One can argue that no player in the NBA has helped change the game more than Steph Curry. Curry entered the league as a wildcard; a three-year college student that was undersized and primarily a jump shooter.
But within 6 years of entering the NBA, Curry became an All-Star, an MVP, and an NBA champion. Curry’s absolutely spectacular range on the court allowed him to become the greatest shooter of all time.
The impact Curry has had on the game is undeniable. Today’s NBA has become almost entirely focussed on the three-point shot. And some of the best players in the NBA today are excellent three-point shooters.
Curry’s greatness allowed the Golden State Warriors to become one of the greatest teams in NBA history. His combination with Klay Thompson, who in his own right is one of the greatest shooters in NBA history, created a historic backcourt duo that led the Warriors to 3 NBA championships and 5 NBA Finals.
Golden State Warriors veteran and former NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala spoke recently in an interview with the Breakfast Club. During the interview, he spoke about the impact that Curry has had in the NBA, allowing players to relax and have fun without making it look like they’re not taking the game seriously.
Since Curry entered the league, players like Damian Lillard and Luka Doncic, who show that you can play well while exhibiting flair and enjoying themselves. These kinds of players would have been criticized during the era of players like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
“I think he changed the game,. You know, one thing he brought to the game was – you were looked at as soft if you had too much fun playing basketball. People like Charles Barkley, Anthony Mason with the Knicks, Charles Oakley were looked at highly. It was a weakness if you smiling on the court. You had to be mean, like Pat Riley style basketball with New York”
“But when Steph Curry came through, he started laughing, he started shimmying and he’s shooting half-court. Now you’re seeing this trickle-down effect, you see Trae Young, you see Dame Lillard, you see Luka Doncic. These dudes are shooting step-backs from half-court and everybody goes crazy. Kind of like, you can have joy now, you can laugh and you can play. That’s like a real generational effect that comes from one dude and it’s something special. Like I said, you got to give people their flowers while they’re here. He revolutionized the game.”
Many players in past years made sure to show little-to-no emotion on the court. Former superstars like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant made sure they always kept a solid demeanor when on the court, so as to strike fear into the hearts of their opponents.
Curry is known affectionately as the ‘baby-faced assassin’, because of his smiling demeanor on the court. Curry is often seen as relaxed and smiling when playing but can play at a level that very few NBA players have ever shown on the court, especially with his scoring.
