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Steph got #15 on SI.com top 100 list for next season 
15. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors (G, 25)
2012-13 stats: 38.2 MPG, 22.9 PPG, 6.9 APG, 4 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 45.1 FG%, 45.3 3FG%
2012-13 advanced stats: 21.3 PER, 11.2 Win Shares, +4.2 RAPM
Curry’s play during Golden State’s magical run through the 2013 playoffs left many stunned, but his most staggering work was done during the regular season. Never before has an NBA player made as many three-pointers as Curry (a league-leading 272) while maintaining his level of accuracy (45.3 percent). Hasn’t happened. The closest contender is 2007-08 Peja Stojakovic, who hit 231 threes while shooting 44.1 percent. There really aren’t even that many players in the same ballpark: Fewer than 20 guys have hit 200 threes while shooting better than 40 percent.
That extraterrestrial marksmanship fueled Curry’s superlative advanced stats: Only five players matches his PER/Win Shares combination, and all five — LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook and James Harden — rank above him on this list. Unless calamity or injuries strike, Curry’s four-year, $44 million rookie extension will stand as one of the NBA’s best contracts for its entirety. And, now that he has a playoff series victory under his belt, Curry should be in line for All-Star selections and All-NBA consideration as he heads toward his prime years.
The beautiful paradox with Curry is that he is simultaneously one of the best shooters the league has ever seen while being way more than “just a shooter.” He’s a force in the pick-and-roll because he can step back and shoot, he can create off the dribble and he can make defenses pay for overcommitting with his passing. When used off the ball, his presence running through screens can create a distracting paranoia for defenses. His work ethic, love for the game, leadership skills and other intangibles are all off the charts. He has all the necessary ingredients to enjoy “franchise player” status for the better part of the next decade.
Being the league’s feel-good story of the season does mean there will be additional scrutiny in 2013-14. Can Curry the individual force carry a Golden State team that ranked No. 10 in offensive efficiency to even higher levels? Can Golden State find a way to play stingier team defense when Curry is involved (last year, Golden State’s defensive rating was 4.8 points worse when Curry was on the court)? Is Curry destined to be thought of as a James Harden/Carmelo Anthony type — an elite one-way threat — given the offensive burden he shoulders? Or can he manage to take a meaningful step forward on the defensive end? Can he keep the momentum going as the Warriors juggle the addition of Andre Iguodala, the return of David Lee and the loss of Jarrett Jack?
The answers to those questions will help determine the legitimacy of Golden State’s contention hopes. They will also help set Curry’s ceiling in future versions of this list, a ceiling that could be very high (top 10 next year?) indeed. – B.G.
15. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors (G, 25)
2012-13 stats: 38.2 MPG, 22.9 PPG, 6.9 APG, 4 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 45.1 FG%, 45.3 3FG%
2012-13 advanced stats: 21.3 PER, 11.2 Win Shares, +4.2 RAPM
Curry’s play during Golden State’s magical run through the 2013 playoffs left many stunned, but his most staggering work was done during the regular season. Never before has an NBA player made as many three-pointers as Curry (a league-leading 272) while maintaining his level of accuracy (45.3 percent). Hasn’t happened. The closest contender is 2007-08 Peja Stojakovic, who hit 231 threes while shooting 44.1 percent. There really aren’t even that many players in the same ballpark: Fewer than 20 guys have hit 200 threes while shooting better than 40 percent.
That extraterrestrial marksmanship fueled Curry’s superlative advanced stats: Only five players matches his PER/Win Shares combination, and all five — LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook and James Harden — rank above him on this list. Unless calamity or injuries strike, Curry’s four-year, $44 million rookie extension will stand as one of the NBA’s best contracts for its entirety. And, now that he has a playoff series victory under his belt, Curry should be in line for All-Star selections and All-NBA consideration as he heads toward his prime years.
The beautiful paradox with Curry is that he is simultaneously one of the best shooters the league has ever seen while being way more than “just a shooter.” He’s a force in the pick-and-roll because he can step back and shoot, he can create off the dribble and he can make defenses pay for overcommitting with his passing. When used off the ball, his presence running through screens can create a distracting paranoia for defenses. His work ethic, love for the game, leadership skills and other intangibles are all off the charts. He has all the necessary ingredients to enjoy “franchise player” status for the better part of the next decade.
Being the league’s feel-good story of the season does mean there will be additional scrutiny in 2013-14. Can Curry the individual force carry a Golden State team that ranked No. 10 in offensive efficiency to even higher levels? Can Golden State find a way to play stingier team defense when Curry is involved (last year, Golden State’s defensive rating was 4.8 points worse when Curry was on the court)? Is Curry destined to be thought of as a James Harden/Carmelo Anthony type — an elite one-way threat — given the offensive burden he shoulders? Or can he manage to take a meaningful step forward on the defensive end? Can he keep the momentum going as the Warriors juggle the addition of Andre Iguodala, the return of David Lee and the loss of Jarrett Jack?
The answers to those questions will help determine the legitimacy of Golden State’s contention hopes. They will also help set Curry’s ceiling in future versions of this list, a ceiling that could be very high (top 10 next year?) indeed. – B.G.
