We’ve known Stephen Curry is the greatest shooter the game has ever seen for years now.
Tuesday night was a celebration of that and the coronation of the king. Curry didn’t waste any time on Tuesday; less than five minutes into the first quarter Curry passed Hall of Famer Ray Allen for the most made 3s in NBA history, 2,974.
In the celebration, Curry ran over to hug Ray Allen, who was at the game.
It was fitting this happened in Madison Square Garden. The Knicks, drafting No. 8 in 2009, lobbied hard to get Curry to fall to them — Curry’s father Dell was a point man on this effort — but Don Nelson would not let him slip past the Warriors at No. 7. Curry’s breakout game came four years later, in 2013, when he dropped 54 points and made 11 three-pointers in Madison Square Garden. For many, that is considered the day Curry became Curry.
Curry earned this moment. It’s not just his shooting range or versatility — he can shoot off the dribble or off the catch equally well — it’s his accuracy that set him apart: Curry is a career 43.1% shooter from deep.
All those threes come thanks to a natural ability, but moreso practice. After Curry had won his first title with the Warriors, I was one of a handful of reporters invited to talk with him at a sponsored event based around golf. What came out of that conversation and day was an understanding and appreciation for how much he enjoys the process — perfecting his golf swing, or perfecting his shot. As much as his game appears free-flowing and looks instinctive, it masks a ridiculous amount of practice at the exact shots he’s taking under the lights — the ones from range, the one-step-left jumpers, the pull-ups. Curry is a perfectionist who lived in the gym to get where he is now.
All that work has paid off.
Here’s more on the Warriors
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Watch Curry break record, pass Ray Allen to become NBA’s 3-point king originally appeared on NBCSports.com