Wardell Stephen "Steph" Curry has exploded from the depths of mediocrity to NBA stardom in a short amount of time. Not only his name but his gameplay has become household discussion across not only America but the world. You cannot talk about the NBA without discussing either Curry himself or his record setting team, the Golden State Warriors. They have taken the league by storm these last two years, with their sharpshooting superstar leading the way. All the while dominating the league they have also mesmerized fans with their unselfish gameplay and jaw-dropping highlights. This gameplay has thought to have begun a revolution in the game of basketball. The three-point shot has already increased in use since its establishment in1979-80, however, Steph Curry's use of the three-point shot is nothing like we have seen before. He drops in shots from 28 feet out all the while putting on spectacular dribbling displays just seconds before. This combination of skill put together in one stretch is something that has yet to be seen consistently in the NBA. Of course every once in awhile we see a player put together a display that lands them on Sports Center Top 10 Plays. Conversely, Steph creates these plays on a nightly basis. Steph has changed the way basketball is being played and watched.

The general stereotype of a superstar athlete usually includes words like arrogant or conceited. It than follows with questions about their family life and what kind of person they are outside of the sport. However, Steph Curry and stereotypes do not go together.  Steph has built a reputation around the league for being a family guy and a trusted role model. Nevertheless, he did not turn into a good person over night, it was his parents strict parenting that led him to who he is today. You will see throughout the paper that Steph Curry development into both a great role model and the games best player started from the time he could walk and has been a process. These processes have led to him being a great ambassador for the game of basketball.  To appreciate and understand what Steph is accomplishing both on and off the court you need to look at the entirety of his life. He has used all of his prior experiences to take the game of basketball by storm. However, with his gameplay of launching up three-pointers from 28 feet plus has came with its share of criticism. Whether it has been the argument that his gameplay is bad for the youth or that he is accomplishing this verse weak defense, Steph is battling the debate around his gameplay. The debate is on whether Steph's Curry's gameplay of shooting from deep range and his rise to superstar status is going to be beneficial or determinant to the game of basketball. You will see, however, that the game of basketball is changing for the better thanks to Steph Curry's unexpected rise to stardom and due to his relatable family life and his uncanny gameplay. His three pointing shooting is going to result in an onslaught of players coming into the league trying to shoot like Curry. This is going to result in more people being interesting in the game of basketball because what Steph is doing is fun to watch.  Steph has revolutionized not only how basketball is being played but how it is watched. 

It is important to note that Steph Curry's gameplay and the type of person he is are two different discussions throughout the paper. I will look at his gameplay and how that his changing basketball and changing how we are watching the sport. While also looking at how Steph Curry as a role model and a relatable superstar is influencing the youth. However, these two issues are both important in defending my argument that Steph is changing the game for the better. 

Steph Before the NBA

Wardell Stephen "Steph" Curry Jr. grew up in NBA locker rooms and on the lighted basketball court in his backyard of his Charlotte house.  At the time his father, Dell Curry, was playing in the NBA on the Charlotte Hornets and therefore Steph was always around NBA locker rooms. He would be no stranger to a NBA locker room when he would eventually be dressing in one 20 years later. However, there would be a lot of challenges prior to stepping in his first locker room after being drafted 7th overall in the 2009 draft. In order to understand the significance of Steph's impact on the game of basketball you have to look at his childhood and his family as a whole. 

Dell and Sonya, Steph's parents, made it clear that they would not put all the focus on their children's athletic careers due to the fear of failure. They made it known in their family what the most important aspects of life were: "The Curry children had no doubt about the order of priorities: faith, family, academics and then everything else, including sports" (Killion).  Sonya made this clear from the beginning and did not take this lightly. She was the disciplinarian. This discipline shows on Steph now as a role model, when you see him always attending events for people in need and his willingness to always give autographs even with his busy schedule. This discipline has played a large effect on Steph not only when it comes to his role model status but also his game. Steph's game is predicated on attention to detail. Between his shot and his dribbling skills, he needs to be perfect in order to overcome his lack of physical attributes. This discipline that was taught by his mother has been essential in his game. The discipline is also needed when it comes to practice and perfecting his art. Steph did not wake up one day and become the best shooter in the world. Although, there is natural talent there, he also needed to perfect that talent. And in order to perfect a talent, it takes time, dedication, and attention to detail. 

