What do the Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, and New Orleans Pelicans all have in common? Heading into just his third season as a professional, Seth Curry has spent time with all of six of these organizations and all six decided to go another direction.
This summer, Kings VP of Basketball Operations and General Manager Vlade Divac bet against all of them by granting Curry his first guaranteed NBA deal, and it’s looking like a smart bet.
Despite outshining his competition at both the collegiate level and D-League, the two time developmental league All-Star had not yet been able to spread roots at basketball’s biggest stage.
Not long after the Kings snatched him up, SB Nation’s Jason Buckland perfectly encapsulated the youngest Curry’s NBA odyssey thus far:
“Injuries and lost opportunities sent him in revolutions around the NBA, circling the league, even touching down for a time or two, but never sticking the way it was long presumed he would. One day he would be lighting up the NBA’s D-League, so much better than his opponents he didn’t seem to fit in. Then, upon promotion to teams like the Memphis Grizzlies, Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns, he would disappear and never see the court. As soon as he arrived in the NBA, sometimes even on the very same day, Curry was always sent right back down.”
After playing just 22 total minutes of NBA basketball over the span of two seasons, Seth is finally getting his first real shot, and what a beautiful shot it’s turned out to be.
First came the minutes, then came the swagger, and the buckets weren’t far behind. In his six games as a starter this season, Curry is averaging 15 points per game while shooting 49.2 percent from the field and a ridiculous 53.6 percent from three-point range.
As each game passes, a guy who once struggled to find his footing in the League is looking more and more like a guy who just needed a chance to show the world what they already knew he could do.
A common knock on No. 30 was the question; is he a point guard, a shooting guard, a combo guard?
Some look at Seth Curry, a 6’2” deadeye shooter, and they see a tweener with no real position; a square peg in a league full of carefully-curated round holes. This is exactly the kind of puzzle many NBA pundits are generally less willing to try and solve. However, where many perceive a weakness, Curry see’s a strength.
“I feel comfortable at both positions, honestly. I mean, I like having the ball in my hands and being able to make plays but I think my shooting is an asset too. I pride myself on being able to play the one [guard] and two [guard] and being able to affect the game in a lot of different ways.”
Now that he’s finally getting the opportunity he’s worked so hard for, he’s thriving and defenders are playing him much tighter these days. “I mean, you can see some of the different matchups teams have been putting on me and the different ways they’re trying to guard me. But that’s a fun challenge,” says Seth. “Being able to see different defenses at the NBA level and trying to crack them. It’s helping me get better and it’s a good challenge for me.”
Seth made a name for himself as a lights-out three-point shooter but the coaching staff has challenged the young guard to continue to find other ways to contribute. Karl’s directive is pretty simple, “Just stay aggressive," echoes Seth as he describes Karl's feedback. "Continue to be aggressive, not just shoot the ball from distance but being able to get into the paint, and try to get to the foul line a couple times. As defenses load up on me more, helping my teammates get good shots.”
No matter what the future holds, Curry plans to be ready, and he’s not about to start resting on his laurels. “I’m pretty happy with the way I’ve been playing but I still have a lot to work on and a lot of improvements to make going into the offseason.”
Stay hot, young Seth. Stay hot.
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