The game of basketball has come a long way since the early days. The rules have changed, the players have changed, and the way they play in offense and defense are completely different.
One of the last players to force the game to evolve was Stephen Curry. For better or worse, he’s one of the most influential and impactful players of all time.
His haters say that he’s ruining basketball because everybody’s trying to chug up three-pointers. His fans credit him for forcing defenses to play differently nowadays.
Recently, Kenyon Martin lauded him and the way he impacts the game, claiming that — contrary to what his haters say, he could actually be successful in every single era:
“I think Steph Curry can play in any era. Like just small stature, but guys have come before him that were small in stature that got it done,” Martin said on Gilbert Arenas’ podcast “No Chill Gil”.
“I think the way he plays because people look at him just to shoot, but he plays the game the right way. He plays the game the right way, like moves, passes it when they need to pass, shoots it when you need to. So I love watching him play – the way he plays the game,” the former All-Star added.
That’s not a hot take at all. People have often compared Curry to former greats like Pete Maravich, so it’s not crazy to think that he could be as good as he is nowadays back in the day, even without the three-point line.
At the end of the day, the most talented players will always find ways to make an impact, regardless of their opposition, the era, or even the set of rules.
