting Thompson's return from more than two years away from the game. Even a dominant 18-2 start didn't keep skepticism about their title chances from resurfacing toward the end of the regular season, especially once a sprained left foot sidelined Curry from mid-March until the playoffs tipped off. Remember, he began the postseason on the bench, re-acclimating to the speed of the game.

Needless to say, the Warriors enter 2022-23 in a much different place than they were a year ago. Stephen Curry wasn't asked if winning consecutive championships for the second time in his career would mean more to him than the first. Considering the special place Golden State's most recent title holds in his heart, though, the answer seems obvious.

[Sports Illustrated]