Dirk Nowitzki has mad respect for Stephen Curry.
He just has no desire to emulate him.
Per Tim Cato of Mavs Moneyball:
I asked Dirk about Steph last night pic.twitter.com/QEqAfgHqKo
— tim cato (@tim_cato) February 29, 2016
So this is pretty much the standard answer when asked if you have any inkling, or even the ability, to mimic what Curry is doing. There is no one who even comes close. Curry’s shot selection is unprecedented and, as of now, only for him.
Consider that Curry has made more than twice as many shots from 28-plus feet away from the basket than all 29 NBA teams not named the Golden State Warriors (via Basketball-Reference). That’s just absurd, and seemingly impossible, and further evidence that Curry is an alien life form sent to Earth to redefine and reinvent the game of basketball.
Which brings me to those who think Curry might be ruining the sport by paving the way for a generation of chuckers. There’s no doubt a better understanding of how much more valuable three-pointers are now, and that will create an influx of shooters—of players who are familiar with draining deep balls.
But smart players, and coaches, and scouts, and agents, also know that Curry’s skill set isn’t just something you can duplicate. He is unique, and the NBA needn’t worry about mere mortals testing limits they most likely know they have no chance of reaching in the first place.
