In March 2015, Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry pulled off one of the craziest moves of his career as he eluded Matt Barnes' and De'Andre Jordan's perimeter defense, kept the ball away from Chris Paul, and stepped back from Spencer Hawes to create space for a three-pointer against bitter rival, the Los Angeles Clippers . The shot was so impressive that then-ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy said it was "the greatest move I've ever seen."
While the "Baby-Faced Assassin" has since pulled off many more equally or even more impressive plays, that play against the Clippers remains one of his most iconic and memorable moments in the NBA. When asked about it in 2015, the two-time himself credits his creativity for that jaw-dropping shot.
Curry went with the flow
For most NBA players, that type of shot would earn them an extended stay on the bench or even a spot in the doghouse. Even Warriors head coach Steve Kerr's expression when Steph launched the triple said it all. But it was just another day at the office for Curry, who has built his career on being bold and daring on the court.
"Creativity got the best of me," Curry said to a group of Davidson students, which he revealed in Slam no. 183 when asked what thoughts were going through his mind when he dribbled past that maze of Clippers defenders before hoisting the off-balanced triple.
Kerr, who was visibly stunned by his ward's shot selection, said that as surprising as Curry's attempt was, the fact that he made it wasn't shocking at all.
"Nothing he does surprises me anymore," the four-time champion coach said immediately after the Dubs' 106-98 win in that game.
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Always a student of the game
Curry regularly hosts basketball camps during the offseason, and they attract top-tier talent from all over the country, such as Cooper Flagg, who attended Steph's camp last year. While these young players attend to learn from one of the all-time greats, the ten-time All-Star revealed he isn't shy about learning from the high school kids, either.
"I'm a fan of the game, so I watch everybody. I pulled a move from a high school kid that came to my camp this summer. I'm always learning," Steph shared.
Steph, known for his humble and down-to-earth persona, admitted that he admires and is curious about every player at his camp. He even disclosed that he learned a move from Dennis Smith Jr., a high school standout who attended Under Armour's SC30 Select Camp in 2015, played for Brooklyn last season, and is a free agent.
"It's just little stuff like that. Watching basketball, I can always pick up something, no matter who it is," the two-time NBA scoring champ added.
The best getting better; isn't that as scary as it is exciting?
Related: Curry on wearing an arm sleeve during the 2017 NBA Finals: "Lowkey, I've always wanted to be like Allen Iverson"
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