2014 NBA Top 20: #12 - Stephen "Steph" Curry

Stephen Curry

Its probably a good time to be a sports fan in the Oakland area. The Oakland Athletics have won back to back American league championships on the back of Billy Beane and his carefully assembled, deep roster while the Golden State Warriors were back in the playoffs for only the second time in the last 20 years. And just like that the A’s, the Warriors had the benefit of a very proactive front office, in addition to a talented coach in Mark Jackson. What Golden State has in addition to all that is an extremely gifted franchise player in Stephen Curry. After the heights of last season, anything less than contending for the Western Conference title will personally be a letdown for Curry.

He is not blessed with the physical prowess of a Westbrook or a Rose, and does not possess the elevation or flight that allows the others to dunk the ball with authority. Add to that his dodgy knees, and it seems as though he is fit to only be a role player. What Curry does have though, is two incredibly quick feet,deft touch, dream dribbling skills, the vision to spot a pass and the ability to get his shot off from anywhere on the court. His 3 point stroke is a thing of beauty, and most of his shots plain swish through the net.

His performances last season were really a spectacle to behold, and that is reflected in the numbers he put up with his stat line reading 23 points, 7 assists and 4 rebounds a game, while shooting at an average of 0.45 from behind the arc. Those numbers scream all star from the rooftops; his omission from the festive weekend in Houston last year was a huge surprise. His absence in our list was barely noticed, as there were serious question marks on his fitness and his ability to play night in, night out all through the season. But as was clearly seen, his play last season definitely made everyone eat their hats.

The purest shooter in the league currently, his performances last year vindicated the franchise’s decision to trade Monta Ellis, and make Curry the primary ball handler. He thrived in the new role, posting an increase in assist % from 28 in his previous full season (10-11) to 31 (5.3 APG to 7.0 APG), a commendable decrease in his turnover % (16 to 13.7); all these improvements were seen clearly in his increased PER (19 to 21).

The coming season is on the horizon, with Golden State having worked very well in the off season to improve their depth, adding veterans like Jermaine O’Neal and Marresse Speights, while adding a marquee free agent jack in the box in the form of Andre Igoudala, while retaining the core of the last season roster. A lot is expected of this Golden State team, and likewise of Curry this season, and to complete his transition from talented youth to established all star, he has to start moving from being one who shoots high in percentages to one who shoots high in absolute numbers (volume to consistent). His toughness in the playoffs last year was admirable, and the ability to gut it out and play even when his mobility was hindered by injury issues shows his leadership and bottle. His defensive efficiency and finishing at the rim are points of emphasis that were focused on in the summer, and so expect to see improved numbers in those areas.

Here’s a collection of his top plays from last season, which basically show all his qualities: great passing, crazy dribbling, a lovely jump shot and on the up shot making at the rim.

The past dictates the actions of the future, and based on his continuous improvement, Curry should make the All-star team this year. Last year has definitely got him everyone’s attention, and he will thrive in the spotlight. Wardell Stephen “Steph” Curry II, 12th on our predicted list of the top 20 NBA players for 2013-14.