But somehow… Stephen Curry still doesn’t get his full respect.
In the 2022 playoffs, the Celtics tried to hunt him—the same strategy that worked for Cleveland in 2016. They failed. Curry held his own against Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum in isolation possessions. He drew multiple charges. He walled up in the post.
When Curry runs off a screen, he doesn't just get open. He warps the geometry of the floor. Two defenders sprint toward him. The weakside defender abandons his man to cover the paint. The big man steps up to the three-point line. In that single second, Curry turns a five-man defense into a three-man defense. He creates a 4-on-3 advantage for his teammates without ever touching the ball.
Let’s dismantle the biggest lie of all: that Stephen Curry is "just a shooter." Stephen Curry- Underrated
And until he is spoken of in that hushed, reverent tone reserved for LeBron and Jordan and Kareem, he will remain exactly what he has always been: underrated.
Let’s look closely at 2015. Voters gave the award to Iguodala for holding LeBron James to 40% shooting. A fine performance. But ask yourself: who was the most valuable player in that series? LeBron averaged 36 points, 13 rebounds, and 9 assists. The Cavaliers lost in six games. If the definition of "valuable" is the player who, if removed from the series, changes the outcome the most, it’s either LeBron or Curry.
Stephen Curry is a global icon. He revolutionized basketball, altered the geometry of the court, and forced every level of the game—from youth leagues to the pros—to adapt to his vision. He is universally recognized as a Hall of Famer and a dynasty cornerstone. Yet, despite the accolades and the highlight reels that loop endlessly on social media, a persistent narrative remains: Stephen Curry is still underrated. But somehow… Stephen Curry still doesn’t get his
That isn't a system making a player look good. That is a player making a system look divine.
Finally, Curry is underrated because his influence is so total that we absorb it as background noise. We no longer marvel at what he changed because we live in the world he built.
The skepticism surrounding Curry is rooted in a physiological bias. Basketball has historically been a sport dominated by vertical leap, wingspan, and raw power. The Scouting Failure Watch Stephen Curry: Underrated - Movie - Apple TV Curry held his own against Jaylen Brown and
In 2017 and 2018, Kevin Durant deserved the award. He was unstoppable in isolation, hitting cold-blooded daggers over LeBron’s forehead. But ask Durant himself. He has repeatedly said that Curry’s constant movement and spacing are what made those shots possible. "They double Steph, and I'm on the short roll with a 4-on-3," Durant said. "That's easy money."
His early professional years were plagued by chronic ankle injuries that threatened to derail his career before it truly began. Critics claimed his body was too fragile for the league. But Stephen went to work. He rebuilt his core, altered his movement mechanics, and turned his greatest weakness into a foundation of strength.