Although he had a promising rookie campaign, ankle injuries were going to seemingly hinder Stephen Curry’s career. He was already a smaller player; at 6’3 and weighing less than 200 pounds, he was considered fragile due to his injury history. Now, he already being talked about as the best shooter of all time, has already broken the single season record for three pointers with 21 games remaining in the season, and seems unstoppable every night he walks onto the court.
So, what’s different? Why is his game so superior to those around him?
1. Ball-handling Skills
Curry’s ball-handling skills make other players look downright silly, even the superstars such as Kevin Durant and Chris Paul. Even when triple teamed, Curry has dribbled through all three defenders, stepping back behind the three point line and draining a three.
His expert control with the ball has led to him decreasing his turnovers per game, even though he’s being double and triple teamed every game.
2. Steph’s Sweet Shot
It would seem that a shot is a shot in the NBA; all of the players must have vaguely similar shots, which leads to success. This is not the case for Steph, whose shot arc is higher than the average NBA player. His shot arc not only allows him to get his shot off above taller defenders, but the ball passes through the hoop as if it’s being dropped from directly above the basket, giving each shot its best chance to go through the hoop. Also, Steph releases the ball within .4 seconds; the average in the NBA is .54 seconds. To put that time in perspective, his release time is barely slower than a single rotation of a basketball on a shot, .37 seconds. Not only does his shot have a better chance of going in, he’s getting his shot off quicker than most players in the NBA.
3. Playing as a Team
The Golden State Warriors have shown the NBA what it truly means to play as a team, and Steph is at the center of that. Players such as Andre Iguodola and Andrew Bogut have made sacrifices to be on this team; both players were seeing more playing time on their previous teams and were having extremely successful careers before coming to the Warriors. Draymond Green has had an increased role for the Warriors, posting the most triple doubles so far this season. The ability for Golden State to play as a cohesive unit relieves pressure from Steph while providing him with diverse opportunities to effect the game.
4. Attitude
Many players in the NBA have the reputation of having bad attitudes, such as Rajon Rondo and Demarcus Cousins, and even superstars Russell Westbrook and LeBron James have been criticized for their attitudes. However, Steph Curry has never been categorized as having a bad attitude. He is adored by even the general fan, and even when things do get heated in the locker room, they stay in the locker room. Steph knows how to have fun with the game, while still trying his hardest to win every game.
5. Efficiency
Steph Curry is one of the most efficient players in the NBA. He has a 51 percent field goal percentage this season, which is incredibly high for a point guard. Furthermore, his three point field goal percentage has increased the past three seasons and is now at 46.5 percent. He’s driving to the basket more, which has resulted in an increase in free throw attempts per game. He’s also shooting three more three pointers per game than last season, and he is making 1.5 more. Also, Curry’s Player Efficiency Rating is 32.90—the highest in the NBA—making him the most efficient player in the NBA
6. Defense
Steph is one of the most underrated defensive point guards in the NBA. In previous years, he has been known for his ineffectiveness on defense, not being able to guard top-tier players such as Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook. However, this is no longer the case. He is now averaging 5.3 rebounds per game compared to 4.3 rebounds per game, and he is averaging 2 steals per game since his superstardom began; he used to average 1.6 steals per game.
Steph Curry is by far the best player in the NBA currently. He has transcended the kingship of LeBron, and players like Kevin Durant and Paul George are afterthoughts in comparison to Steph. The only question from here is, how much better can he get? Only time will tell.
