After winning his first Most Valuable Player award and championship last season, Stephen Curry has established himself as the face of the NBA. While Curry recently tied the record for most three-pointers in a single game (12) against the Oklahoma City Thunder, there were many who doubted him coming out of college and his first couple of seasons.
In the early stages of his career, there were questions surrounding how his game would translate to the NBA as well as his recurring ankle injuries. With all of Curry’s recent success, Jordan Clarkson shares how the Golden State Warriors superstar has inspired him, via Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News:
Steph Curry inspires Clarkson: "He was doubted by everybody coming in the league. Seeing what he’s doing now. It’s amazing."
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) February 29, 2016
At the 2014 NBA Draft, Clarkson was considered a top-10 point guard in his class, but fell to the second round where the Los Angeles Lakers traded for him. While Clarkson sat for the first quarter of his rookie season, he quickly established himself and earned All-Rookie First Team honors.
In his second season with the Lakers, Clarkson has made some nice strides. In 58 appearances, the sophomore is averaging 15.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 32.4 minutes. Along with a much improved jump shot, Clarkson has been the team’s most consistent player.
Despite being selected in the second round, Clarkson is making a name for himself. While there have been debates about how high his ceiling is, Clarkson is part of the team’s young core as they prepare for life without Kobe Bryant next season.