Stephen Curry is unanimously considered the greatest shooter in basketball history. Curry’s ability to shoot the ball from seemingly impossible spots is truly incredible. And what makes his shooting numbers even more impressive is the fact that until 2019, he was shooting the ball despite not being able to see very well.
According to Frank Mitchell Smith, Stephen Curry was suffering from a condition called Keratoconus, which leads to the cornea getting thinner over time. Curry even said, “I had gotten used to squinting for so long, It was just normal”. But once his three-point percentage dipped below 37%, he got contact lenses. With his vision fixed, Curry went back to his best, shooting 49% from three for the second half of the season.
In 2019 Steph Curry revealed he had played his whole career with blurry vision
Steph was suffering from a condition called Keratoconus, which results in the progressive thinning of the cornea pic.twitter.com/dGnQyXjI03
— Frank Michael Smith (@frankmikesmith) May 19, 2023
LASIK surgery wasn’t an option, so Steph went with contacts…
And the results were shocking pic.twitter.com/6xDCb7SuLM
— Frank Michael Smith (@frankmikesmith) May 19, 2023
The minor change had a massive impact…
As Steph shot 49% from three in the 2nd half of the season pic.twitter.com/1FMcaxMB1J
— Frank Michael Smith (@frankmikesmith) May 19, 2023
As a shooter, your ability to see the hoop is paramount to your success rate. Even for Stephen Curry, someone who revolutionized the NBA with his ability to shoot the basketball, blurry vision can be quite an impediment. The fact that Curry’s percentage fell down to 37%, which is considered respectable for a lot of great players, that caused him to get checked out truly speaks to how high Curry sets the bar for himself as a player.
Stephen Curry was already considered one of the best shooters of all time prior to getting contacts in 2019. So the fact that he was able to shoot the way he did despite not being able to see very well is absolutely stunning. On top of that, Curry wasn’t just shooting well, but he was winning MVPs and NBA Championships with blurry vision.
Did Getting Contact Lenses Rejuvenate Stephen Curry’s Career?
One has to imagine that Curry’s improved vision made it easier for him to surpass Ray Allen to become the player with the most three-pointers in NBA history in 2021. As Frank Michael Smith pointed out, Curry’s percentages were dropping due to his eyesight, and contact lenses gave him a new lease on life in the NBA. Curry went on to win another NBA championship last season, winning Finals MVP in the process.
Curry’s legacy as a player is solidified. But he is doing his part to ensure the future of the NBA. It was revealed recently that Stephen Curry will be mentoring 2023 NBA Draft prospect Scoot Henderson. For Henderson, having an all-time great like Stephen Curry mentoring him and helping him get established in the NBA is truly a privilege, one that a lot of players from the past and the future would be very lucky to have.
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