At least once a week, I play basketball at a local community recreation center.  It’s a great way for me to catch up with a group of guys that I’ve known for a long time.  We typically play with or against some young individuals most likely in their teens to early twenties.  I can openly declare (as hard as it may be) that my game is no longer the same.  I used to be a main target on any team of 5 but now, I find myself relegated to the second or at times third option.  The main cause is not that I have gotten that much worse, some of these younger players have gotten so much better.  Then there are the others….

My friends and I use a term that I’ve heard used broadly in the sports world: The Steph Curry Effect.  For those of you who might be living under a rock and don’t know who Steph Curry is, he plays professional basketball for the Golden State Warriors, NBA’s reigning championship team.  Curry has a number of personal accolades; he is not only the league’s reigning MVP, he’s become a global brand.  Everyone knows him for his on-court skills and what he represents off-court (I’ll get back to this later).  I first came to know him as one half of the splash brothers along with his teammate Klay Thompson.  A dynamic duo of shooters the league has never seen before.  As great as Thompson is, Curry put himself in a different league with his ability to get just about any shot he wants through the net.  What impresses the audience the most is that he continues to test the boundaries of the three-point shot by consistently making shots from 25, 30 and even 45 feet from the basket!

Which brings me back to my point, the Steph Curry effect.

All throughout local basketball courts, there are far too many players who believe they have what it takes to make it to the league when in actuality they don’t.  This might sound harsh but it’s true.  The Steph Curry effect, in essence, is what players display when they believe they are able to do the so-called impossible like Curry does on a nightly basis. It’s when players take shots from 30 feet away despite not having mastered the art of a 24-foot 3 pointer.  It’s the player who focuses on shooting without understanding the value in learning how to pass.  It’s a player who only plays on offense and contributes little on defense.  Curry is by no means to blame.  We all grew up watching basketball games anticipating the moment that we can replicate a crossover, a dunk (for some of us) or a 3pt shot.  The issue is that some people don’t understand what it takes to get to that level of excellence.  After watching Curry for a few years now, I’ve grown to appreciate not only his game but his approach, his technique, and certainly his follow-through.

The follow-through is the last phase of a player’s jump shot.

First, a player sees the shot and aligns the ball to the basket, then the player applies the proper force through the legs and arms to shoot the ball and finally once the ball is shot the player maintains the arm extended to the basket to ensure the path of the ball reaches the intended target.  A player’s follow-through is typically a good indicator of his or her mastery of the sport.  Steph Curry is what I would call a Master Craftsman.  Someone who has excelled at his or her craft rises to the rank of a Master Craftsmen. It’s been well documented that Curry works on crafting all phases of his shot through an extremely disciplined work-out routine.  In the offseason, he takes thousands of shots a day to maintain the same consistent follow-through we see in games.  The speed at which the ball leaves his hands is unmatched.  It’s one of the quickest releases I have ever seen! He’s put in countless hours practicing timed shooting drills that help to quickly release the ball while maintain the same level of accuracy.  Lastly, to improve his shooting percentage on contested shots, Curry works on reactionary drills.  These drills test one’s ability to take off-balance shots and shots with a hand in your face. All of his efforts resulted in Curry developing the perfect shot, the perfect follow-through.

I believe the essential part to a jump shot is in the follow-through.

It’s also the most difficult part to master, even in our everyday lives.  Let me explain. We are all prone to focus on the first two phases, the ideation and the execution.  Where we struggle is the sustaining phase, the follow-through.  For example, when I was a teenager, I also had aspirations of being in the NBA.  I would start some days practicing, but became distracted with other things. No follow-through.  Although physical training is what sets Curry apart in his craft, the motivation behind the drive is simply willpower. He was always a bit undersized and lacked the strength of most NBA players, nevertheless he overcame it all with a determination to be better.    I’ve read many stories about Curry being harder on himself than even his coaches. This is a dream come true for any coach! Willpower is created by a vision and put into motion by self-control and perseverance.  Our goal should always be to mold ourselves into a better version of ourselves, certainly on the court, but more importantly off the court.

Photo Credit: Mercury News 

Just one last tip. What truly sustains Curry is his faith in Christ. He knows his source of strength comes from above (which is why is he beats his chest and points his index finger upward after making a shot). Curry’s favorite Bible verse is Philippians 4:13 which states: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”.  Make sure to recognize where your strength comes from.  It will help you develop your willpower and perfect your follow-through.