If you read the last two posts, welcome back! If you didn't, go read them.
Last time, I talked about the Steph Curry doubters, mainly Charles Barkley and NBA draft analysts. But Steph has been proving people wrong since he was 16. Since his dad, Dell Curry, finished his NBA career in Toronto, Canada, Curry opened his high school career at Queensway Christian College, and he led them to an undefeated season. He also played for the city team, Toronto 5-0 and led them to a 33-4 record and a provincial championship.
Once he moved to North Carolina, after Dell retired from the NBA, Curry attended and played for the Charlotte Christian School in North Carolina. There, Steph was named all-conference and all-state, leading his team to the state playoffs three times. He also shot close to 50% from three in his senior year.
Steph hoped to go to Virginia Tech, but they weren't willing to give him a scholarship. He ended up going to Davidson University, a very small, local college. If there was a college lottery for high school recruits, Davidson would've won the jackpot. Steph set the NCAA freshman record for threes made with 113. He also led Davidson to the NCAA Tournament, where they lost to Maryland in the first round. Curry was still named the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year.
In his second year at Davidson, he led the Southern Conference in scoring, averaging 25 point per game. Davidson only lost six regular season games the entire season. Davidson entered the NCAA Tournament as a 10 seed, and took out a 7 seed, a 2 seed and a 3 seed before falling to Kansas in the Elite Eight. He broke the record for most threes in a single season, with 162.
His third and final season with Davidson, he scored his career high, 44 points, as well as having a career high in assists, with 13. He was held scoreless for the first time, shooting 0-3 from the field, but Davidson still won, since Steph was double-teamed the entire game. You could see college coaches trying all sorts of strategies to stop Steph, and none worked. He passed the 2000-point mark for his career, and averaged 28 points while becoming the NCAA scoring leader.
I didn't want to spend so much time on his pre-NBA days, but this stuff is just as important as his MVP seasons.
Stephen Wardell Curry II was drafted 7th overall, the fifth guard selected. Minnesota passed on Steph twice, instead taking guards Ricky Rubio and Tyreke Evans. But the Warriors made the right move and drafted Curry.
He did relatively well his first three season, averaging points in the teens as well as 5 assists. He turned it up his fourth season, the 2012-13 season, with 33 ppg and 7 apg. Curry led the Warriors to the finals for the first time in 2015, where they beat the Lebron-led Cavs. They went to the Finals again in 2016, but lost after blowing a 3-1 lead. They won again in 2017 and 2018, beating the Cavs again both times. They then lost to the Raptors earlier this year, 4 games to 2.
Steph is a six time all-star and three time champion, as well as a two time MVP. He has been with the Warriors longer than any current player has been with their current team. One of the best things in Steph's records is that one. He, and the Warriors, will probably be the last team counting on team chemistry and continuity just as much as the talent of their players, which is a deadly combination for this team, when they're healthy.
Steph Curry had a top 10 single season in 2015-16, when he became the only unanimous MVP. In that season, he averaged 30 points, two steals and six assists. He shot 50% from the field, 45% from three and 90% from the free throw line (Becoming the eighth member of the 50-40-90 club, Malcolm Brogdon became the ninth after this most recent season). He played all but three games that season, was an all-star, and was selected to the All-NBA First Team. That was the year they went 73-9 and blew the 3-1 lead over the Cavs in the Finals.
Sorry this one was more boring and biography-like, but Part IV will be mostly fun mini-stories and my thoughts on where should be ranked all time. 'The Most Disrespected NBA Superstar Part IV: In Conclusion' coming soon!
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