Bauman: Further examination of Stephen Curry’s success

“That was fun,” Curry said at All-Star Weekend, where he competed in the 3-point contest but was snubbed for Sunday’s game. “I went to Honesdale and I remember it like it was yesterday. I think on my team I had Gerald Henderson, Jonny Flynn, so many other guys that played high Division I and were drafted in the NBA as well.”

Curry didn’t just play with these guys; he was also competing against some of the best players in the nation in a gritty environment where bragging rights were on the line.

I remember leaving Honesdale knowing that wherever Curry landed, he would be a very good player because he could shoot the ball at such a high level. His release was just as pretty then as it is now, and his deep range commanded the attention of defenses the second he stepped over halfcourt.

Another notable aspect of his game that impressed me at the time was Curry’s innate ability to shoot off the dribble.

When Curry decided the ball was going up, there wasn’t much anybody could do to break his concentration. He had supreme mechanics and such a quick release that he caught defenses off guard with regularity.

How did he become such an advanced shooter and ballhandler at such a young age?

“I was always smaller than most guys on the court, so I couldn’t just rely on spot shots because I’d get my shot blocked,” said Curry. “I had to work on my dribbling, my handles, being able to pass the ball if I was going to be able to play the point guard position as I went through my ranks so I could just try to develop my game.”

“I did a lot of form shooting since probably middle school when I started to study my game and get better,” Curry continued. “It does help because you rely on your fundamentals in end-game situations – especially when you go through a little shooting slump – because you know that if you keep doing the same thing every time it will turn around.”

Of course, having sniper Dell Curry as his father certainly didn’t hurt.

“A lot of it is genes,” said Curry. “I think that definitely helps. In high school he wasn’t like a drill sergeant like, ‘Hey, you gotta go shoot. Do it this way, this way, this way.’ It was more like a supportive where if I had questions to get better, he’d answer them. He encouraged my work ethic in high school and college playing. It’s nice to have one of the best shooters in NBA history one phone call away.”