Steph Curry Says Kobe Bryant Explained His Killer Instinct Perfectly: "He Saw That Killer Instinct Behind The Smile. I Can Have Fun... But I'm Out There To Rip Your Heart Out."

Originally posted on Fadeaway World
By Aaditya Krishnamurthy | Last updated 10/7/21

Steph Curry is known to many fans as the 'baby-faced assassin'. This is because of Curry's lethal offensive prowess, and his ability to execute it with a smile on his face. Curry very rarely has an aggressive demeanor on his face. But that makes him all the more dangerous.

There are those who think that Curry is the embodiment of the modern NBA. Gone are the days of players like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, who would be locked in and expressionless throughout the game because they were so focused on dominating their opponents and getting the win.

But it was actually Kobe Bryant who understood what Curry's killer instinct was like. During one of their encounters, Kobe couldn't help but laugh when Curry made a shot on him despite the tough defense he was providing. And Kobe knew that his demeanor was just a part of his killer instinct.

“I see a calmness about him. I think it’s something that a lot of players don’t understand. But there’s a serious calmness about him which is extremely deadly. Because he’s not up, he’s not down. He’s not contemplating what just happened before or worrying about what’s to come next. He’s just there.”

Curry corroborated Kobe's comments, noting that he was one of the first few legends who was able to see past the smiling and understand just how dangerous Curry was when tapped into his killer instinct.

“I’ve always had this kind of quiet killer instinct. Kobe did an interview one time. It was one of my favorite comments about me in terms of how he saw that killer instinct behind the smile. I can have fun and have just, but I’m out there to rip your heart out. It’s just a different way than it looks.”

One of the biggest criticisms of Curry is that he never looks like he is taking the game seriously. He always looks like he is having a good time on the court. But this is far from the truth, as he is also putting on an offensive exhibition. The only difference between Curry and most players is that he is doing it with a joyful expression.

Curry is considered the greatest shooter in NBA history, and one of the most skilled offensive players of all time. But it is his demeanor during his games that makes him so frightening for opposition defenders. And his killer instinct has allowed him to come up big time with some clutch shots.