Stephen Curry has had a career to dream of. He is still playing for the team that drafted him, the Golden State Warriors , with whom he won everything and changed the game. However, many did not see this trajectory when he first came to the league.
Standing only 6'3", he was never known as a rebounding guard, and given his playing style, this was understandable. However, during Curry's early days as a rookie, he was told that he needed to crash the boards, which Steph did, using one of the best rebounders' approaches to do it.
"I can read the shots. I'm such a good... I think I am pretty good shooter, so I can see a shot go up and know were it's goona go—almost like Dennis Rodman. I'm nowhere near as good as him, but I have the same mentality," shared Dubs rookie at the time.
Guards should rebound
Looking back, when he came to the league, the game was different. It was still dominated by the players on the low block, and the three-point shot was still not utilized the way it is today. So coaches from the early days urged guards to help out with the rebounding because an easy bucket was considered a layup, not a three-pointer.
"I was told by some great coaches I played for that a point guard should have at least five rebounds (per game)," he added. "People take a lot of threes. You should get those long rebounds. You should do that by being active, always in the play."
"Chef Curry" listened to his coaches and helped out; his rookie average of 4.5 rebounds per game for a scrawny youngster was quite formidable. Only Tyreke Evans had a rebounds numbers. But the Dubs' coaching staff quickly realized that the best thing they could do for their team was to push Curry out of the paint and let others do the dirty work and let him dictate the tempo with his dribble and shoot, and the rest as they say is history.
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Humble start like Rodman
Playing for Davidson University did not put him under the immediate spotlight. Still, Curry brought it on as he was an All-American in his last season. Known as a streaky shooter with a slightly unorthodox shot, few people expected him to change basketball as much as he did.
A similar thing can be said for Dennis Rodman . He came into the league at 25 and needed time to make a name for himself. Like Steph, he realized his strengths and focused on them. Dubs legend is a slightly undersized guard who is a menace on the offense, while "The Worm" was that on the defense with his rebounding and lockdown abilities.
Having the right mindset was the key for young Curry, and it is probably something that set him apart from others in his class. Learning from the best is always a good thing. Steph knew who to look up to, so even though he did not become a rebounding guard in the league, he became something else — an icon.
Related: "I got a lot left in the tank" - Stephen Curry says he "feels great" going into Year 16
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