NBA Rookie Role Models: Is Jabari Parker the next Paul Pierce?

Nik Stauskas, this could be you: Stephen Curry

by Andy Liu (@AndyKHLiu)

I’m not even going to attempt to hedge this one. It’s a ridiculous comparison and there’s less than a five percent chance Stauskas will actually become the player Stephen Curry is now, arguably one of the best players in the world. How far Curry has come from his standing as a shooting guard from Davidson to star point guard of the Golden State Warriors is where the comparison should lie.

Whereas Curry is of a point guard’s build, standing a thin 6’3”, Stauskas is more Klay Thompson, 6’6” and likely to grow into your prototypical shooting guard type. But the similarities pop off the TV when Stauskas was forced into a facilitator’s role at Michigan. Once Trey Burke left, Stauskas had to create more, either by driving off pump-fakes or simply blowing by defenders with the threat of the pull-up jumper.

Stauskas was a more efficient player shooting and passing going from his freshman to sophomore season. Although not the same style of ball-handler Curry is, Stauskas has the similar vision and want to pass from all areas of the floor. He can come off screens and shoot off the dribble as well – with a shot as gorgeous as the Splash Brothers – but the power of creation is an added element to make him an offensive juggernaut.

And to conclude on a non-physical aspect, Stauskas is joining a team that’s in total flux, with a logjam at guard (Ben McLemore, Ray McCallum, and Darren Collison (lol)). I guess there’s a Monta Ellis and Acie Law in there but I’ll let you figure out which one is which. This isn’t to say Stauskas is the savior akin to Curry but a player drafted purely on his shooting ability can surprise a franchise with peripheral skills as well.