The late great Bill Russell is a prime example of how, for the past half-century, the traditional NBA strategy was to play through the tallest, strongest player on the court. Russell played the center position for the Boston Celtics, winning 11 NBA Championships during the 1950s & 60s.
Like Russell, Hall of Fame centers Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabar, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Shaquille O’Neal defined eras throughout NBA history; however, every decade, a few select players come along to change the game of basketball fundamentally.
Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Lebron James all changed the game, but perhaps none redefined winning and revolutionized NBA strategy like Stephen Curry.
As a 6’2 point guard, the odds were stacked against Curry from the beginning. He was drafted seventh overall in the 2009 NBA Draft and entered during an era where the strategy to play through big men still yielded results.
At the same time, NBA coaches like Mike D’Antoni and Stan Van Gundy experimented with new systems and strategies focused on three-point shooting.
D’Antoni took over as Head Coach of the Phoenix Suns in 2003 and turned the franchise around with his patented “Seven Seconds or Less” system – the goal was to shoot within the first seven seconds of each possession, and Phoenix frequently shot a layup or three-pointer.
A prime example of D’Antoni’s system in action is Channing Frye. Frye shot 70 total threes throughout his first four years in the NBA. In his first season under D’Antoni, he shot 392. Frye’s points per game average increased from 4 to 11 points.
D’Antoni led the Suns to win 50+ games in four consecutive seasons and two straight Western Conference Finals.
Van Gundy took over coaching the Orlando Magic in 2007 – his system emphasized spacing the court. Dominant big man Dwight Howard was on the team, but the game plan was shooting threes if nothing was available inside the key.
Under Van Gundy, Orlando’s 3pt rate doubled from 15.8% to 32.2%, and they made one NBA Finals appearance.
Despite neither D’Antoni nor Van Gundy winning a championship for their teams, their systems produced results. They were some of the first coaches to rethink offensive strategy, and they facilitated Curry’s arrival.
Two years after drafting Curry, the Golden State Warriors acquired the second piece of their future dynasty in Klay Thompson, who was drafted 11th overall in the 2011 NBA Draft. The following year, the Warriors drafted Draymond Green, a natural leader that added much-needed defensive depth.
The trio gained immediate notoriety for their efficient chemistry on the court. Curry and Thompson were sharpshooters, while Green anchored the defense and created openings for the smaller guards to work their magic.
During the 2012-2013 season, Brian Witt, a writer for the Warriors' social media, tweeted about Curry and Thompson’s effortless ability to swish their shots after Curry and Thompson combined for seven 3-pointers in the first half of a game against the Charlotte Bobcats.
Witt’s tweet was the origin of the “Splash Brothers'', as a swish symbolizes a splash in the water.
The name stuck, and the rest is history.
During that same season, Curry and Thompson made a combined 483 three-pointers, shattering the previous NBA single-season record for most three-pointers made by a duo. The following year, they broke their own record again.
The Warriors then hired Steve Kerr in the 2014 offseason as head coach. Kerr was known for his shooting capabilities when he played decades prior as a member of the Chicago Bulls Dynasty with Michael Jordan and legendary head coach Phil Jackson.
Kerr’s offensive system emphasized shooting on the perimeter, which perfectly complemented the skill sets of Curry and Thompson.
Kerr’s hiring ushered in a new era for the Warriors, as they won an NBA-best 67 games and went on to win the 2015 NBA Finals. Curry won his first NBA Most Valuable Player Award, and the Splash Brothers broke their record for most threes in a single season for the third time.
The Warriors reached new heights in 2016, winning 73 games, the most regular season victories in NBA history. Curry continued his dominance, breaking the record for most threes made in one season and most consecutive games with at least one three-pointer. He went on to win MVP again and became the first player ever to win the award unanimously.
This past season, Curry finally added a Finals MVP to his resume and broke the record for all-time three-pointers.
The Golden State Warriors have now won four championships with the Splash Brothers duo, and Curry will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA. He and Thompson ushered in the three-point shooting era that changed basketball forever.
“[Curry] created a blueprint for success using the 3-pointer,” said Aron Cohen, former content creator for ESPN.
During Curry's first year in the NBA, only two teams shot more than 2,000 three-pointers: the Orlando Magic, coached by Stan Van Gundy, and the New York Knicks, coached by Mike D’Antoni.
Last season, every NBA team was over that number, led by the Minnesota Timberwolves with 3,386 three-pointers – twelve teams shot over 3,000.
But Curry's influence doesn't end there. His impact has rippled through different levels of basketball – from college to high school and youth leagues worldwide. Even modern-day NBA stars like Trae Young and LaMelo Ball emulate Curry.
“[Curry] proved that you can be one of the greatest without being physically gifted,” said Cohen, “he’s inspired the current and next generation of players to focus on their 3-point shot.”
Basketball players no longer want to be like Mike, but be like Curry.