5 active locks for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Stephen Curry

• Career stats: 23.5 PPG, 6.6 APG, 4.5 RPG, 1.7 SPG, .476/.435/.905 shooting splits
• Advanced stats: 103.2 win shares, 6.4 box plus-minus, 62.3 percent true shooting
• Accolades: 3-time NBA champion, 2-time MVP, 6-time All-NBA selection, 2015-16 scoring champion, 2015-16 steals champion

It may be cliché to say, but Stephen Curry really did change the game. His quick trigger, boundless range and innate ability to get open make him a constant threat to opposing defenses. He only needs a sliver of opportunity to fire, and those shots go in at an exceptionally high clip.

Curry blends volume and accuracy in a way that few before him did. He didn’t take too many 3-pointers in his first three seasons, but from 2012-13 on, he’s averaged 9.4 attempts a night and drained 43.4 percent(!!!) of them.

The Golden State Warriors were the league’s most recent dynasty, and Curry was the most important member of it. They were dynamic and cohesive, able to go on a momentum-killing run at any time. No deficit was too big for them to overcome; Curry’s bursts opened up plenty of ways for the Warriors to not only come back from one, but flip it the other way and shut the doors.

Even on Curry’s off nights, Golden State was a force to be reckoned with. His impact off the ball still had defenses scrambling, making things easier for everyone else on the floor. Kevin Durant‘s addition naturally helped Curry navigate tough moments, but their relationship was mutualistic.

It remains unclear what Curry will look like going forward, but his peak was too great to leave him out of the Hall.