Do you ever get the feeling that no matter how much Steph Curry does, somebody somewhere still thinks he’s getting it too easy? Well, buckle up — because the “Petty King” himself just added more fuel to the fire, and this time, it’s coming from the mouths of his own peers.

Steph Curry has never been the loudest guy in the room. He doesn’t need to be. His game has always spoken volumes — through no-look bombs from 30 feet out, those cheeky shoulder shimmies, and the kind of playoff dominance that has turned “light years ahead” into an entire Warriors mantra. But according to Steve Kerr, there’s a deeper engine that drives Curry — and it’s pettiness.

After Curry dropped 31 points in Golden State’s Game 1 win over the Houston Rockets, Kerr didn’t hold back. “He sees everything, he hears everything. He just has the right sense of how to motivate himself and how to play at the best of his ability when the best is needed. It’s a brilliant quality that only the very best competitors share — and Steph has it.”

That was Kerr responding to the preposterous idea that Amen Thompson might be the new “Steph Stopper.” Not only did Curry shrug that off, but he torched the Rockets with circus shots, clutch threes, and some vintage playoff poise. Oh, and he had Jimmy Butler right there beside him with a smooth 25-point playoff debut for the Dubs to make things even spicier.

This wasn’t just another playoff performance — it was a reminder that Curry still lives rent-free in the heads of anyone doubting him. And while fans may laugh off “Steph Stopper” tags as clickbait, Curry’s paying attention. He’s reading. He’s listening. And he’s cooking.

But just when it looked like Curry had silenced the doubters again, boom — the anonymous haters came crawling out.

Leave it to The Athletic’s annual anonymous player poll to stir the pot. More than a third of the league chimed in on topics ranging from officiating balance to who’s really getting those superstar whistles. And wouldn’t you know it? Stephen Curry’s name came up — and not in the most flattering way. “If you’re [going against] Steph or LeBron, you can’t get that physical,” one anonymous player claimed.

Another chimed in: “Steph Curry, LeBron James, Luka Doncic, they are going to get calls.” Now, on the surface, it sounds like the typical “superstars get superstar whistles” gripe. But let’s be real — Stephen Curry? Getting favorable calls?

Although if you think about it, 153 players voted here, and 55.6% of them said it is tilted to offense, making it roughly 85 players supporting Steph.

And yet, despite the numbers, the perception lingers — and perception in the NBA often becomes narrative. That’s the real threat to Curry. When 85 players publicly or anonymously echo a sentiment, it stops being a fringe opinion and starts creeping into how games are officiated, how analysts frame calls, and even how referees subconsciously approach crunch-time moments.
But does that really change anything?

Do all these polls affect Adam Silver? Absolutely not

Stat check: Curry ranked 49th in fouls drawn per game this season — behind guys like Norman Powell and Austin Reaves. The man draws 3.5 fouls per game. Luka Doncic? Fifth at 5.9. LeBron? Still ahead at 3.8. Curry? Tied with Trey Murphy III.

And historically? Among all players with over 15,000 minutes and a usage rate above 28%, only Kyrie Irving and Glenn Robinson get to the free throw line less. That’s not a superstar whistle — that’s a “try not to get mauled and keep running anyway” whistle.

So why do some players still think Curry’s getting special treatment? Because when someone makes it look that easy, they assume he must be getting help. In reality, he’s just working his tail off, often without the ball, where he’s constantly shoved, grabbed, and hit with zero calls.

What’s more troubling is that Adam Silver and the league office have done little to address these lingering concerns. Despite mounting chatter about officiating imbalance — particularly favoring offensive stars — there’s been no visible shift in how these issues are tackled publicly.

And when one of the most respected players of this generation is being subtly undermined in anonymous polls, without any recalibration or league response, it creates a dangerous precedent. Curry might be too seasoned to let it shake him, but make no mistake — the whispers are growing louder, and the silence from the top only adds fuel to the fire.

Even Jimmy Butler, who just joined the Warriors, couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “I’ve never seen an individual get fouled more than he gets fouled.” And that was before the playoffs.

Curry’s greatness doesn’t live in the flops or the foul-baiting. It’s in the relentless cutting, the miles he runs every game, the chaos he creates just by moving. The man’s legs deserve their own jersey number. And the reality? That kind of off-ball brilliance rarely gets rewarded by officials.

Take Game 1 against Houston. NBC Sports Bay Area even highlighted it mid-broadcast — Curry being bumped, grabbed, shoulder-checked while just trying to get open. Broadcasters Bob Fitzgerald and Kelenna Azubuike have been sounding the alarm on this for years. But it continues. Why? Because he makes it all look so effortless.

But here’s the real kicker: even with the physicality, even without the calls, Steph still shows up and delivers 30 balls in the playoffs like it’s another day at the office.

And the best part? He’s enjoying every second of it. Every “he’s washed” tweet, every “Steph Stopper” headline, every offhanded anonymous quote — it all gets fed into the petty furnace. And out comes fire.

So is Stephen Curry in bother? Maybe. But that’s exactly where he thrives. In the doubt, in the whispers. In the uncalled fouls and the ridiculous assumptions. The same old story: they talk, he drops 30.

You’d think by now, the league would’ve learned not to poke the Petty King. But hey — if they keep feeding him this kind of motivation, don’t be surprised when he drops another classic and winks at the camera on his way back down the court.