In an old clip, the late Kobe Bryant highlights an unknown facet of Stephen Curry’s game that players never understood.
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As the sporting world continues to reel from Kobe Bryant’s tragic death, his fans and the NBA fraternity continue to pay homage to his legacy. It’s beyond doubt that the Black Mamba was a student of the game, constantly brushing up his skills and paying close attention to his opponent’s gameplay.
The five-time champion didn’t hesitate to steal moves from others’ playbooks, some of the names being Michael Jordan and Tracy McGrady. Whether it’s his one-of-a-kind work ethic or his competitive zeal to succeed, Kobe ensured he stayed ahead of his competitors.
During his last leg in the league, the game of basketball was experiencing a revolution at the hands of a baby-faced assassin in the Bay Area. The Golden State Warriors had the opposition beat with the mere way in which they ran the offense, fast transitions, long-range shooting, and pass-first approach.
One of the few heads to understand Steve Kerr’s design of running plays through the Splash Brothers was Kobe. The Lakers legend saw something in Steph Curry’s game that many didn’t understand.
“I see a calmness about him that a lot of players don’t understand”: Kobe Bryant on Stephen Curry.
Most of the teams in the league have thrown every kind of defense at Curry but to no avail. The Warriors PG is a threat as soon as he passes the halfcourt, with his ability to pull up from the parking lot. The reigning Finals MVP’s ability to play off the ball, coupled with his endurance makes him every opposition’s nightmare.
We continue to witness opposition teams employ all kinds of double teams at Curry with the risk of leaving others wide-open. As teams continue to struggle to stop the two-time MVP, Kobe Bryant once revealed an unknown facet of the Chef’s game.
“I see a calmness about him, and I think it’s something that a lot of players don’t understand, so I think it’s very hard for the fans to understand what I’m saying cause most players don’t get it,” said the Mamba.
“There is a serious calmness about him which is extremely deadly because he’s not up, he’s not down, he’s not contemplating what just happened before or worrying about what’s to come next, he’s just there, and when a player has the skills and has trained himself to be able to have the skills to shoot, dribble left-right-center, and then you mix that with this calmness and poise then you have a serious problem.”
Kobe does make some valid points, considering how locked-in Curry is while on the hardwood. One can never be fooled by the eight-time All-Star’s over-the-top celebrations.
