Steph Curry: What Can’t This Man Do?

When I think of my prototypical Point Guard the first thing that comes to mind isn’t Stephen Curry, but I’m starting to realize it needs to be. He may not be the tallest, listed at 6’3 (and I’m pretty sure that’s generous) and weighing in at 190 pounds, Steph is under sized no matter how you break it down.

With that being said, this man is the future prototype of the guy any franchise wants leading their team for the next 10-15 years. This man can do it all, ALL! Where do you even begin to break down the perfect basketball specimen? Man, let’s just start off with the blatantly obvious.

Has anybody in the history of the NBA ever released the rock quicker than Steph when he lets it fly for a jumper? Don’t worry, I racked my brain for an hour, too. After a couple Youtube videos and contemplation, the only name I could muster is Ray Allen. Whether Curry is coming off a screen, running the break in transition, or pulling up off a crossover into his shot, the ball is halfway to the rim before the defender has any clue what hit them. It honestly looks like his brain just tells him to shoot it when he has an inch of space. It doesn’t matter whether his feet are set or his shoulders are square that ball is out in a split second, it’s truly amazing to watch.

Now, it would be one thing if he had that lighting quick release but wasn’t getting buckets. Nah, this man might also be the best shooter the league has ever seen. Yeah I said it, debate it if you want but Steph is right there with the All-Time greats. I’m not the kind of guy who looks too much into analytics, so I won’t sit here and throw all these unnecessary numbers at you. I’m a big believer of listening to what your eyes tell you. And you want to know what my eyes tell me when I see Steph shoot a jumper? They tell me that I’ve never seen anyone do it better. There is absolutely no wasted motion in his form, it is flawless. It is one quick consistent motion, fluid as can be. The way he puts that rainbow arch on his shot also is a big reason as to why he is such an accurate shooter. He seems to have perfected that part of his craft. It’s beautiful to watch him shoot the rock when he’s in rhythm, it’s like when you’re playing 2K and you created a player with ratings all at 99, and the computer is set to rookie. Dominating.

One last thing on his scoring ability, his floaters and his ability to finish with either hand at the rim are MASTERFUL. It’s like watching Dr. Dre in the studio, or Picasso painting, masters at work. I don’t care how tall you are, when he’s coming at you full speed and he lofts a floater and it gently kisses the very top of the glass, there is absolutely nothing you can do. Nothing. He uses his body and the rim to shield the ball from larger defenders as he finds a way to get off a shot. If you don’t believe me, watch the video below.

One aspect of his game that I feel is immensely under rated is his passing ability. I think it gets swept under the rug because of how much of a prolific scorer he is, plus, he’s not very flashy with it. I mean, the passes are incredible but they don’t stand out as much as every other part of his game. When he dishes the ball to his teammates, it’s always the perfect pass. Whether it be a bounce pass, or chest pass, or a one handed zinger, they are always spot on. It’s scary. He always has the proper force behind them, too. The pass is never too hard or too soft. Last but not least he passes his teammates open, it kind of reminds me of how Jason Kidd used to do it. You might not necessarily be open right then and there but when you get to that ball, you’ll have all the space you need.

Now let’s get to the part of his game that leaves me in awe every time I see him ball. His ball handling. Man, he makes it look like that ball is a part of his body. He always seems to make it move exactly where it is he wants it to go. He’s never in a rush, he shake and bakes you slowly, kind of rocking you to sleep. Then all of a sudden he hits you with a behind the back move followed by a cross over and the defender is left in shambles. It’s really amazing how ridiculous he makes NBA defenders look with his ability to maneuver the ball. It doesn’t look like he’s going that fast through the move but it’s that one split second and BAM he’s pulling up for a wide open three. I think only Kyrie Irving has better handles in the league than Steph but not by much. The scary part about that is Steph is still improving in that department. Terrifying, isn’t it?

When it comes to his defense I used to think that was the weak point, but boy was I wrong. He’s not the most athletic player ever, not the longest, none of that. But what he does have going on for him is he is one of the most cerebral NBA minds there is. It’s like having a baby face coach on the floor with you. I think he is so smart on the offensive side of the ball that he knows what the player he’s guarding is going to do before he does. It’s a big reason as to why he has so many steals every year, he knows how and when to jump the passing lane. Combined with his quick hands and you have a perfect formula for easy offense off turnovers. This guy is so good he gets you buckets while playing defense.

Last but not least, something I’ve been waiting to talk about. He is the smartest player on any court he steps on to. He knows that and that is a skill that can’t be taught. You either have it or you don’t. Like I mentioned earlier, he is a coach on the court. When Curry is on the court the Warriors never look rattled or out of order. He keeps those guys in line, he is the captain to the ship. You have to have a strong mind to keep everything together in the direst moments. Last year during the playoffs when he wasn’t playing his best, never once could you tell by his body language or facial expressions that he was struggling. Do you know how smart and composed you have to be to understand that you are one of the best players on the planet and that eventually your swagger will be right back? It takes a special type of man, and most importantly, mind to step back and take everything in stride. Let’s put aside all of his physical gifts, we all know that 50 % of the game is decided in between your ears, and Steph seems to have that part down to the tee.

It’s rare that we get to see talents like Stephen Curry. They don’t make too many of those guys, that’s why I sit back and grab my popcorn when Steph is ballin’. It seems like he does one thing every night that I have never seen anybody do. It’s a joy to watch. There’s nothing really else to say about Mr. Curry, the only thing left to do is see where he ends up in the record books, and All-Time greats.