Are the Warriors successful because they've implemented Pep Guardiola and Barcelona's mentality and style of play? Steph Curry weighs in

At their peak the Golden State Warriors, led by Stephen Curry, were one of the most dominant teams in modern basketball, known for their fluid offense and relentless ball movement.

Yet, few might realize that part of their strategic brilliance is inspired by soccer, specifically Barcelona's famed "tiki-taka" style. Curry himself has credited head coach Steve Kerr for introducing this football philosophy to the Warriors, transforming the team into a nearly unstoppable force.

When Kerr took over as head coach in 2014, the Warriors were already talented but lacked a defining style. Kerr's approach was subtle yet revolutionary. He encouraged the team to move away from rigid set plays and adopt a system that prioritized spacing, ball circulation, and constant player movement.

On the "Mind the Game" podcast with LeBron James and Steve Nash, Curry recalled how Kerr showed the team a clip of Barcelona's tiki-taka and explained how its principles could apply to basketball.

"He was like, 'I just wanna make a couple of tweaks to the way that we're creating shots,'" said Curry.

"So, once we got in training camp, he showed a clip of Barcelona tiki-taka, and he was talking about that as a philosophy of how we're gonna create shots, how we're gonna keep things simple, make the defense have to make a million decisions in a possession, so that you can find the right shot.

"It took a minute to be comfortable with not calling a play and just letting the ball kind of dictate where you're supposed to be."

How "tiki-taka" became Golden State's style

Tiki-taka, popularized by Pep Guardiola at Barcelona, relies on quick, precise passes, constant off-ball movement, and a focus on controlling the rhythm of the game.

While Guardiola himself insists that tiki-taka was never rigidly defined, it became widely associated with Barcelona's dominance in the late 2000s and early 2010s, as well as the Spanish national team's success, including two European Championships and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Kerr adapted these principles to basketball by emphasizing ball movement, spacing, and patience. The Warriors were encouraged to keep the defense in motion, create open shots through rotations, and make every possession a series of decisions for the opposing team.

This approach paid off spectacularly. With Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and their teammates embracing Kerr's system, the Warriors captured NBA championships in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022.

This style stretches defenses, rewards unselfish play, and highlights how modern basketball can evolve by borrowing concepts from other sports. Curry, as the orchestrator of the offense, exemplifies the tiki-taka philosophy, acting not only as a scorer but also as a catalyst who sets teammates up for success.

By linking the Warriors' offensive style to Barcelona's tiki-taka, Curry underscores a fascinating truth: innovation in sports often comes from looking beyond traditional boundaries.