Foot Race For the MVP: Stephen Curry Rising as NBA's Best

The Golden State Warriors took a gamble by drafting an undersized but sharpshooting Stephen Curry with the seventh pick in the 2009 NBA Draft out of Davidson College. Apparently, the Knicks were sold on the sharpshooting point guard but were one pick too late. As of February 2015, looking back, the Knicks surely wish they were ahead of the Warriors.

The beginning was the most difficult for Steph. With multiple ankle injuries, doubt started to mount for the Warriors fan base. That doubt has now been removed with the Warriors backcourt combo. With Steph and Klay shooting lights out on a nightly basis, the Warriors have taken the NBA by storm. With their league leading 43-9 record, Curry has catapulted himself into the front of MVP talks. With LeBron James and Kevin Durant dealing with injuries, Curry's biggest competitor is the Houston Rockets' James Harden. 

Nike

As a member of Nike, Curry laced up regular team shoes such as the Hyperdunks and Hyperfuse. Of course he got Warriors color ways but at the time, it looked bleak in terms of receiving his own signature shoe. The end of 2014 marked a new beginning for Nike as they introduced Kyrie Irving as the newest piece to Nike's Big Four.  Curry's 4 years with Nike were quiet but solid all-around. The major concern was the frequent occurrence of Curry's ankle sprains. An ankle sprain at the NBA level is exceptionally different from the common man. The level of intensity and and speed of an NBA game puts an incredible amount of stress on an athlete's legs. 

Under Armour

Curry's MVP caliber season comes a great time for Under Armour. In October 2013, Under Armour was able to pry Curry away from basketball powerhouse Nike. Steph's first shoe with Under Armour was the Anatomix Spawns and he began to put UA on the map. UA had other athletes such as Brandon Jennings and Kemba Walker but Curry's exciting play reached out to fans in ways those guys couldn't. 
  
After the Spawns, Curry donned the next line of UA basketball kicks, the Clutchfits. The Clutchfits easily became UA's most popular shoe. By electrifying the crowds, Curry captured the newest generation of fans.
 
UA finally felt the need for a Curry signature shoe. During the All-Star Weekend, they debuted the "Curry One". Steph went on to win the 3 Point Contest and played a phenomenal All-Star game filled with highlights. He battled numerous ankle injuries while with Nike and after swapping brands, Curry has been able to stay on the court. There's no doubt that UA will continue to grow in the basketball market. adidas has also gained traction in that department with the signings of Damian Lillard and John Wall. The young and exciting point guards have begun to take over the NBA. 

 

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