From one legendary point guard to another, Baron Davis gave lengthy praise to Steph Curry ahead of Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.
And while most Curry admiration stems from his jaw-dropping sharpshooting, Davis applauds Curry for reasons that go far beyond his shooting.
“I think with Steph, he really doesn’t have too many offensive deficiencies,” Davis said on Warriors Live: Playoff Edition on Tuesday. “You think about the things that people highlight and give him praise and credit for. Like his X-factor is his ability to shoot, his ability to shoot off the dribble, off the catch. But what people don’t realize is the kid is a leader. He’s an incredible leader. He’s a natural passer. He positions himself well defensively with active hands.”
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The NBA looks a bit differently than it did when Davis entered the league in 1999.
Some may argue that’s partly because of Curry, whose historically incredible 3-point shooting changed the way some approach the game.
No matter where you stand in that continuous debate, the matter of the fact is that Curry is the greatest shooter of all time.
But Davis sees so much more than that when he watches 30 on the hardwood.
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“When I’m watching Steph, it’s all the little intangibles that you young guards out there are watching and seeing all these great dynamic shots, when it’s also all the little things that he does,” Davis said. “And the way that he keeps his spirit, keeps his head up -- that’s the pedigree of a champion, of a true champion. You talk about his X-factor, his opportunity to rise above in the limelight. Or like when the bright lights are on, he performs.
“We’ve never really seen anybody at this position since, I would say, Magic Johnson. Credit to Steph Curry for being the ‘it’, for being the ‘it’ factor, being the point God that he truly is. And just leading the Warriors. And for him, he does it with humility and he does it with the opportunity to allow himself to continue to get greater and greater.”
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Curry’s versatility that has impressed Davis so much has helped the Warriors in their current postseason run, as they are one win away from their sixth NBA Finals in eight years.