It’s difficult to talk about the two-time NBA MVP and world champion Stephen Curry without bringing up his rise from an undersized, scrawny point guard to the baby-faced assassin of the Association. And in Kevin Pelton’s excellent article, he does just that, bringing Curry up as one of the prime examples of UPenn Professor Angela Duckworth’s new definition of “grit”: “passion and perseverance for long-term goals.” Indeed, he is deserving of the praise, overcoming the many doubts surrounding him entering the league and inspiring young players, showing them that you don’t need to be a freak athlete along the lines of LeBron James to have success at the highest level. But six-foot-three isn’t exactly short or undersized in the NBA at the point guard position. In fact, according to Draft King, …show more content…
His 5’9” stature and relatively humble upbringings would seem to connect with more of the populace. Not to mention the fact that he doesn’t have the athletic prowess of the 6’8” 250 lb James, who was christened by the league as Michael Jordan’s heir apparent while he was still in high school. Nor does Thomas possess the unlimited range of Curry, which was no doubt aided by his upbringing by an NBA star. Thomas should be the inspiration of undersized basketball players everywhere; much like the 5’7” future Hall of Famer Martin St. Louis was for the sport of hockey. It’s likely a testament to the marketing and coverage of the defending NBA champion and the reigning MVP. For younger players, it is easy to be inspired by players that they are exposed regularly to, players, who routinely grace the headlines of articles such Pelton’s, boldly proclaiming that “Steph Curry might be the grittiest player in the