Curry: Best Passer Ever?

[Truth]

The General, Bobby Knight, just delivered a breakdown of Stephen Curry's game on ESPN and twice labeled Curry "as good of a passer as has ever played college basketball."

I tend to hold Knight's game analysis in high regard, particularly when the remarks are not spur of the moment, but I wasn't even aware that Curry would be in the conversation of best-ever NCAA passers...

Is this hyperbole by Knight or does Curry have a solid future awaiting him as NBA PG after all??

[jma4life]

Is it possible he meant to say shooter?

[Truth]

Is it possible he meant to say shooter?

Nope, definitely not a slip of the tongue. The segment includes several video breakdowns of Curry making difficult passes with Knight's commentary on his exceptional passing abilities.

[dukemomLA]

Steph Curry is the REAL DEAL!! Can't wait to see what he'll do next! Awesome.

[camion]

Here's a link to the "Knight Watch" video on Curry. It's definitely about his passing.

And tonight on ESPN he's supposed to have an analysis on Duke's offense.

[slower]

Is this hyperbole by Knight or does Curry have a solid future awaiting him as NBA PG after all??

Probably "yes" to #1 (one of the best EVER? Come on. Do we really need to go down the list?) and possibly "yes" to #2 (I mean, you just never know until it happens).

And I love the way Knight says "freeze it!". Somehow, it's not infuriatingly annoying, as it is with Dickie V.

[mgtr]

Hyperbole aside, Curry is a very good passer. He obviously sees the court well, and knows his teammates. He also sees a lane to the basket where I certainly would not.

[slower]

Oh, he's definitely good. I just think it's hyperbole to say "as good of a passer as has ever played college basketball."

[dukelifer]

Just as the 2008-2009 Tar Heels are the best college basketball team of all time, Curry is the best passer in college basketball history. He is a very good player and an underrated passer as most see him as a very good shooter. He can be a point guard at the next level- but as we saw in the Duke game- his decision making is not quite there yet. Curry has a lot of room for growth. He could be Steve Nash in a few years- a ball player with a high IQ and not a lot of leaping ability and explosiveness who made himself into one of the best in the game by working very, very hard.

[slower]

Oh, he's definitely good. I just think it's hyperbole to say "as good of a passer as has ever played college basketball."

I mean, if Curry's THAT good, so is Scheyer. And many others.

[sagegrouse]

Knight did not say that Curry was the best passer to play college hoops; he said that no one was better. I suppose that could mean that Curry is at a level with very few others.

So, who is better? I am inclined to take RMK at his word.

Plus, there is Curry's shooting ability. He could be a big deal in the NBA -- if he isn't broken in two like a toothpick. Or if he can't defend his shadow.

Ancient history recalls the fabulous Ernie DiGregorio ("Ernie D.") from Providence, who was an unbelievably good college guard with incredible passing skills. He even won rookie of the year with the Buffalo Braves in 1973-74. THEN THERE WAS THE NIGHT IN NOVEMBER 1974, AT THE FORUM, IN LOS ANGELES ("pipe down Howard") when he was assigned to guard Jerry West. West said afterwards, "I could do anything I wanted." Then the LA press and soon the entire NBA realized he couldn't cover bread with peanut butter. Ernie D. hung on in the league for another three years, but never had much impact after that.

sagegrouse

[Saratoga2]

I am certain that members of this board can come up with many names of great passers. I sumit Magic Johnson as one that was truly a great passer.

[slower]

Knight did not say that Curry was the best passer to play college hoops; he said that no one was better. I suppose that could mean that Curry is at a level with very few others.sagegrouse

Or I suppose that saying no one was better is pretty much the definition of best. Yeah, maybe so.

[slower]

Or I suppose that saying no one was better is pretty much the definition of best. Yeah, maybe so.

Even if you submit that he's in a 100-person tie for the best, I disagree. Until I see more, you can't convince me that Magic, etc., weren't better.

[Jarhead]

I am certain that members of this board can come up with many names of great passers. I sumit Magic Johnson as one that was truly a great passer.

On the basis of just one pass, I nominate Grant Hill.

