When basketball fans talk about how Stephen Curry changed the game, they're not simply echoing the marketing buzz from the company he endorses, Under Armour. It's a genuine acknowledgment of the profound impact he has had on the sport itself.
In previous eras, the game was played from the inside out, with big men like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan dominating in the paint. And even when guys like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant established themselves as the pre-eminent players in the big league, they still preferred to score from mid-range.
But Curry changed all of that. With his lightning-quick release and seemingly unlimited range, he has revolutionized the game by weaponizing the 3-point shot, paving the way for the pace-and-space era where 3-pointers have become the true currency of success.
However, former NBA champion Matt Barnes , who played with Curry on the Golden State Warriors , claimed that the latter's otherworldly shooting ability has been both a gift and a curse for the game.
Barnes argued that Curry's profound influence on the game has altered how it is played, not only in the NBA but on all levels, from youth to other professional leagues around the world. But since the spotlight shines more on the NBA than any other league, it's no surprise that the changes in playing style are more noticeable there.
"Steph was a gift and a curse to this game because everyone thinks they could do it. You know what I mean? And he changed it completely. Not even just the NBA, but the way basketball is played, period," Barnes expressed .
An ideal case study is the 2024 champions, the Boston Celtics , a team that showcased its dominance by averaging 42 3-point attempts per game during their remarkable title run. Yet, they didn't stop there. In the following season, they pushed the boundaries even further, increasing their attempts to a staggering 48.2 per game and sinking an average of 17 shots from beyond the arc.
Barnes attributed this propensity for firing away from long distance to Steph and even his "Splash Brother," Klay Thompson , now playing for the Dallas Mavericks . In today's NBA, it's not surprising to see players in transition run to the corner and launch a shot from 25 feet out, as opposed to driving to the rim for an easy two points — a tactic many old heads find disturbing .
"Now, I feel like it's the Steph Curry and Klay Thompson effect. But those are two of the greatest shooters, if not the two greatest shooters, we've ever seen," Barnes continued. "But now, everyone feels like shooting the three-ball is what you need to be able to do to succeed."
With the 3-point revolution in full effect, Barnes said that traditional back-to-the-basket players are all but gone. Yes, big men like Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid are now dominant than ever, but they don't live in the paint ala O'Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon. Instead, they have developed a perimeter game to complement their post-up skills.
"Are the big men gone? Yeah," Barnes said. "You have to be more skilled now. There's no more back-to-the-basket. But all this stuff goes in waves, so maybe it could possibly come back. But you see the Embiids, who would be a back-to-the-basket. You see the Jokic — back in my day, when I came in the league, those would be back-to-the-basket centers."
"But now you see these guys bringing the ball up, running screen-and-rolls, shooting threes. So the versatility again, and the skill set, has changed. I mean, these guys are more skilled now," he added. "So it's just like — I don't know if the traditional back-to-the-basket will ever come back. But we'll have to see."
Basketball has gone through numerous evolutions over the decades. From the rough and tumble physicality of the early years, to the high-flying style of the 1990s and 2000s, to the 3-point revolution of recent years, which can only be attributed to Curry, the Warriors' inimitable sharpshooter.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 10, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
