There’s not a single doubt about Stephen Curry‘s talent. His acumen and precision with his 3-pointers have revolutionized the modern-day basketball landscape. So, if someone says that Curry isn’t “talented” they’re bound to get some flake on the net. Gilbert Arenas, an ex-player who also hosts his own show on YouTube, is one such person. His recent comments from a 9-minute viral video where he’s arguing over Steph not being a “generational talent” isn’t getting the best reception, globally.
Before we begin the bad reception part, this is what Arenas said about Curry: “Steph is not a generational talent. [Victor Wembanyama] is a generational person. That is a generational talent. Generational means you can’t mimic it. Can you mimic Magic Johnson? 6’9” point guard with the vision? No. You can’t mimic Shaquille O’Neal’s body, you can’t mimic f**king LeBron James. You can’t mimic Wemby. Those are generational. It only comes once every [generation].”
For obvious reasons, this wasn’t taken in the best taste. Apart from fans’ outrage, Curry brand and Under Armour did not refrain from speaking up. While the Curry brand decided to just laugh it off by posting several laughing emojis, the official Instagram handle of Under Armour commented – “Couldn’t have hit the “he lost his damn mind” button faster”, followed by a laughing emoji.
Well, to be honest, yes, the physical attributes of all the people mentioned in Arenas’ argument cannot be copied. Be it Shaq, King James, or even the French wonder, Wemby. You cannot even outrightly copy the mental capacities that someone like Magic Johnson possesses. However, there’s something more than unique about Steph Curry’s abilities, too.
The fact that Steph does not resemble those abilities that others possess does make him stand apart, where the Golden State Warriors legend can display his unprecedented skills with his consistency.
The Gilbert Arenas-Stephen Curry problem
The comments coming in from Arenas force us all to shed light on why the world loves Stephen Curry. To be honest, Curry is actually the definition of a “once-in-a-generation player”, don’t you think? People call him the greatest shooter for only one reason. He’s rattled every scoring chart and record along with the traditional NBA tactic board with his 3-pointers. He’s a major influence on beginners, rookies, and fans across the globe. His impact on the game makes us wonder about the flaws in Arenas’ remarks.
Arenas is probably only looking at physical attributes, instead of overall talent and precision. The league has never quite seen anyone like Curry who forced the game to change. So, by all means, no matter what he says, he should be deemed a “generational talent”.
Again revisiting his accolades, his consistency, and shooting extraordinaire have transformed basketball, encouraging more young players to follow suit, just like Trae Young. His 4 Championships speak for themselves, and the 10x All-NBA and All-Stars, with 2x MVPs in just 15 years since he first got drafted in 2009. So, even if he might not be as tall or fast or even strong as the others, Arenas mentioned, Curry brings a lot to the table. He knows what to do when he has the basketball in his hands. He knows how to spin the ball to recreate the magic everyone missed before Curry walked in. He can and has single-handedly run the Golden State Warriors.
So, if someone like Steph cannot be counted as a generational talent, who else is? The rarity and brilliance of Curry are something that might not be replicated again.