Stephen Curry Isn’t Responsible for Revolutionizing Basketball as Much as Michael Jordan Is, Says Stephen A Smith: “Money That Came With It..”

Michael Jordan revolutionized the game of basketball for the very first time. No one had ever seen something like his game. The game was played quite differently before MJ. Michael dominated in the 90s, while the Showtime Lakers rose in the 80s. Both the decades saw a different version of basketball.

Michael’s individual game stood out in his prime. His 2 three season runs with the Bulls inspired young talent. Apart from bringing the dominance on the floor, Jordan realized much later that he had to involve his teammates in order to win. But interestingly, Jordan changed the game for decades to come until one player added yet another change.

Michael Jordan made the game more individualistic

Before Jordan, every team played a simple game that would involve their big man to score in the end. Larry Bird came in with his shooting and Magic amazed everyone with his court vision. Though both these players weren’t as phenomenal as MJ but involving their teammates was an aspect of the game for them. Whereas, MJ would sometimes take matters into his own hands.

Jordan was an inspiring icon for every young player, watching him play, the young talent wanted to ‘Be like Mike’. His game inspired players like Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, and Vince Carter. Stephen A. talked about the players playing more of a team game until Jordan came.

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“What I’m saying is you were thinking team until Jordan elevated it to another level. And from Jordan, then you had the Kobes, the Vince Carters, 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.”, said Stephen A. This is true to a point as years later, Stephen Curry added his own mix to the transformation of the game.

Stephen Curry’s threes changed the blueprint of the game

After two amazing MVP seasons, Curry inspired young athletes, just like Michael. Teams saw the advantage of a deep shooter and how it shifted the defense of the opposing team. Each team then looked to recruit shooters from either trade or straight from the draft.

Shooting the ball well didn’t only benefit the shooter to create space, but also created more options for teammates. While this transformation of the game would involve players passing the ball often, Steph isn’t responsible for changing the game as much as Michael.

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Jordan’s game influenced a more athletic and fundamentally strong basketball. Who do you think changed the game for the better? Do let us know in the comments.