Stephen Curry aka Mr. Maximizer

(Note: Written in January 2018, published here in February 2019*)

“Steph’s explosiveness and athleticism are below standard. He’s not a great finisher around the basket. He will have limited success at the next level. Do NOT rely on him to run your team.”

Saturday night in the Association, a two-time MVP and NBA champion, dropped 49 points on one of his biggest competitors and possibly future NBA Finals opponent. The quote above is nine years old but you can still find critics who echo the same message today. The NBA prospect the above analysis is referring to? Stephen Curry.

If you’re reading this, my favorite NBA player is Steph Curry, but this is old news to friends and family. “Obsessed” may be a bit of a stretch, but make no mistake: I admire Steph as a player and as a great role model for fans young and old. The reason for this? Simply put, he was never supposed to “be here”, and yet I see him constantly on the tv, hogging the late night highlights of SportsCenter.

Steph’s talents may have opened the doors to a career in the NBA, but by no means was he predicted to be what he is today: a transcendent NBA superstar whose popularity and influence expands farther than the basketball world. In my opinion, his acclaim is only “rivaled” by LeBron James.

LBJ may be the best basketball player right now (with Kevin Durant approaching at a close second) but his only true rival in popularity is Chef Curry, and the 6’3 “Baby Faced Assassin” may have the upper hand. Unlike many other NBA stars, his sharpshooter skill from behind the three-point line has given hope to so many youth, no matter how big or small, fast or slow, gifted or not, to think that they could have a shot at NBA success.

For myself, that mindset which is rooted in Steph’s miraculous rise transfers over to inspire my own personal growth and career path. By chance, Steph and I happen to share some similar characteristics: young-looking faces for our age, (we’ll age extremely well) and we both have calm and reserved demeanors (I prefer the term ‘laid back’). As he advanced further into his career, these characteristics have a tendency to restrict him to a permanent “underdog” status.

But that never stopped Steph from knowing his true potential, he knew to capitalize and perfect his strengths, which simultaneously could negate his weaknesses, and in the process make his teammates better. I like to think of myself in the same light: as a “maximizer.” I try to model my actions on enhancing my strengths and helping others do the same. I strive to make myself and others alongside me better, and I see that in Steph.

As much as I enjoy Steph draining threes, shimmying down the court while leading Golden State to championships, I appreciate that I can inspire off the court. The doubters? He welcomes them, he’s been the underdog, and it has got him to a place he should never have been.

-Pete Hernandez III