Wardell Stephen Curry Jr. and his shooting ability has changed the game of basketball forever.
Gone are the days of feeding the post and playing through your center or power forward. The game has gone from a half-court, defensive-driven game played with physicality to pace and space and as little defense and physical contact as possible, it seems.
The NBA is all about tempo and three-point shooting, which is a byproduct of new-age basketball analytics and the transcending influence of one Chef Curry.
10 threes away from history. pic.twitter.com/kzPoB0EPZL
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 9, 2021
Curry has played a major role in the way the style of basketball has changed. Not all bad, but it’s warped the beliefs of many ballers who think they have the shooting range, efficiency and muscle memory that Curry possesses. Or need to accomplish these unreal shooting splits and feats, and they don’t.
SC knew it was good 🎯 pic.twitter.com/476jqKoUCS
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 9, 2021
Recently ESPN personality Jay Williams had this to say about Steph.
‘Curry Is Most Revolutionary Offensive Player Ever’
“He’s an everyday Joe, mega star. You can’t work hard enough to be LeBron James. You can’t work hard enough to be Michael Jordan. I’m not saying you can work hard enough to be Stephen Curry, but it sure as hell feels like it. If I get 1,000 shoots in a gym. If I just keep working on my three-ball, I may be able to shoot the ball like Steph because he’s a normal human being.
He’s not somebody that when you look at you see them as a alien. Like Kevin Durant’s out here at 7’1 doing all this stuff. I can never be 7’1 or 6’6 like Kobe and jump out the gym, but I can feel like I can be Stephen Curry. It’s more attainable for young kids to feel like they can be Stephen Curry.”
Poetry in motion.@Invisalign || #BigShot pic.twitter.com/pajcLFakH5
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 7, 2021
Why Jay Williams Is Correct
Williams also said …. “Steph is the most showtime player I think I’ve ever seen because of how he does it.” ….
The game changed because of Curry. As Williams mentioned, most athletes aren’t going to be a 6’ 8″ and 260-pound locomotive like LeBron James. Or a 6’10 sharpshooter like Kevin Durant. Or a 6’ 6″ freak-of-nature with the skillset and competitive fire that Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant possessed.
With Curry, you can replicate the movement without the ball and even have the stamina he has. But we’ll never see a 6’ 3″ guard effect defenses the way he does. There have been times when he’s triple-teamed as he crosses half-court. I’ve never seen that done when it comes to those four aforementioned legends.
How many backdoor layups and lob dunks have Warriors big men gotten because defenses are defending Curry 25-30 feet from the rim? You can’t replicate that effect, because no one can shoot it like him. There’s a reason he’s the greatest shooter we’ve ever seen.
For his career, he has 38 games of at least 10 threes and 22 games of 9 threes, the most by a landslide.
Games with 9+ threes in NBA history:
36 — Steph Curry
35
34
33
32
31
30
29
28
27
26
25
24
23
22
21
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9 — James Harden, Damian Lillard
8
7 — Klay Thompson pic.twitter.com/YzMjCwZbch— StatMuse (@statmuse) November 13, 2021
Why He’s Incorrect
Point blank, Curry ain’t an everyday Joe. Secondly, most don’t have a father who was also a great shooter in Dell Curry (genes).
Lastly, it takes unshakable dedication and work to accomplish anything you really want, as it is always on the other side of hard. Not many have that type work ethic.
Steve Kerr Says Curry Reminds Him Of Michael Jordan
“I think Steph in a lot of ways, is like Michael Jordan. There are so many moments that they just all blend together. They don’t even stand out because that’s what you expect. And maybe that’s a true sign of greatness.”
February 27, 2016
"Curry, way downtown – BANG! BANG!"
Steph Curry made 12 three-pointers against the Westbrook-Durant Oklahoma City Thunder, including this game-winning DAGGER from way beyond the line to win the game in OT. pic.twitter.com/ifh8g8FeO3
— Andscape (@andscape) February 27, 2020
So if you put it all into perspective, after the shock of Williams’ bold comment wears off and you analyze it with an understanding that there are different eras and within those eras a handful of players that greatly influence the evolution of the game, Curry easily makes the short list.
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