Surprisingly, Steph Curry was not always on the path to NBA stardom. Steph dominated his 8th grade year leading his team to an undefeated season. Nevertheless, his physical abilities were still not impressive enough to legitimately think of him as a future NBA player. If you looked at the team photo from that year you would see that he was the third smallest kid on the team, and that's on a roster with his little brother. In one article that writer says, "He was a million miles from a sure thing. He had a head for the game and the subtle knack of a craftsman born into the trade" (Phillips). He was extremely undersize, not blindingly quick, and not strikingly athletic. He had a lot of skill but his body was not that of a high Division One player. Along with that, he had to change his entire shot during the summer going into sophomore year. This was because he shot from the waist, which is a common trait among shorter, weaker players who need the power to get the ball up to the rim. He needed to shoot from a higher release point and this is where his mother's discipline came into play. In order to make such a change, you need to put in countless hours to see a successful transition. His mother drilled into him to always focus on a task until you completed it successfully.  This commitment and discipline to the game of basketball started at an early age and were used as stepping stones for Curry becoming one of the most prolific shooters the NBA has ever seen. 

Although Steph has recently become a house hold name, there was one month in 2008 when he gave a preview to the entire world what he would eventually become. This occurred during the 2008 March Madness Tournament. The college Steph attended was a tiny, academically elite liberal arts college near Charlotte that had not won an NCAA tournament game in going on 40 years, Davidson College. Steph enrolled in 2006 and as a freshman averaged a surprising 21.5 points per game and led the team to an NCAA tournament bid. In 2008, Steph would lead his team on a 25 game winning streak headed right into the NCAA tournament as a number 10 seed. Davidson started the tournament by defeating Gonzaga. Davidson went on to shock Georgetown and blitzed Wisconsin to reach the regional final. On the cusp of the Final Four, the Wildcats came up one shot short against eventual 2008 national champion Kansas, losing 59-57. This tournament was significant for Steph because since he played at Davidson and in a small conference he was not displayed on television to the majority of the population. The tournament gave him the biggest stage to display his talents and he did just that. Even though the number of points he scored was extremely impressive, it was how he was doing it that is important to this paper. Steph was putting on highlight plays and dropping in rainbow threes from well behind the line. One writer described it as 

He just kept hitting shots, in his own little bubble of imperturbable cool. He had a gift for finding the little cracks, the little aerial wormholes only players with a certain kind of daredevil vision are ever able to see. He'd run off a screen, curl to the top of the key, catch the ball, pivot: swish, over a skyline of outstretched arms. Plant in the corner, catch the ball, flick a tiny hip-fake: swish, as his defender went rocketing past him (Phillips). 

The writer, Phillips, is analyzing Curry's movements in the quote to show the uniqueness in Curry's game. He talks about his "tiny hip fake", an important part in Curry's game, which essentially is a little shot fake that gives him extra room to shoot. This was a glimpse of the magic of Steph Curry. It is important to know about Steph's childhood and what it took for him to get to the NBA. Without out this background it is hard to understand why Steph has turned into both the player he is, the role model and how his game and himself are changing the game of basketball. 

The Steph Curry- The Most Relatable Superstar

He is not an unbelievable athlete by NBA standards. He does not have the end to end speed of John Wall, or Russell Westbrook's athletic ability.  His lack of a game changing skill makes him the most relatable star known to date due to the fact he still dominates games without freakish physical gifts. A relatable star aids in the overall game of basketball because it gives every person someone they can look up to. One writer said of Curry, "He (Curry) stands out in the literal sense of the phrase. Before the ball is in play, he's the one you'd point to and say doesn't belong. It's that illusion of outsider status that's inspiring" (Van Meter).  Its this outsider status that gives each person who may not be blessed with physical gifts a realistic role model to look up to a try to be. It gives every kid that has to take a knee in the front row of their team picture a goal to reach. They can physically see that you do not have to be built like a human tank like LeBron James in order to succeed in the game of basketball. One writer said of Curry's physical appearance, "If you ran into him on the street and had never watched a basketball game in your life, you would think he was a salesman or, perhaps, a gym teacher, not the most lethal scorer on the planet" (Van Meter).  He is not going to overwhelm you with his physical features and as we see more and more unbelievable athletes join the league he is the closest to a representative of the common man we are going to get. It is this comparability that is going to be great for the game of basketball.  Curry even said of himself in GQ magazine, "I can't jump the highest. I'm obviously not the biggest, not the strongest. And so they see me out there and I look like a normal person" (Riley). Curry can be a realistic person to look up to which is why we are seeing a change in the game of basketball.  is going to result in more kids refining skills like shooting in order to reach their dream to play in the NBA. The main point is that Steph's success and establishment as a relatable role model will lead to a higher percentage of kids that believe they can make it to the NBA. Therefore, the more kids striving to be the best will result for the betterment of the game of basketball.  He knows he can be seen as a role model for all people. Along with his physical features, his game is also something that anyone can strive for. 

