Stephen Curry : The evolution of a superstar and the similarity to Lionel Messi

“Some people have greatness thrust upon them. Very few have excellence thrust upon them.”

John W. Gardner

LeBron James and Kobe Bryant as are of the former kind. Players who were christened as the heir to the great Michael Jordan. Players who were blessed with the hyper-athletic ability and a basketball IQ that transcends the game.

They are players who starred and super-starred in the league and for the better part of the last two decades have been the face of the game. Legendary credentials notwithstanding, the careers of these two players were certainly a story of them pursuing excellence, but doing so to be accountable for the greatness thrust upon them.

Kobe is going to sign off a great career this year and LeBron still has a few years left. And on their arduous journey to stand true to the yardstick of greatness they evolved into becoming players who mimicked Jordan in ways that they could best translate into their game.

Kobe evolved into a cerebral assassin who excelled in closing games and making the clutch moments his own. LeBron evolved into an athletic marvel who at his size and speed was a daemon to guard against and dominated the power and speed game with an efficiency that was reminiscent of the likes of Julius Erving and Elgin Baylor.

Do I wish to comment on their greatness? Not today. But I sure wish to express my grudge over the grim yardstick set for greatness. A yardstick that almost seemed unattainable for the normal kid playing in his backyard. Not everyone is blessed with these superhuman athletic gifts and for quite a while the game struggled to find a role model who the normal public could look to emulate.

Jordan was great but the game certainly had more facets that needed highlighting. Thankfully Stephen Curry stepped through and demolished the yardstick. A player who in the true spirit wasn’t christened for greatness but excelled into one.

Curry is easily the best player in the game now and like Nike many did underestimate his potential. I remember writing a piece three years back in which I lamented the fact that Curry was snubbed at the All-Star game and how he needed to be much better to compete in the Western Conference that is loaded at the point guard position. That year, I like many lamented the fact that Curry didn't back himself enough and in the big moments was often the third option for Mark Jackson behind Jarett Jack and David Lee.

Three years on there is a stratospheric difference in his game. He now is the face of the new small-ball NBA where he is dominating the game from far and beyond the paint. His unlimited range and unassailable belief have seen him attempting and making some of the most incredulous shots in the history of the game.

The fluidity and rhythm in his game often lull the opposition into a trance. More often than not he leaves them mesmerized and bedazzled by the array of skills at his disposal. Quite similar to what the great Lionel Messi has made a career of.

Stephen Curry has led the Golden State team to the 60 win mark this season quicker than any other team in NBA history.

Messi is the best example of poetry in motion as the grace and efficiency in his game just seems conjured up from sorcerers in some unworldly space. The ease with which he glides through defenses and the intricate ball control skills makes his impossible to contend with. His technical ability and his special left foot may be the highlights of several compilations but the true signature of his game despite the huge array of skills at his disposal is the fact that every flick and every trick always has a purpose.

Despite the speed at which he plays the game, he is thinking at a much faster speed. His reading of the defence, understanding of space and his eye for a pass remains unparalleled. Additionally, he also has the ability to get into dangerous positions and have the composure to pull off some of the most difficult goals. His cerebral approach to the game just makes it simpler for everyone around and while one may marvel at the likes of Suarez and Neymar; there is no doubting the influence that Messi has on the game.

If I were to possibly clone a Messi for the game of basketball I would land up with a Stephen Curry. A cerebral and unapologetically ostentatious player who backs himself to pull off the most outrageous shots. Someone who is a great reader of the game and most importantly a player who makes everyone around him much better.

Curry does have the hypnagogic ball-handling skills required of a top guard but unlike say a Derrick Rose he manages to cross you over and then still knock the shot. There is always a purpose as Curry just wouldn't cross you over to show-boat. If he does cross you over, you know he has the composure to finish the play.

Curry and Messi may just have much more in common that what meets the eye. But the most obvious comparisons are on the basis of their size. Curry at 6’3” is small by basketball standards and Messi at 5’7” is maybe a true indicative of the relative height differential in the sports. It may not be an overestimation to state that on a relative scale Messi and Curry have a similar physical profile for their respective sports.

They are small, quick and skillful players who rely more on finesse than brute strength and aerial histrionics. Messi’s troubled past with the growth hormone deficiency is well-documented but it is not common knowledge that the 6’3” Curry was quite often under-estimated for his size. A factor that almost cost him a college scholarship and the major reason why many were second guessing the Warriors move to pick him so early in the draft. Point to note is that Curry was preceded by Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn in the draft.

Messi and Curry both had their doubters as many suspected if both could develop the physical attributes to last the course in what can be a very grueling sport. Not only did they change the discourse of such expectations they may have quite easily transformed the mould for the modern day player in their respective sports.

Setting aside the obvious physical similarity, one needs to realize the greatest common factor between the two players. The fact that both players play with a smile on their face and joy in their heart. There is no over-the-top emotional outbursts, no competitive mongering and no outrageous celebrations. Curry is nicknamed the baby-faced assassin and I certainly can’t find reasons why it wouldn’t be more apt to call Messi the same.

Not only do they destroy opponents they do so with an attitude that earns them respect on the field and adulations off it. They make ideal heroes and role-models and it is no surprise that often in away matches they generate greater support than the home team. Both are also revered for their images off the sport as the common boy-next-door who are devoted to their family and to the community they live in.

Their contributions as ambassadors to the game has helped the game touch a lot of lives and in many ways in the greatest jewel in their stardom. Both players are ideal ambassadors for the game and the most popular athletes in their respective sports.

They are both the best players on the best teams and play the biggest role in making their team and their teammates better as well. Both are re-writing the positions they play in and creating a legacy that for sure will change the sport long after they are done. Both are the same age and most certainly will be on top of their sport for a real long time.

Both will walk away as Champions and as true transcendents. Messi is to football what Curry is to basketball. If Curry is the biggest sensation since Jordan, Messi is the greatest since Maradona.

And yes both have their greatest contemporaries in players who are far more gifted athletically and are the true goliaths. If Curry is to basketball, what Messi is to football, Ronaldo is to football what LeBron is to basketball. Just that maybe LeBron prefers to pass the ball. But that is a different debate for another day.