Is Stephen Curry a Superstar?
Is the NBA‘s Top Shooter a Superstar Player?
The distinction between a superstar player and a star player in the NBA (the criteria is different in football, baseball, and hockey) is pretty much this:
A star player is someone who is…
a.) One of the best players in the sport (at least a top 20 player)
b.) Puts up excellent numbers on a consistent basis
c.) Makes the All-Star team and All-NBA Teams (First, Second, or Third) regularly
d.) Attracts a large TV audience and draws in major attendance
e.) Capable of being the second-best player on a championship team or being able to lead his team to the playoffs season after season as the top player
A superstar player is someone who is…
a.) widely viewed as one of the 5-10 best players in the game
b.) Statistically great every season
c.) Is an NBA All-Star and All-NBA Performer every season (Specifically making the First and Second Team)
d.) Is a mega box office draw and are the main reason why fans come to watch the game
e.) Is able to lead their team to around 45-50 wins every season as the best player, so as long as they have a competent and worthy supporting cast around them
f.) This is the big one: A superstar player is someone who has to be good enough and capable enough to be the best player on a championship team or a player that has already won a championship as their teams No.1 player.
Those are the qualifications people.
The question now is, Does Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Stephen Curry fit the mold of being a superstar player right now?
That’s a tough one to completely answer. Curry by all means is surely a top 10 player. He is also a top 5 point guard. He’s without a doubt the best shooter in the game and you can make a reasonable case that’s he’s the best all-around shooter the game has ever seen. He set an NBA record during the 2013-2014 season for making the most three-pointers (272) in a single season. He made his first All-Star team last season. He made the All-NBA Second Team last year (his only All-NBA Team appearance). He won a gold medal as a starter on this summer’s USA’s World Championship team. He’s led the Warriors to the playoffs twice in his first five years in the league and has won one playoff series (in 2013 against the Nuggets in the first round) as his team’s best player. Solid resume for Curry.
The reason I’m asking this question is because the way Curry has played so far this season, he’s leaving me no choice but to try and figure out if he is a superstar or is still a star. So far this season, Curry is averaging 23.5 points per game (5th in the league), 7.6 assists per game (7th in the league), 5.2 rebounds per game, shooting 47 percent from the field, 38 percent from 3-point range, and 92 percent at the free throw line. He’s currently playing for the team that has the best record in the NBA at 21-4 and was involved in an incredible 16-game winning streak. If the MVP was given out today, Curry would be my pick and a lot of other people’s pick as well. Given how everything has played out this season, Curry has to be the slight favorite for the MVP.
Has the Warriors fast start propelled Curry into superstardom? Maybe. If the Warriors can keep their play up then they would certainly have a chance at winning the complicated Western Conference but it will be a difficult task with there being so many title contenders within the conference. Curry’s competition for MVP is thick as well and it involves guys like James Harden, Marc Gasol, Anthony Davis, John Wall, Russell Westbrook, and others. Curry has a chance to accomplish those two huge feats this season and if he can, then I think we’re looking at a superstar. As of right now, I believe Curry fits the star category more than the superstar category… and trust me folks, the “Best Shooter in the World” is lurking and not far off.
The vital question for fans to ask is, “Do you think a team can win a championship with Stephen Curry as the best player?”
It’s an onerous question to reply to with a confident answer and it’s no knock on Curry at all. The term “superstar” is thrown out too loosely nowadays and there are only a few players in the league right now that can make claim to that title and they are: LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and Chris Paul. That’s it. Players like Carmelo Anthony, Derrick Rose, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Blake Griffin, Kevin Love, Tony Parker, Dwight Howard, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Anthony Davis all have either not reached the superstar level yet or used to be a superstar but currently no longer are.
It’s a small list people, but by the end of this season Stephen Curry could very well have a “super” next to the word “star” if things far into the right place. I wouldn’t bet against him.