Stephen Curry recently opened up about the moment he realized his game had changed the game of basketball forever. Speaking on Mind the Game, the Golden State Warriors star revealed that it was Trae Young’s arrival in the NBA that made him recognize the full extent of his influence on the next generation of players.
“When Trae Young came in the league and he was the first person they said was the next me, even though he’s a different player,” said Curry. “I’ve known him since he was in high school and that was the first time I was like, ‘I’m getting a little older now with these kids that are now emulating their game after the way that you played. That might be the first time I thought about it, or really experienced what the impact was… He was a kid who came to our games, got to talk to him, next thing you know he’s getting drafted and it’s like, ‘He’s it now.’ Well no, he’s his own player.’”
Curry also spoke about how the “You ruined the game” criticism shifted over time, explaining that while he once took it personally, he now views it as proof of his lasting impact on basketball and its culture.
“I got that ‘You ruined the game’ question all the time after Mark [Jackson] said it. Now it’s kind of tongue in cheek, just because you understand there is an influence and now it’s about how you can allow kids to hear the story about the entire journey, and not just the finished product.”
Curry’s influence completely reshaped how basketball is played. Before his rise, the league revolved around size, strength, and physical defense. Teams played inside out, and only a handful of players were trusted to shoot consistently from deep.
With Curry’s success in Golden State, everything changed. His mastery of the three-point shot exposed its full potential, transforming the sport into a perimeter-driven game. The results speak for themselves: four championships, two MVPs, and a secure place among the greatest players of all time. Curry’s dominance was so overwhelming that it even forced Steve Nash into retirement after a particularly brutal encounter.
As the Warriors continued their dynasty, new stars like Trae Young emerged, players who embodied the very playstyle Curry pioneered. Seeing Young be compared with himself showed Curry just how far his influence had spread and how many careers were shaped by his example.
Today, while his prime years may be behind him, Curry’s impact remains unmatched. His leadership and skill defined an entire era of basketball, and the league continues to chase the standard he set.
Stephen Curry’s legacy reaches far beyond the records and the rings. His influence lives on in every young player who pulls up from deep, every coach who builds around spacing, and every fan who fell in love with the three-point shot. For Curry, it was never just about changing the game. His goal is also to inspire a new generation to believe that skill, creativity, and hard work could redefine what greatness looks like.
