"I went old-man style on him"- Eddie Johnson recalls the time a 7-year-old Steph Curry almost beat him 1-on-1

It's no secret that Steph Curry grew up around NBA players, especially when his dad, Dell, played in the league. This upbringing developed his love for the game and, apparently, his skills on the court as well. Eddie Johnson experienced it firsthand.

Johnson, who played 17 years in the NBA, told a story on PHNX Sports about a young Steph bringing the heat to him in a one-on-one game.

"I played this kid when I was seven years old in his driveway and I was playing with the Charlotte Hornets," Johnson began . "I was over there hanging out with his dad, Dell Curry, and he said, 'Eddie, I bet Steph could beat you.' What? Whatever."

"I go out in the driveway, and I was messing with him. This dude shoot shots from the street. I'm like, 'hold up.' And he's used to the outside rim. You know how outside rim, dawg, kinda bent, wind blowing, and they going in!" the 1989 Sixth Man of the Year recalled.

"Man, I look up. We playing a game to 10, I'm tellin' you this dude up seven nothing. I said, 'Hold up now. I'm in the NBA and I was the top shooters in the game, okay?' Man, I went old-man style on him. I started backing him down and laying it up. He got mad, and I'm like, I'm not letting you get another shot."

EJ was the real deal

Although Johnson never made an All-Star team, he established himself as a reliable scorer off the bench long before the role became popular. He averaged 21.5 points per game during his Sixth Man of the Year campaign and had two previous seasons with over 20 points per game.

Of course, when he said he was one of the game's top shooters, that does not necessarily mean from three. Back then, shooters shot the occasional long-range bomb but did most of their work from 20 feet to provide spacing. EJ was that guy.

At the tail end of his career, Johnson suited up for the Hornets alongside Dell during the 1993-94 season, meaning Steph, born in 1988, was just five or six years old during that 1-on-1 matchup. This adds an even crazier twist to the story.

Related: Julius Erving believes no player is similar to him in the modern NBA: “I was a small forward, but I really played like a power forward”

Steph started early

Having an NBA dad is such a blessing for Steph. Shooting came naturally to him and he got to "test" his skills against legitimate pros. He mostly played against Dell and his teammates, depending on which team he was affiliated with.

For instance, the four-time NBA champion habitually played 1-on-1 against Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter when his father was in Toronto. In Charlotte, Steph developed a close bond with Muggsy Bogues and Rex Chapman, with Rex even recalling times when he and Muggsy babysat a young shooter while Dell was out for the night.

Such unique experiences undoubtedly contributed to "Chef's" development, proving that starting young can make all the difference in the world.

Related: "I'll take the daddy" - Muggsy Bogues on why Dell Curry was a better shooter than Steph Curry