Stephen Curry has undoubtedly been the best three-point shooter in the NBA since the 3-point line was introduced in 1979. 42.6% of his total field goals are from the long-range, and his 3747 made three-pointers place him head and shoulders above the rest. But what if Curry had to give up his three-point shooting attribute? Will he still be able to survive in the league?
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Gilbert Arenas posed this question to Rashad McCants on his show Gil’s Arena, “If we take that [three-point shot] away, will he be still dangerous?”
McCants believes Curry would be a terrific scorer even without his go-to move. “Yes,” McCants replied to Arenas’ question.
This response makes sense. While Curry is indeed reliant upon his long-range shot for his scoring, he is one of the best in the league at driving to the rim. Apart from that, he possesses a smooth mid-range game, complemented by a bunch of floaters, runners, and in-between moves.
His handles and off-the-ball movements also make him a threat in the perimeter.
However, then Arenas asked if the Warriors guard would be able to carve out a Hall-of-Fame resume without the three-point shot. Would he still be a top-two Point Guard of all time?
McCants conceded that even if Curry manages to be great without the long-range shot, he’d not have figured in such elite conversations. The three-pointer really separates him from a class of the NBA’s offensive players.
Gilbert Arenas: “If we take [Steph Curry’s three], is he still dangerous?”
Rashad McCants: “Yes.”
Arenas: “Will he still be considered [a top 2 point guard] if you took away his 3-point shot?”
RM: “No.”
Do you agree? 🤔
(via @GilsArenaShow / YT)pic.twitter.com/t8NzdSjhzW
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 17, 2024
Meanwhile, many NBA fans on X felt these questions were irrelevant. If we take away every great player’s best attribute, then they are of course going to be a shadow of themselves.
A commenter wrote, “If you take away: Lebron athleticism, Larry’s shooting, Magics passing, Shaqs size, Are they still that good? Lmao wtf are y’all talking about”
At any rate, these conversations prove that Chef Curry has more to his game than just shooting. That’s why he is also considered to be one of the best PGs ever.
Stephen Curry has figured in GOAT PG conversations
There are some arguments about Steph Curry being more of a combo guard than a pure PG. But still many fans claim that he is the #1 PG of all time despite the diverse roles he fulfills. In fact, during the 2023 offseason, in a conversation with Arenas, Curry did pick himself as the best PG of all time.
He relayed that his only competition for the title is Magic Johnson. However, Johnson contested the claim by citing his stacked resume. But he still acknowledged Curry’s greatness as one of the top PGs to ever do it.
Isiah Thomas also more or less agreed with his former nemesis. Zeke also thinks that Curry is a legendary PG, even if he hasn’t caught up to Magic yet.