[rasputin]

Ancient history recalls the fabulous Ernie DiGregorio ("Ernie D.") from Providence, who was an unbelievably good college guard with incredible passing skills. He even won rookie of the year with the Buffalo Braves in 1973-74. THEN THERE WAS THE NIGHT IN NOVEMBER 1974, AT THE FORUM, IN LOS ANGELES ("pipe down Howard") when he was assigned to guard Jerry West. West said afterwards, "I could do anything I wanted." Then the LA press and soon the entire NBA realized he couldn't cover bread with peanut butter. Ernie D. hung on in the league for another three years, but never had much impact after that.

sagegrouse

We ancients also recall that DiGregorio was also referred to as "Ernie no D."

[slower]

On the basis of just one pass, I nominate Grant Hill.

Although I hate to force myself (and the rest of you) to recall this dark moment in human history:

How about the greatest passer in Tar Heel history, and MVP of the 1982 title game, Fred Brown?

[gumbomoop]

I, too, happened to catch Knight's fascinating take on Curry. I was especially interested, given that he promised to focus on C's passing, to see what examples he'd show. As it turned out, one of the 4-5 plays Knight used was a subtle, but truly remarkable, pass C made in the D-West Va game around Dec. 9-10. The next day I posted on this board in praise of C's passing, and tried to describe how brilliant (at least I, and now BK, thought) one particular pass was. If you caught BK last night, it was the one where C was tip-toeing along sideline, then flipped a long pass to open teammate, but with perfect lead and a delicious bit of English.

Having myself described this moment as "high sport-art," I'm certainly in general agreement with BK about Curry's passing and other skills, but I admit I'd need to think real carefully before saying anything that might suggest C belongs with the greatest passers.

But of course I'm not BK, nor even as knowledgeable as quite a few posters on this board. I very much enjoy the insights here, and bet that virtually all of you are happy that BK's teaching sessions promise to become a regular feature on ESPN.

[jv001]

Curry may be good, but I would not say he is the greatest, but he is among the greatest passers in college BB. Pistol Pete was a good scorer but he to was an amazing passer. And I go along with others who said Majic was a great passer. He was tall and could see over most defenders. And our own Bobby Hurley wasn't bad either. Go Duke!

[Olympic Fan]

This is what kills me about modern sports journalism -- the penchant for outrageous hyperbole. It's not enough to say Curry is an underrated passer ... a guard with excellent, even superb passing skills.

But to say no one's ever been better (which is just another way of saying that "as good a passer ... ever"), that just begs for debate. I'd like to hear Knight try to rank Curry's passing with Magic Johnson and Ernie DiGregorio (okay, Ernie D couldn't play defense, but he was a magical passer) ... among great players, Billy Bradley, Pete Maravich and Oscar Robertson certainly loom as better collegiate passers. I could throw out the name of dozens of "pure" points with better vision and passing skills -- starting with our own Bobby Hurley.

To me, it's like the lunatic ravings of media types over-selling this UNC team or going overboard about the Big East this season.

Yeah, North Carolina is a fine, logical pick as the preseason No. 1 team after returning everybody from last year's 36-win Final Four team. But one of the greatest teams ever ... unbeatable? There's not a single guaranteed NBA starter on the roster -- and the only reason everybody is back in Chapel Hill is that the team's second, third and fourth best players tried to turn pro and couldn't find a first-round draft guarantee.

Again, that doesn't mean UNC isn't deserving of a high preseason ranking or even the preseason No. 1 pick ... but one of the best teams of all time? Unbeatable? Please!

The same with the accolades heaped on the Big East. It's a very strong league with 7-8-or-9 legit NCAA teams. But the greatest conference in the last 30 years (Dick Vitale)? or the strongest conference ever (Rick Pitino)?

How come both the ACC and Big Ten had better non-conference records than the Big East -- against stronger overall schedules? All three major computers (RPI, Sagarin, Pormery) rate the Big East as the THIRD best conference this season. The weakness at the bottom of the league makes nonsense of Jay Bilas' pronouncement that the Big East is the best conference in America "top to bottom"

I just wish we could get back to the days when an expert commentator can make a point without all the hyperbole. Curry's passing ... UNC's 2009 team ... the Big East in 2009 -- all are very good ... but none have proven themselves historically significant.