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'He wanted to get good like his pops' - Muggsy Bogues on what motivated a young Stephen Curry

Originally posted on Basketball Network
By Julian Eschenbach | Last updated Dec 16, 2024 5:18 AM ET

Stephen Curry is widely regarded as the best shooter in league history, and there are plenty of reasons for this. After all, the point guard legend holds the record for the most three-pointers made in the league. Additionally, he has won the NBA Three-Point Contest twice.

When people discuss Curry's incredible shooting skills, it's natural to wonder where it all began. To answer this question, many might look to the two-time MVP's childhood, as talent often develops during those early years.

Interestingly, former NBA player Muggsy Bogues has pointed out this is the case. Muggs is also well-qualified to share his thoughts, given that he played alongside Dell Curry, Steph's father, when young "Chef Curry" was growing up.

"Steph was never the biggest guy out there, which, of course, I could relate to. But he wanted it more than anyone else. He wanted to get good like his pops. Dell was a marksman shooter, and that skill transferred through the family genes," wrote Bogues in his autobiography, "Muggsy: My Life from a Kid in the Projects to the Godfather of Small Ball."

A family of sharpshooters

Imagine the unique chance for an NBA player to see his son follow in his footsteps and join the league. Now, think about the odds of an NBA father having two sons do the same. Finally, consider the likelihood that all of them are outstanding shooters. This is exactly the case with Dell and his two sons, Stephen and Seth, who each have a career three-point shooting percentage above 40 percent in the NBA.

It raises questions about what runs in the Curry family's blood, and if anyone can shed light on this, it's Bogues. From 1988 to 1997, he played for the Charlotte Hornets alongside Dell, who holds the record for the most two-point field goals in the franchise's history.

Just a few months before they teamed up, Dell, an outstanding sharpshooter, had welcomed his first son, Wardell Stephen. Then, in August 1990, his second son, Seth, was born. During this time, Dell and Muggsy developed a strong friendship, with the latter becoming a significant presence in the early lives of Steph and Seth.

"I still remember little Steph running around on the court with Seth following him. I'd pick those boys up and fly them around like airplanes," recalled "The Godfather of Small Ball."

This clip of eighth grader Steph Curry and sixth grader Seth Curry playing pickup with Vince Carter — before Steph talks about his NBA dreams — is pretty spectacular

( The Carter Effect) pic.twitter.com/OINfHdixF8
— Netflix (@netflix) June 22, 2020

Bogues mentored the Curry brothers

In his 2022 book, Muggs admitted that he "never thought they'd be this good." However, he always noticed how eager the young Curry brothers were to learn about basketball. What impressed him even more was how they absorbed each answer like "little sponges," taking in everything he shared.

Their strong passion for the game, combined with their dad's choice to have them play point guard—just like Bogues himself—led the now 59-year-old to become a mentor to Steph and Seth.

"I'd talk to them about how to run a team, how to make an impact on both sides of the court, how to take a hit and finish the layup," he wrote. "As they got older, I continued to teach them...showed them veteran moves like what to do when someone is posting you up, or how to steal the ball by letting them go by you for a second. I taught them how to get space, start a fast break, keep their heads up...I tried to make the game simple for them to get better and maybe make the NBA."

Steph achieved this goal when he was selected seventh overall by the Golden State Warriors in 2009. Seth, on the other hand, made his NBA debut for the Memphis Grizzlies about six months after going undrafted in 2013.

Size doesn't matter

Reading about how Muggsy, who played in the NBA for 14 years before retiring in 2001, approached his mentoring role suggests that without his guidance, the Curry brothers might not have become such exceptional shooters or even made it to the league.

Interestingly, "Chef Curry" has shared similar sentiments. The 10-time All-Star wrote the foreword for Bogues' book, explaining how, as a young boy, he was drawn to the skills of the retired 5'3" guard, who is known as the shortest player in NBA history.

"From an eye test, we were just always in amazement because we'd see these broad, giant guys, and then we'd see Muggs running around, stealing the ball, and running as fast as he could down the court, setting guys up," Steph reflected.

Appreciate the love young fella @StephenCurry30 You can do anything you want to do #heartoverheight https://t.co/LoXW1nIhvJ
— Tyrone Muggsy Bogues (@MuggsyBogues) November 27, 2023

Additionally, the 2022 Finals MVP noted that watching "The Godfather of Small Ball" taught him an important lesson: being only 5'3" doesn't have to stop anyone from reaching the league. Ultimately, Bogues' performance highlighted another important lesson for him: as Curry noted, size isn't everything in basketball. What truly counts is determination, grit, and heart.

It's fair to say that both Steph and Muggsy embody this in their NBA careers. Despite being shorter than most point guards, they made up for it impressively and now serve as great examples for anyone who may not have exceptional physical stature.

This article first appeared on Basketball Network and was syndicated with permission.

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