The Rise and Fall of Stephen Curry

Make no mistake, Davidson’s Stephen Curry is more than worthy of a mention in discussions about the best players in college hoops. Even I was  prepared to name him the best pound-for-pound player in the sport.

But that was early in the season, when he was still riding a wave of popularity from the 2008 NCAA Tournament. And though this year shows statistical increases, team needs accompanied by his own desire, forced the program to alter the role of their natural two-guard, disguising  him at the point, which only led to inconsistency.

Curry passed on the opportunity to enter the 2008 NBA draft, wanting to improve his game at the amateur level instead. In doing so, he ran the risk of fading, which would alter the perception from future star to one-year wonder.

I wouldn’t exactly tag the latter, but his popularity has declined, though he alone has no fault in the matter.

Davidson is a different team from a year ago, and the new make up places Curry in a position where he’s forced to do more.

With an increased scoring average, his field goal percentage is down, including the numbers behind the 3-point stripe. On the biggest platform this season, he scored 44 points against the Sooners in Norman, willing Davidson back from a 21-point deficit, but falling short.

He proved he could still perform on the big stage, and with the big names, as he did in eliminating Georgetown and Wisconsin from the 2008 tournament, and nearly claiming a third victim, by giving the eventual champion Jayhawks a scare.

But these Wildcats lack the same high-profile achievements, and it removes some luster from their high-profile player.

Davidson managed victories against West Virginia and North Carolina State, but losses to Oklahoma, Purdue, and Duke diminished any speculation of the program being anything more than a one-run Cinderella, and weakened the threat for future tournament participants from NCAA power conferences.

A loss in the conference tournament to the College of Charleston likely completes the fade pattern, with Davidson, and Curry, now left at the mercy of a selection committee. But even so, without Curry on the roster, there would be no consideration at all, as the player is more appealing than the team’s tournament resume.

North Carolina’s Ty Lawson tested the NBA draft waters last summer, and the poor projection sent him back to Chapel Hill. That was a projection lower than Stephen Curry, who was locked in the first-round.

One year later, which guard has the higher stock? Their games haven’t changed in the past 12 months, but one team did. As Davidson fell, their biggest star was weighed with the descent.

And unless they find a way to squeeze into the field of 65 teams, Curry will be denied a second opportunity to duplicate his worth on the stage that launched him to fame a year ago.

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