By: Jacob Yang

Last Wednesday, on July 16th, the Golden State Warriors beat the Boston Celtics, winning the NBA finals series 4-2. The star player Stephen Curry was effective on offense, scoring 49 of the team’s 103 points in the finals and single-handedly put a stopper in the Celtic’s defense. He was integral to the Warriors’ win.

Curry, coming in at 6 foot 2, is one of the smallest players in the league. Normally, when you think of superstars, you think of tall, giant monsters that dominate the game. Notable names include Shaquille O’ Neal (7 foot 1) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (7 foot 2), both towering over Steph. However, what Curry lacks in size, he makes up in shooting. He was the first one to perfect 3-point shooting in his game, holding a record for the most threes in the shortest amount of time. This introduces a new kind of playstyle to the NBA.

In an interview with Draymond Green, another legendary basketball player and Curry’s teammate, Draymond stated that “It all starts with Steph … our offense still started with Steph, and that’s the way it’s going to be.” His teammates acknowledge that he’s the starting point of their game. In their minds, without Curry, the Warriors could not have won the season this year.

Steve Kerr, the GSW’s (Golden State Warriors) coach, compared Steph to NBA Player Tim Duncan, “[Stephen Curry] reminds me of Tim Duncan. From a humanity standpoint, from talent standpoint, humility, [and] confidence. NBA Veteran Andre Iguodala stated that “I call them [Stephen Curry] gods — that very unique talent, generational talent … he made the world move.” His impact and talent extend beyond his own team, to the entire league.

Basketball superstar Stephen Curry has been immortalized in the NBA. He changed the game of basketball through his talent and leadership.