Stephen Curry has become one of the most influential players in NBA history. He came into the league as a skinny 21-year-old kid in 2009. No one would have expected that Steph would change the way basketball is played just a few years down the line. Curry revolutionized the NBA with his otherworldly shooting ability and introduced the fans to a new playing style. Many even accused Steph of ruining the game of basketball by making the NBA a shooter-dominant league.
After putting on a show in Indiana during the 2024 All-Star Weekend, Steph responded to the critics through his updated TikTok bio. The 4-time Champion wrote, “Did not, in fact, ruin basketball.” leaving the NBA World in a frenzy. The average 3-pointers attempted in a game has risen from 21.5 in the 2013-14 season to a whopping 35 this season. And it is all because of Stephen Curry.
The Warriors superstar showed the NBA that being a great shooter could win teams more Championships. Steph won 2 Regular season MVPs and led the Warriors to 4 Championships in 8 years. But there was also a downside to Steph’s revolutionary game. His incredible shooting led young athletes to believe they could also shoot the ball like Stephen Curry. Today, we see more youngsters jacking up 3-pointers from the logo than ever. However, Steph cannot be blamed for that drastic change.
Even Steph’s long-time teammate Andre Iguodala defended him during his appearance on The Club Shay Shay Podcast last year. “Now, we trying to build professional athletes, and we not coaching them the right way.” Iguodala blamed the coaches instead of Steph for not guiding players from an early age.
Stephen Curry is one of a kind
Stephen Curry’s early career head coach, Mark Jackson, received a lot of heat when he said, “Steph Curry ruined the game.” However, Jackson revealed that his comments were misinterpreted and defended himself during his appearance on Shannon Sharpe’s podcast in 2021. Jackson told Shannon he had seen several kids shoot “horrible shots” from half-court because of Steph’s influence. But he claimed it was not a shot at Steph and appreciated him. “This guy has a gift, and he has the ability to make that shot.”
Although Steph makes shooting from half-court look effortless, he has put in years of hard work to achieve that level of greatness. People do not realize the God-given talent and work ethic required to become a shooter like Steph. While Steph has been a huge influence on the new generation of basketball players, saying he has ruined basketball is disrespectful to his impact on the game. Stephen Curry is a generational talent who mastered his skills and became an inspiration for millions across the globe.