Steph Curry's game is predicated off a quick release and stellar ball handling. Two traits that any average human could attempt to perfect. This meaning that shooting and dribbling is not like dunking where you have to be blessed with a physical gift of either height or athleticism in order to be great at it. Even passing takes a natural instinct that usually cannot be taught. When it comes to shooting and dribbling, even if you have a limited amount of athleticism you can refine your skills to become deadly at both these traits. We saw this in Curry's rise to the NBA. Without the dedication Curry has shown, who knows if he would be in the position he is in now. Along with the work he out in to just to get to the NBA, he also had to keep working in order to launch himself into a perennial all-star. Curry worked out at a place called Accelerate Basketball in Charlotte. Accelerate Academy focused on drills that, "dialed in his ball-handling even while he was off his feet. He describes tailor-made techniques "to shock your body, sensory things -- like, goggles that flash in your face and obstruct your vision while you try to make accurate passes." (Riley). Curry pushes himself beyond limits and tries stuff know one else will even think of. Some of the training he did was comparable to "elements sound borrowed from the stuff that got the Apollo astronauts ready for the moon." Steph is showing young kids that you can be as good as him, but you have to put in extra work in order to be successful. As you can see, Steph loves to take it up a notch in order to reach his potential. 

This extra level is a prime example of how he is a great role model for the youth. He shows kids that in order to reach your dreams that you need to take it an extra level. He dismisses all the stereotypes that he is too small or too weak and proves that anyone can be great. He is great for the game of basketball because he will give hope to every kid that they have a chance to make it one day to the NBA. This will result in more kids pushing themselves to their potential. Consequentially, when kids push themselves to the limit you will get more kids finding skills they never thought they had. It will result in finding better players for basketball and getting kids to reach their full potential as players. The better players in the game of basketball will increase the level of gameplay which will result in more people watching the game. 

Changing How We Watch Basketball

What makes Steph and the Golden State Warriors play so unique is that it does not follow any pattern or flow. A typical NBA possession starts with the ball being brought up court, the "build up". Next, there usually is some passing and cutting along the three-point line which would be the "conflict". The conflict results in a climax which would be a shot taken and leads right into the "resolution", which is whether the shot went in or not.  With Curry and the Warriors, every once in awhile during the course of a game they break from the standard possession construct. A possession is from the time a team gains offensive possession of the ball until it scores, loses the ball, or commits a violation or foul. A Warrior's possession usually consists of a build up and than mayhem. This occurs every once in awhile when Curry comes down and bombs up a 30 foot three point shot from well behind the three-point line. He has a tendency to disrupt any type of pattern in a game which leads him to being a TV broadcaster's nightmare. As one sports writer put it, "Curry's ability to buck the narrative doesn't just hurt opponents. NBA basketball is a show with a director, narrators and an audience, calibrated to capture the usual rhythms of the game. Steph exposes cracks in the whole apparatus" (Rosenthal). Usually there is time for the commentators to chat and the camera a chance to flash the camera to flash to the bench or a someone in the crowd. However, Curry does not allow this because as the commentators are chatting and the cameraman is switching cameras, Curry is racing down court into a pull up jumper, catching everyone off guard. A change of possession also usually gives people watching at home a chance to look down, check your phone, or sip our drink. With Curry, if you take part in one of these activities you may miss something spectacular. Whether it is pulling a 28 foot three pointer or putting on a dribble display between three defenders. Steph dismantles the structure on which an entire production is built. He breaks every rule the rest of us are trained to follow. It makes watching the game that much better and entertaining. The best thing for the game is keeping it entertaining. Not everyone loves the details of the game, most people just want to see entertainment and that is exactly what Steph brings. It forces people to be locked into the game at all times and watch every time Steph steps on the court. Curry makes the game better but keep people interested at all times. 

When Steph steps on the court all eyes turn to him. One writer said of Curry's effect on the game, "You know what the most important thing for the longevity of the game is? Making sure there are as many fans as possible" (Lynch).. He is such a likable and relatable star which gives him such a large following. Little kids are drawn in by his highlight plays, while girls find him cute, and grandmas find him adorable. He captures the interest of every type of fan. Whether it is the basketball junkies that analyze every stat, Curry interests them because he fills up the stat sheet. Or the kid that looks for the highlight plays to recreate, which Curry creates every night. He also the perfect role model and father that any mom can appreciate and hope their sons can look up to. All these factors, lead to Curry bringing and adding fans to the game of basketball. And the more fans there are of the game, results in the betterment of the overall game.

