You cannot tell the story of the NBA without players like Michael Jordan and Steph Curry.
Jordan is widely considered to be the greatest player in the history of basketball, while Curry is considered the greatest shooter in the history of basketball.
On Wednesday's episode of "First Take," analysts Stephen A. Smith, Chris Russo andAmar'e Stoudemire discussed today's NBA and how players such as Curry and Jordan played an impact on the current single-star-marketed, 3-point shooting brand of basketball.
"People said he (Curry) changed the game," Smith said. "No, no, he elevated it to a point where it was acceptable because you're looking for somebody to produce close in the vicinity to what he does and what Klay Thompson does to a slightly lesser degree.
"My brother, the guy that I love so much, that I believe is the greatest player to have ever played. Michael Jordan is responsible as much as anybody for changing the game for the worse. This is throwing no shade on Michael Jordan of course, he's the greatest ever ... but he was so phenomenal that the NBA marketed the individual, the audience gravitated towards the individual and the game became a bit more individualized. Because people wanted to 'Be Like Mike.' Before Mike, you have [Larry] Bird and Magic [Johnson]."
Smith argues that the game of basketball was a team-centered game before Jordan arrived on the scene and that his superstardom and world-renowned talent elevated the NBA to the single-star-marketed game it is today, while Curry and the Warriors' fast-paced, 3-point shooting style of play is a byproduct of and elevated the style first introduced by former NBA coach Mike D'Antoni.
"What I'm saying is you were thinking team until Jordan elevated it to another level," Smith added. "Then from Jordan, you had the Kobe [Bryant]'s, the Vince Carter's and others that came along thereafter and the individualization of the sport, particularly because of the money that came with it became more of a focal point. So I would tell you, Mike D'Antoni, in terms of the 3-point shooting and maintaining the pace and letting people score so you don't disrupt the pace and then Jordan with the individuality, even though he obviously was a team player and the Chicago Bulls were a great team. The marketing of the individual, those two components is what made the game what it is today."
Both Curry and Jordan's impact on the game of basketball is immeasurable. Both are unique in their own way and each has inspired a generation of players around the world.
It's only a matter of time before the Warriors superstar joins Jordan in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The "Curry effect" has led to a surge in young players emulating his shooting form and practicing long-range shooting from an early age. This has reshaped the development of young talent, with an emphasis on shooting and skill development over traditional positions.
The son of Delores and James Jordan, he shared a special bond with his father, which included baseball being both of their first love. However, following his older brother, Larry, whom he idolized and was a spectacular athlete in his own right, Jordan began to play basketball.
Michael Jordan was famous for his ability to score points. He led the league in scoring for ten seasons! But it wasn't just about the points; it was the way he did it. His incredible plays and winning mentality motivated other players to improve their skills, which made the NBA games more exciting to watch and bet on.
"OK, so, if he got more than five championships, if he got more than three Finals MVPs, and three league MVPs, then he's the greatest," Johnson said of Curry. "If he got more than No. 1 in assists all-time in the Finals, No.
The Steph Curry Practice Experience is unique in its originality, repetition, intensity and relentlessness. There's a variety of ball-handling drills, followed by shooting from all spots on the floor, and then rinse and repeat, to sharpen muscle memory. He executes trick shots not just for kicks.
Curry stays consistent by beginning each offseason and practice workout with conditioning drills to warm up and increase his heart rate. He also has completed breathing exercises to help with increasing his stamina.
Jordan tried out for his varsity basketball team during his sophom*ore year of high school. At the time, he was around 5' 10” tall and reportedly on the skinny side.
His secret was self-motivation. What separated Jordan from every other player wasn't just his desire to win. It wasn't just his desire to be the best. What made Jordan the all-time greatest player was the unquenchable fire and self-motivation that powered him from one incredible achievement to the next.
The NBA wasn't too happy about Jordan's flashy kicks and started fining him $5,000 for each game he wore them. But that didn't deter Jordan or Nike. In fact, Nike embraced the controversy and even paid Jordan's fines. They turned it into a marketing goldmine.
The Nike-owned brand is well-known among consumers from different generations, and 36 percent of Gen Z sneaker owners in the U.S. own Jordan sneakers. More than 50 percent of Jordan owners value being successful, and over 20 percent consider advancing their career as one of the three most aspects in life.
Jordan said he'd lost the “sense of motivation” to keep playing. “It's not because I don't love the game,” he said during his news conference. “I love the game of basketball. I always will.
Although an OCD diagnosis has never been confirmed for Michael Jackson, it is widely believed that his cosmetic surgery procedures were related to issues with Body Dysmorphic Disorder, and that he suffered with OCD tendencies related to this.
Jackson – who could not read or write sheet music – would then dictate the song into a tape recorder, singing the lyrics and beat-boxing each instrumental arrangement. The recordings would serve as the foundation for his songs. In the recording studio, Jackson was known for his meticulous attention to detail.
It's not Stephen Curry. Magic Johnson weighed in on the debate over the best point guard of all time, choosing himself over Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry. Magic Johnson is the greatest point guard of all time.
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Introduction: My name is Cheryll Lueilwitz, I am a sparkling, clean, super, lucky, joyous, outstanding, lucky person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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