How to Draw Full Body of Stephen Curry Drawings

They were chanting "MVP" in the stands, and information technology wasn't San Francisco, Oakland or Stephen Curry'southward hometown in North Carolina. This was the heart of Brooklyn, a veritable basketball game mecca, and the aristocracy-level Nets seemed merely a sideshow to Curry's virtuosity.

As the Warriors made a colossal statement in victory that nighttime (117-99, earlier this month), the crowd'southward book escalated whenever Curry touched the ball. There were thunderous cheers for every shot that went downwards, palpable groans over a misfire. It was downright stunning, simply "not unusual," as Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reminded the media. "This happens everywhere we go."

Such is the situation for the most entertaining player the game has ever seen.

That's a weighty statement, to exist sure, but information technology's fix aside from talent, statistics, championships or awards — although Back-scratch qualifies mightily on all counts. "All-time ever" is an entirely different give-and-take. Information technology's more about the experience of watching Curry and the thoughts lingering in the observer's retention. There merely isn't anyone similar Back-scratch on today's landscape, nor has there always been in the NBA'due south long history.

If you're not quite convinced, consider all the categories that go into this discussion:

Contemporaries

A number of fresh-on-the-scene stars aspire to Curry's throne, notably Ja Morant, Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball. They'll match highlight clips with anyone. Luka Doncic and Trae Immature are entertainers of the highest order, and one shouldn't forget Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Devin Booker, Damian Lillard, Zach LaVine or Warriors teammate Klay Thompson on a list that certainly doesn't end there (and excludes the crashing bore that is James Harden, as well equally the insufferably arrogant Kyrie Irving).

The simply true comparison these days is LeBron James, for years a global establishment and a histrion some insist has passed Michael Hashemite kingdom of jordan in the all-time rankings. LeBron is a concrete strength of nature, a freight train of a human being and revered for his influence. Not certain virtually you, only I could miss a dozen sequent LeBron games without regret. I'd just miss Curry if my car wouldn't start, or the power went out.

Visuals

Nobody always watched James, Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Erving or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar while thinking, "I could practise that." Not even a dreamy-eyed eye-school kid would fancy such a thing. But Curry is just six-foot-3, often appearing fifty-fifty shorter as he weaves his way through towering opponents. He's known for his mastery of the ambidextrous distill, his long-range shot and his wildly creative assortment of floaters, banks and off-mitt inventions that would overwhelm anyone in a game of H.O.R.South.E.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry brings the ball up court during the second quarter of his NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls in San Francisco, Calif. Friday, Nov. 12, 2021. — Golden Land Warriors baby-sit Stephen Curry brings the brawl up courtroom during the second quarter of his NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls in San Francisco, Calif. Friday, Nov. 12, 2021.
Stephen Lam / The Chronicle

All of which could be good at home, past anyone. Not perfected — not fifty-fifty close — merely at least attempted. Historically, here y'all're thinking Bob Cousy, Isiah Thomas, Earl Monroe, Pete Maravich, Allen Iverson — but if you saw them play, ridiculously brilliant as they were, did they entertain at Back-scratch's level? I'd say no, when other criteria come up into play. Such equally:

Engagement

No superstar has always connected with fans — during play — like Curry. He is intensely aware of the crowd, the shift in mood, how he can personally reverse a trend. He might exist so confident a 28-footer is going in, he'll turn and face the people equally the ball takes flight. Well before the games begin, he draws a crowd of astonished onlookers witnessing his pregame drills. In the Oracle Arena days, he had everyone anticipating his pregame launches from the tunnel.

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry prepares for a full court shot after warming up before playing Los Angeles Clippers in NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, October 21, 2021. — Gold State Warriors' Stephen Curry prepares for a total court shot later on warming upwardly before playing Los Angeles Clippers in NBA game at Hunt Heart in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Oct 21, 2021.
Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle

When he breaks into a celebratory trip the light fantastic, you're not thinking Bruno Mars or James Brown. Anyone could duplicate those hilarious, shimmy-and-shake routines, and yous know the picayune kids are mesmerized. Even on the demote, Curry tin can get and so excited over his teammates' work, leaping and gyrating and basically but going crazy, you have to make sure it isn't a little kid. For all of the reverence surrounding Hashemite kingdom of jordan, Larry Bird and Kobe Bryant, they devoted all of their engagement to burdensome the opposition.

