Stephen Curry

Wardell Stephen Curry II changed basketball forever. Before Curry, the three-point shot was a complementary weapon; after Curry, it became the foundation of modern basketball strategy. His shooting range — accurate from well beyond 30 feet — forced every team in the NBA to reimagine how the game is played. He is the greatest shooter in basketball history, and it isn't close.

Born in Akron, Ohio, in 1988 and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, Curry is the son of former NBA player Dell Curry. Despite his basketball pedigree, he was lightly recruited out of high school — too small, too skinny, not athletic enough, scouts said. He attended Davidson College, where he led the Wildcats to the Elite Eight as a sophomore and became a national sensation.

Drafted seventh overall by the Golden State Warriors in 2009, Curry battled ankle injuries early in his career before transforming into the most dangerous offensive player in NBA history. He led the Warriors to four championships, won two MVP awards (the first unanimously), and shattered the all-time three-point record that was previously held by Ray Allen. His joyful style of play — the shimmy, the behind-the-back passes, the impossible shots from the logo — has made him one of the most beloved athletes in the world.