Stephen Curry is a well-known player who is the greatest shooter the NBA has ever seen, and he changed the way basketball is played. Influenced by him, we've seen a sharp increase in the number of three-point shots on NBA teams.
This Saturday, the Warriors will take on the Raptors on the road. Before the game, Raptors guard VanVleet praised Stephen Curry's contributions to basketball. He said that if it weren't for Curry's impressive three-point shooting ability, he probably wouldn't have had a chance to make it to the NBA himself. VanVleet is also a brilliant shooter, shooting 38.4 percent from outside the three-point line during his career.
"He made it possible for me to get into the NBA," VanVleet told reporters. "If I hadn't been allowed to shoot three points, my career might have been different. Being allowed to shoot three points has made me who I am now. ”
VanVleet was a loser in the NBA. Before entering the NBA, he studied Curry's way of playing off the court.
"I remember when I was in college, my assistant coach and I would watch their games, study his game clips, and then go to targeted training and see how we could do that," VanVleet said. 'I've studied all the great players and Curry is the one that benefits the most.
Curry's influence is no longer limited to the game, he is now a household name, VanVleet noticed. VanVleet said today's youngsters are more likely to relate to Curry and the way he plays.
"Everywhere. You see it consciously and unconsciously. You're going to see a lot of teen sports, and if you've been to any gymnasium with kids in the last 5 to 10 years, you're going to see the impact there. ”
"He's the guy. He's not dunking, he's doing what everyone thinks they can do. He made it all seem so simple," Van Vliet said. "He made it look like the way you wanted to play."
There is no doubt that Curry's success has allowed many small guards with shooting ability to find a living space in the NBA. Shaquille O'Neal has said Stephen Curry gave "a lot of little defenders" a chance, and it's clear that VanVleet believes that stephen Curry owes some of his success to.
This season, VanVleet has performed well, averaging 19.5 points and 6.8 assists per game. It was arguably the best personal season of his career. The three-pointer is one of VanVleet's best weapons, and as he says, without Curry paving the way, it's unclear himself that he'll be able to get to where he is today.