Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry is one of the most iconic players of his generation. Easily the best shooter of all time, Curry has recently been promoting his documentary “Underrated,” which follows his journey from an underrated college prospect to an NBA superstar. Curry played in the Southern Conference for the Davidson Wildcats and quickly established himself as a mid-major star. On his recent appearance on the “First We Feast” YouTube channel, Steph compared himself to the likes of Ja Morant and Damian Lillard, who also came to the NBA from mid-major colleges.
Advertisement
The 35-year-old claimed that younger players should be focused on joining the college that they are the right fit for, rather than aiming to play for a power conference school. He himself initially talked about his time at Davidson, claiming that he was able to integrate himself into a system that he still uses today. Curry’s rise resulted in him leaving college as a Davidson legend. While he didn’t belong to a high-profile school such as Duke or North Carolina, he wouldn’t trade his time at Davidson for any other school.
Stephen Curry Compares Himself to Ja Morant and Damian Lillard
Curry claimed in the interview that scouts tend to find the right promising talent regardless of which college they play for. Whether the player is from a power conference school or a mid-major college, scouts tend to find players “wherever they are at.”
Hence, for a young college player, rather than joining a high-profile school, the aim should be to join a team they are a good fit for. Curry initially claimed that he would not have been the player he became had he not spent time at Davidson:
“You know, myself, Damian Lillard, Ja Morant, guys who went to mid-major colleges, they will find you wherever you’re at, so that’s kind of. I had faith at the time, I didn’t know how it would pan out, but I would change that experience for anything, so I would rather play and just sit on the bench and say, I got a power conference school on my chest.”
While Damian Lillard played college basketball for Weber State University, Morant joined from Murray State Public University. Both the players were top-10 draft picks with Morant being selected 2nd overall in the 2019 NBA draft.
To prove his point, Curry reference Damian Lillard and Ja Morant. While Morant has had his off-court issues, both the players are top talents who were picked from mid-major colleges.
Damian Lillard Only Recently Acknowledged Stephen Curry’s Genius
Speaking on The Draymond Green Show, Lillard had only recently claimed that Steph was the only guard he thought he’ll take a ‘back seat’ to. A modern great himself, Lillard recognized Curry’s improbable rise.
He acknowledged Steph’s struggle with injuries and the fact that he was a multiple-championship winner despite coming from a mid-major college. It was clear that just like Curry, Lillard has the utmost respect for Steph’s achievements.
Apart from being two of the best point guards ever seen in the NBA, the two players have a range of similarities. They both joined the NBA as legitimate college legends and comprehensively exceeded expectations.