The quote, "Expect the unexpected" fits perfectly when describing watching Steph Curry's game. You never know what you will get when he steps on the court. You sometimes find yourself holding your breath as he dribbles down the court because you just do not know what he is going to do. This part of his game is why he is changing how the game of basketball is watched. This spontaneity causes you to keep your eyes on the TV. The more fans there are watching the game makes it automatically better for the game of basketball. Steph brings this factor to the game and it has been beneficial for the sport. 

Steph Curry, bad for basketball?

Believe it or not there are some people out there that are critical of Steph Curry's game and consider his game to be detrimental to the overall success of the sport. A key argument for this opinion is that Steph's gameplay is not good for the youth to duplicate. The reason for these feelings is because people feel that if kids automatically run out to the three-point line they will not learn the fundamentals of the game. They will focus too much on the three-point shot and not refine the other important skills. Also, kids are not as strong early on and it will result in poor form. One key advocate of this was former Warriors coach, Mark Jackson. He was on record talking about this topic and said, "To a degree, he's hurt the game. And what I mean by that is I go into these high school gyms, I watch these kids, and the first thing they do is run to the 3-point line" (Parham). Jackson feels that too many people will fall in love with the three point shot resulting in it negatively effecting the game. Although Mark Jackson is a decorated and respected coach, he his wrong when it comes to this topic. The specific problem comes from Jackson's words "hurting the game" because it makes it seem the game of basketball is something that needs protecting. Managing editor Seth Partnow also had a good point on the subject saying that Jackson's comments sounded like the game of basketball, "has these sanctified, credentialed acolytes who are the only one capable of discerning the true message of basketball" (Parham). This meaning that there are people of the older generation that feel basketball should be played a certain way and think their way is the only way the game should be done. This is so absurd because throughout the years we have seen the game change and superstars rise throughout different decades. As different superstars rose we saw youth of that time begin to copy them. Kids back in the day would try to emulate Jordan's dunks on lowered hoops or recreate Iverson's crossover at the free throw line. With the Iverson comparison, Iverson was someone who also was not the best role model because he was out spending money and finding himself in the news for controversial actions. So how can you say its "bad for the youth" for trying to mimic the skills of Steph Curry when this has been happening for decades? Also when Steph is a great role model for kids to look up to. Also, last time I checked three points is greater than two anyway. 

There have also been critics who have came out and talked about how Steph success is due to the lack of defense in the league. Specifically, Hall of Famer Oscar Roberson said, "(NBA coaches) Don't understand the game of basketball. They don't know anything about defenses. They don't know what people are doing on the court. They talk about analytical basketball and stuff like that" (Silverman). This comes back to past players trying to preserve their place in history and the game. Curtis Harris, a basketball historian said that these past players are, " ... engaging in different stages of self-preservation and aggrandizement" (Silverman). Everyone wants to defend their place in history. However, they can try to defend that their gameplay back in the day was a lot more physical and would slow down Curry but there are stats that would beg to differ. For one, Steph is shooting 35 of 52 this season from 28 feet to 50 feet and even better from closer. In perspective, an NBA court is 94 feet, so therefore for more than 50% of the court Steph is going to hit half the shots he takes. So you need to be guarding Curry before he even steps over half-court. Also, part of Oscar's argument is that after he hits one shot teams should get up into Curry and not give him any room to shoot. To that I say go ahead, because when there is a defender within 2 to 3 feet of Curry he is shooting 45 percent, almost 15 percent higher then the league average (Morris). Go ahead Oscar, guard Curry the length of the court, the odds are still not on your side. 

It's Not Much of a Debate

When Mark Jackson came out and said that Steph Curry is "bad for the game of basketball" it turned a lot of heads, and with good reason. How could could someone that draws in all type of fans and brings a new excitement to the game be "bad for it? It is simple, he is not.  Steph Curry is just another star in the game of basketball that is influencing the youth and captivating fans by the night. He is changing the game of basketball for the better and we are all witnesses. You can try and argue that Steph splashing in three pointers will be bad for the youth, but last time I checked the best thing for the longevity of the game is keeping people interested and continuing to watch the sport and there is not arguing that Curry does exactly that. 

