Steph Curry is the greatest shooter in NBA history, but what exactly is the secret behind his legacy-defining consistency?
During an appearance on the “SmartLess” podcast, Curry revealed the most crucial aspect of maintaining his all-time great rhythm as a shooter revolves around one thing. Balance.
“It’s a thought and a feeling all at the same time,” Curry explained. “If I’m in balance, and that can mean a lot of different things. I can be moving right, left, forward, backward, one foot, two feet, whatever it is. There’s a feeling of balance that no matter how many times I’ve been in the gym shooting any type of shot or envisioning a game kind of unfolding with your mental process and all that. Like I can feel when I’m in balance. And when I feel like I’m in balance, I feel like I’m never going to miss.
“You try to keep it really simple. Muscle memory and mechanics take over. All I’m thinking about right before I shoot is can I get into the proper balance and then [go] from there.”
That attention to detail has led Curry to put together 15 years worth of jaw-dropping highlight reel footage with his shooting ability, forever changing the sport of basketball while altering the definition of a bad shot.
The Warriors’ superstar already has set the NBA record for career 3-pointers made with 3,462 while shooting a remarkable 42.8 percent beyond the arc during his illustrious career.
While points from the free-throw line are not as glamorous as the high-arching 30-footers that Curry has spoiled basketball fans with over the years, his efficiency from the charity stripe reflects his relentless pursuit of greatness as a shooter.
Curry’s 90.9 free-throw percentage is the highest in NBA history, with his near-automatic foul shooting giving the Warriors an invaluable asset in crunch time.
Even in Year 15, Curry has shown no signs of decline, averaging 30.4 points per game while making at least four 3-pointers in every game he has appeared in during the 2023 NBA season. At 35 years of age, Curry is pacing the NBA with 72 3-pointers made while shooting a mind-numbing 45.3 percent from deep.