The NBA has evolved from a pound the glass, win in the paint style bloodbath, to a high-flying shooting contest. Build with shooters, then take it from there. That’s how the Golden State Warriors have become the most powerful teams in basketball, and no player is leading the revolution more than Steph Curry.
With jersey sales off the charts, and kids on the blacktop shouting “Curry!” as they hoist half-court shots, you’d think his popularity would be as wide-ranging as any other historically significant NBA star. Not quite.
A recent poll of 39 incoming NBA Rookies has some telling results.
Every year, the incoming class is asked a number of questions, some are specific to their expectations ahead of their first professional season. Others are a little more off the wall. This year, they were asked who their favorite player in the league was.
Not a single one of them said Steph Curry.
It’s hard to explain why the next generation of NBA stars don’t recognize one of the games most revolutionary players as their favorite. You’d think at least one. LeBron James far and away was named the most of any player, 31.5-percent.
It’s a guessing game, and ours is as good as mine. Perhaps it’s because of a perceived arrogance Curry plays with. Maybe the person at the top of the mountain will always be disliked. Maybe he’s too obvious an answer, and nobody wants to be the person who likes the most popular thing.
That would certainly explain how Pau Gasol and Jamal Crawford ended up on the list.
Don’t expect Curry to lose any sleep over it, though. He’s still a two-time MVP and NBA Finals Champion. What does he care if the incoming crop of players he’ll be clowning on don’t like him best?
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NBA Rookies Don't Think Very Highly Of Steph Curry
