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Drafted in the 7th Spot in the 2009 draft class by Golden State Warriors, Steph Curry had a tough road during his rookie years. Son of former NBA player Dell Curry, who was also an excellent shooter (not as good as Steph). Steph did not have a struggling life, however, what people don't realize is that Steph has been exceptional in trying to prove his worth since college. Selected by Davidson, a basketball program who last reached the Elite Eight in 1970 (38-year gap).
Stephen Curry in a mere 9 years in the NBA, made himself the third or the fourth biggest face of the league. Having won the honours as a continuous MVP, first unanimous MVP, 3 NBA titles and multiple shooting and scoring records. Moreover, Curry is one of those players of whom the league did not expect great things, except columnist Skip Bayless who dared to say that Steph should be the first pick. Curry has not only become famous on the court but has also ascended to the position of a celebrity rather than just a player, living in San Fransico possibly the third biggest market in the NBA (maybe Chicago).
#3 - A Flourishing Childhood
Steph Curry, born in Akron, Ohio, was brought up mostly in Charlotte as his father (Dell) was a part of the then Charlotte Hornets roster. Like most big NBA players of today's era LeBron, Durant, D-Wade, Carmelo and even current players like Jimmy Butler, Michael Carter-Williams.
Now, it's not like these players hate Steph Curry, some are even very good friends with him. However, the players, just like any human, get those feelings that we did not have anything except basic food and some bit of entertainment in young years and we trained without resources and on pure grit and determination. On the other hand, Steph had the opportunity not only of top-class training, guidance from other coaches and his father, but he got various other opportunities like shooting with his father's team during pre-game training.
Most famous sports stories have in them struggle, rising through ranks through skill, grit and determination. Like Messi or Ronaldo in Football, Sachin or Muralitharan in Cricket and even LeBron and Bird in Basketball.
But, a note on Steph Curry, even with all the resources and training he was provided did not have many hopes when he entered the league. Yet, he built himself with sheer tenacity and courage to reach to the position of 2xMVP and 3x NBA Championships
#2 - Gloating and not Defending the Best Guard
Steph Curry rose to fame for his exceptional shooting skills not just because of his range but also because of his ability to shoot off the dribble with a big man on top of him. Through the years, during the rise of Golden State till 2013-14 season, Steph was just a good player, however, during this year his ability finally reached the top point and he earned the nickname " Baby-Faced Assasin".
This is by far the best nickname and appropriates given to him based on his appearance (babyface) and his post-shot celebration which demeans the defender as he feels bad after being scored on from 32 ft. Moreover, it is known to the players and analysts very well that Steph is not the lockdown defender and sometimes is a liability defending the top.
So the best guard on the opponent's team like Harden, Kyrie, Lillard, Chris Paul( during Clippers), which means the guards do not get the chance to show Steph Curry up like he does to them. We haven't seen Harden do the ' mixing' celebration against Steph and neither has he done the ankle break and pause. This means that Steph gets all the chances to make fools out his defenders by scoring 30 footers or fancy layups but when it's their time to score they get Klay Thompson.
#1 - Eradicating 'BIG MEN'
This is by far the biggest impact that Steph Curry and the Splash Brothers have had on the game of Basketball. The change in the game by Steph Curry and Klay Thompson wasn't just an analytical phenomenon, the 3>2 argument is not the reason for the dominance by the Golden State Warriors backcourt.
Players have been scoring 3 pointers since the 1980's and there have been greats too like Ray Allen, Reggie Miller, Dennis Scott and more. The real reason Big Men have become irrelevant in the conventional sense of the game is that Steph, Klay and the GSW coaching staff utilised their ' range' to their advantage.
When the duo came up, they used to get a switch from near the half line itself through a screen and since the 4 or 5 positions are not equipped to defend so far out, they would keep on scoring threes. Further, the analytics and coaches interpreted this as a mathematical phenomenon and started forcing their centre's to leave the post and spread the floor to become a threat from beyond the arc.
Hence, the 'Big Men' who play the 4 or 5 position and who were not good shooters detest Steph for putting up shots on them from 30ft or even halftime. Players like Dwight Howard, Nerlens Noel, Jahlil Okafor and other centres who were drafted high on the draft class in the past decade have become inefficient as they fail to make shots from beyond the arc. Therefore players who were elite post defenders and could clog up the lane to stop layups but weren't quick have become a liability in the current NBA system.
