“Steph is like their MJ” – Draymond Green talks about impact Steph Curry and Klay Thompson have on kids learning to play basketball
Steph Curry was named as this generation's Michael Jordan by teammate Draymond Green in Thursday’s episode of "THROWING BONES" on "UNDISPUTED."
In the video “Bay Area Throwdown with Too $hort and Chelsea Gray," Green said:
“Steph is like their MJ”
A very large statement to be made, as any comparison to Michael Jordan’s legend status is an intense comparison. But Green explained his by saying he was speaking primarily about the way shooting has advanced.
“Oh man, Steph Curry shoot the sh*t out the ball. Klay Thompson shoot the sh*t out the ball. Do you see how they shoot ball?" Green said. "People’s eyes is like, oh, you have to shoot 3s in order to beat them, and so the game copies that.
"Then you see these young kids come in, and it's like Steph is their MJ. Everybody shoot the long 3. You walk in the gym, you see little kids f***ing slanging that thing from 40 feet out, but that’s the Steph Curry and Klay Thompson effect.”
Has Steph Curry had Michael Jordan-like influence?
Steph Curry, the three-time NBA champion, has notably changed the way basketball is being played. Having recently taken the lead in career 3-pointers, passing Ray Allen’s record of 2,973, Curry stands at a whopping 3,016 (entering Thursday night's game at the Milwaukee Bucks).
Curry set the record for 3-pointers in a regular season with 272 in 2012-13, broke it again in 2015 with 286 and then again in 2016 with 402. He became the first player in history to be unanimously selected as league MVP while leading the league in scoring, shooting above a 50-40-90. In the same year, Curry’s Golden State squad broke the NBA record for the most wins in an NBA season, with 73.
Steph Curry and Klay Thompson as "The Splash Brothers"
Having earned three championships together with their dominant shooting, Curry and Thompson have been dubbed “The Splash Brothers.” That's an updated, variation of the "Bash Brothers" nickname for the Oakland A's home run-slugging pair of Mark McGuire and Jose Canseco.
(And that baseball nickname, made famous by a poster, was a take on the fictional "Blues Brothers" Jake and Elwood Blues.)
The name rightfully fits as Curry is not the only one to have proved his legendary range and accuracy.
On Dec. 5, 2015, Klay Thompson scored a heaping 60 points in an 142-106 win over the Indiana Pacers – in only 29 minutes. Not only did he manage the feat in that small amount of time, but he did so while only dribbling 11 times. Yes, 11 times.
With Klay Thompson nearing his return, worth a flashback... On this day in 2016, Thompson scored 60 points in a 142-106 win over the Pacers.
Thompson played just 29 minutes and used only 11 dribbles. It remains the fewest minutes played in a 60-point game in NBA history. https://t.co/nB2eLu1iMs
Before Curry, the only point guard relatively known for dominant shooting was Steve Nash. But even with how great Nash was as a shooter, his abilities pale in comparison to Curry’s. Curry is on a level of his own, shooting from wherever, whenever, with whoever is in front of him. His range is seemingly unlimited, accuracy unparalleled and scoring ability undeniable.
With Klay Thompson beside him, the “Splash Brothers” have made big waves in the shooting realm of the NBA.
Curry has led Golden State (30-10) to second place in the Western Conference.
Thompson just returned after a pair of injuries that sidelined him for two full seasons. Playing in his first game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, he scored 17 points in 20 minutes to help Golden State to a 96-82 win Sunday.
Seeing such success and happiness come from the relationship between Steph and Klay as they share their dominant shooting abilities bleeds into young players everywhere.
A majority of the rookie players are now joining the league with relative shooting ability regardless of their position. The accuracy at such depth still remains in the hands of the 3-point king, Curry himself, but nonetheless the effort and abilities are more prominent than ever.
In contrast, during the Jordan era, and even the early LeBron James era, both were known for their flashy passes, dunks, and playmaking abilities.
Curry has left his mark on the game, and his waves of influence have shifted basketball.