You can’t always trust what NBA analysts predict before or after the NBA draft. Stephen A. Smith said Deandre Ayton will be a better player than Luka Doncic before the 2019 draft. If you have no idea about that take, watch my previous video on Stephen A. Smith’s predictions on these European players.
Prior to the 2009 draft, Stephen Curry’s name was picking up steam because of the year he did in Davidson College. Everyone wanted to see Steph Curry because of how he shot the ball and how he would go on a tear shooting from deep.
Because Steph was still a rookie and not many NBA teams wanted a 6’3” skinny guard to be their franchise cornerstone.
To get a better understanding of the absurd claims by NBA analysts, I made this video on What these analysts said about Steph Curry before and after the draft. In this video, we will go in-depth on why they said that and what was their statement after Steph proved them wrong.
Let’s set-up the story first by going back to 2009 when Stephen Curry was working out with teams prior to the NBA draft.
This first one is not an analyst, but LeBron James. One day he decided to text Steph saying, He did show up and had only praises for Steph.
On a first-half play, when the shot clock was winding down. Steph hit a long three-pointer and pointed to Lebron.
After the game, Steph appreciated his reactions and said, “it was cool to watch someone like him cheering for our team.”
Fast forward a few years, and LeBron had a courtside view of how good Steph was after they played in 4 straight finals where Curry’s Warriors won 3 titles.
Now, this next one I didn’t get the name of the analyst, but he asked Monta Ellis (former Warriors star) on media day
I know the analyst only wanted a story, but it made the situation awkward because Ellis didn’t agree with how the Warriors were going about as a franchise. He knew that his future with the team was in jeopardy. It took some time for Ellis to warm up to Steph - his wife asked him to apologize - and eventually they played the season together.
The following season Ellis was traded (I guess his hunch was right all along) to the Milwaukee Bucks for Andrew Bogut, Steven Jackson, and a first-round draft pick. Can you imagine if the Warriors stayed with Ellis and Steph Curry? They wouldn’t have had the chance of getting that pick which turned out to be Klay Thompson.
Kenny Smith had this to say about Steph before the draft.
Now Steph has 1 more championship than him, two MVPs, and is considered to be the greatest shooter of all-time. That is why we should never judge someone by his looks alone.
Before the boom of Twitter, this next analyst was already sharing his thoughts on the platform. He’s considered to be the number 1 hater of LeBron James, Skip Bayless. But this series of tweets weren’t a diss on Steph Curry, rather, a praise on him.
“LOVE Steph Curry."
“If I’m the Warriors I do NOT trade Steph Curry. Thanks to the Thunder, Kings, and Timberfools, a steal for Don Nelson’s system.”
Yes, you read that right TIMBERFOOLS.
Skip Bayless was still with ESPN at this time debating with Stephen A. Smith.
Doug Gottlieb was still working with ESPN in 2009 when he tweeted out this:
Now Doug made a 360-degree turn on the Dan Patrick Show after the Warriors won back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018.
“That's a big boy range though, right there where you hit it. That’s past the NBA three by a good 5 to 7 feet right?” Asked by Dan Patrick.
“It's great though when people tell me, it takes a while to load up and then you process, wait this is Stephen Curry on transition or off a cross-over ready to shoot anytime. It’s just ridiculous what he has done. He’s a transcended player.
He changed the way we view shooting, what’s a good shot, what’s a bad shot. Steph has changed basketball in terms of how we view jump shooting, range.
Obviously, I was wrong on all those takes. I thought he was going to be a great role-player, coming off the bench as a sixth man, just to be a good player, not a great player. We now show up to Warriors games to watch him warm-up to watch him work out.
Players now want to do what Steph is doing in terms of ball-handling, passing. He has made an average kid dream of playing in the NBA.”
What are your thoughts on these analysts’ comments about Steph Curry back then? Do you think Curry will go down as one of the best to have ever played? Tell us what you think in the comments down below.
If you haven’t watched my other video where I discuss what NBA players are actually saying about Steph Curry, be sure to check that out! I’m sure you’ll like that one!
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