Stephen Curry no doubt holds cult status in the NBA, courtesy of his impact on the game both on and off the court. Widely recognized for his 3-point prowess, the Golden State Warriors guard also possesses a rare ability to play off the ball, making him a nightmare on defense.
Not to mention his high motor, which put former Cleveland Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova on an IV drip during the 2015 Finals. Not the tallest, strongest or most athletic, Curry still managed to neutralize most defenses, even in the case of double and triple teams.
Having borne the brunt of it firsthand, Iman Shumpert recently revealed his toughest defensive matchups among Kobe Bryant , Derrick Rose , Kyrie Irving , and Steph Curry. Recently, on the Club Shay Shay podcast, the 3-and-D specialist broke down what made Curry so dangerous.
"I feel like I could slide with all of them. I'm pretty much a fan of all of them, but Steph don't really have a package … Steph was one of the only guys that the moment I slid with him and start a little bit figuring out his handle, it was like you pass, run off two, three screens, push me, now he wide open."
"My gift doesn't work with him. Like I have a gift. I can slide. I can do this with anybody …. Like dog, this man is really reckless," stated Shumpert, who also highlighted how tactful Curry could be with his handles.
Curry most certainly ranks among the top ball-handlers of the modern era. While he may not possess the same artistry as Irving, the two-time MVP is known to snatch the ankles of his opponents. A classic example was the legendary dribbling masterpiece against Chris Paul .
Though dribbling wasn't the only way for him to get to his spots, shedding further light on it was Shumpert, who also had a lot of Finals history with Curry.
"Kyrie's handle is better. But Kyrie's using his handle. Y'all have never seen Steph's handle, like he got a handle. But it's like the moment he feel like, 'Oh, you could play defense pretty good.' He's gonna take it away from you. And that's what people don't get about him," revealed Iman, adding how Curry would never dribble against him.
"He (Curry) said, 'You know what? You are pretty good at that, but you ain't going to get through three screens. Not if Draymond the last one," highlighted Shumpert, who had been a close observer of Curry's greatness ever since his iconic 54-point spectacle at the "Mecca."
The Madison Square Garden in Midtown Manhattan indeed holds symbolic value to the NBA. While it is the home of the New York Knicks , it is also regarded as the world stage for displaying one's talent, something we've seen with greats like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
Keeping the tradition going, Curry put up one of his career's best shows at the Garden on February 27, 2013. A firsthand witness to it, Shumpert represented the Knicks at the time. Recalling the milestone night, Iman once shared how Steph was having his coming-out party against the NY Knicks .
"One of my biggest regrets, when you came to the Garden, and I let Raymond Felton's pride get in the way, and he had 50. I really felt in my heart that we're birthing an animal. I really think of that moment, I think we ignited the confidence that game because after that game, he got very disrespectful. It was runaway with it after that," stated Shumpert in a 2023 episode of the All the Smoke podcast.
Curry's raining threes were one of the early glimpses of something special on the horizon. As the years passed, the Warriors guard changed the league's landscape, emerging as one of the most influential players of all time.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Mar 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