The times

Curry's brand of theater is instantly recognizable around the world, a must-sentinel from Belgrade to Melbourne. Fifty-fifty the great LeBron has fallen behind on the global scale. As such, this discussion has no choice but to eliminate legends of the distant past. Cousy changed the game with his fastbreak wizardry, Oscar Robertson dictated the action to his liking, Elgin Baylor was the first high-flying frontwards to flourish in his prime (Connie Hawkins came regrettably late to the league), Chamberlain once averaged 50 points per game, Rick Barry was the fundamentally bright perfectionist, Maravich had an arsenal every bit as creative as Back-scratch'southward, and Jerry W was the greatest clutch shooter of them all — then, at present, whenever you similar. But there was a stoicism to their game, and the league, dorsum then. It was rare to run into an on-court smile or self-congratulatory human activity, lest i be accused of "showboating."

The Warriors' Stephen Curry reacts after scoring a basket on an assist from Nemanja Bjelica in the first quarter against Grizzlies at Chase Center. — The Warriors' Stephen Curry reacts after scoring a basket on an assist from Nemanja Bjelica in the kickoff quarter against Grizzlies at Chase Heart.
Scott Strazzante / The Relate

Then again, with all of those men, at that place was a reluctance in dealing extensively with the public. Some were aloof, others intensely individual, especially Maravich, a troubled soul who dealt with mental problems throughout his life. The common thread: None could exist witnessed via television set on a regular basis. In fact, I'd wager that amongst many sports-mad fans of the 1950s and '60s, the well-nigh fascinating amusement they watched in person was provided by the Harlem Globetrotters. (If you cut through the farce of competition and watched their truly astounding feats of dribbling, passing and shooting, all of it performed with effortless elegance, you had memories for a lifetime.)

Manner

With everyone else shooting a thousand iii-pointers, at that place isn't a hint of style. There are moments, from the likes of Thompson (presuming his recovery), Lillard, Doncic and Young, just then in that location's Curry, who started the revolution and singlehandedly sustains its appeal. Y'all don't want to miss ane moment when he touches the ball, and with his constant off-the-ball motion, setting the tone for a Gilded State offense that benefits every teammate on the floor, Curry sets a pace unseen amongst high-book scorers since the great John Havlicek.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry shoots a three pointer during the second quarter of his NBA basketball game against Portland Trail Blazers in San Francisco, Calif. Friday, Nov. 26, 2021. — Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Back-scratch shoots a three pointer during the second quarter of his NBA basketball game against Portland Trail Blazers in San Francisco, Calif. Friday, Nov. 26, 2021.
Stephen Lam/The Chronicle

As for the nature of Back-scratch's 3-pointer, it tin't be fully explained without watching a full season'south body of work. At times it seems that each one is an individual work of art. He sets himself autonomously as the all-time off-the-dribble long-range shooter in anyone's retention — while others become statues equally they await the ball — and his lurching, twisting, falling-down follow-throughs only raise the theater.

Respect

Very few players in any era had opponents grabbing their heads, or each other, in utter disbelief on the bench. As in, "Come on, man, yous're killin' me here." I'm thinking Bird, Physician J, Jordan — peradventure no 1 else, not over a decade's worth of time. Nosotros'll see near some of the thrilling young talents in today's game, just Curry definitely stands alone.

The contender

Surely y'all're wondering nigh Magic Johnson, a proper name all-time saved for terminal. He was absolutely on Curry's level in terms of exuberance, that absolute joy in the heat of competition. He represented the very essence of winning, and if you haven't seen extensive highlights of Magic leading the Lakers fastbreak, be assured that equally much as the NBA game has evolved, no one since has approached Johnson'south level of court vision, genius-level passing and game-changing influence on the fastbreak — and that was 30 years agone. It'south just that Magic's career was cut short by HIV at the age of 31. Curry is 33, and as he told Reggie Miller on "The Art of the 3," a recent NBA Goggle box special, Curry is on "the journeying of re-inventing yourself every yr." Somehow he gets stronger, more complete and simply better equally the years continue, with a fourth NBA title quite reasonably in play.

What's missing

Curry still doesn't take that signature postseason shot, the definitive deviation-maker, and every bit such isn't yet in the class of W, Sam Jones, Havlicek, James, Jordan and Bryant amongst clutch shooters when it matters. But that's the dazzler of Curry'due south ascent; y'all get the feeling the best is yet to come. When someone asked him recently about his favorite career shot, Curry had the perfect answer.

"The next one," he said.