Stephen Curry had one of the single greatest games of his career, and is entering a new stage of fame.
On April 1, the Golden State Warriors beat the Memphis Grizzlies 134-125. Jimmy Butler scored 27 points for the Warriors, and Ja Morant led Memhis with 36 points, but it was Stephen Curry who stole the show.
In a historical performance, he scored 52 points, secured ten rebounds, and dished out eight assists. He shot 12-for-20 from deep in one of the very best games of his career.
Last summer, he put Team USA on his back and beat France in the Olympic gold medal game. Now, at the age of 37, he has his Warriors in Finals contention and remains one of the very best scorers in the league.
His new mentality has drawn comparisons to the late Kobe Bryant.
For the vast majority of Curry’s career, he was the chill, relaxed, and talented face of the league. On the court, he could kill you with his movement and shooting, but he was seen as a fresh-faced hero to take the title of the face of the league as Bryant rode off into the sunset.
As Curry himself nears the end of his career, he has started a new chapter, and one former player is quick to call him the next great NBA “villain.”
“52, ten, and eight, and one of the scariest things I’ve seen, he’s no longer the underdog babyface assassin,” said Jay Williams.
“He is the villain now, and I think he’s embracing being the villain, and the beautiful thing about this, he’s the petty king.”
Against Memphis, Curry abandoned his signature, but harmless, “night-night” celebration and instead opted to talk trash on the court to his opponents, which isn’t something he’s ever been known for, and it’s striking fear in the rest of the league.
“I think this is the scariest thing we’ve ever seen Steph Curry be at, level-wise, for the way he plays,” Williams continued. “He’s entering a similar phase to when Kobe was Black Mamba. I think you’re entering a Dark Steph phase, right, where little things like this, that’s just him finding his rhythm.”
Every time Stephen Curry has won a ring, he’s done it with different motivations. In 2015, he was simply proving that he could lead a team to the Finals. In 2017 and ‘18, he and Kevin Durant wanted to show that the league firmly belonged to them. In 2022, he set out to prove that he could win without Durant as a running mate.
Now, in 2025, he has a high-level supporting cast, but he’s still the clear-cut top option. If he can win a fifth ring, matching Tim Duncan, Magic Johnson, and Bryant, it will be hard to bar him from top-ten all-time conversations, and he could make an argument as a top-five player.
The motivation is to enter GOAT consideration this season. It’s lofty, but it could be done.
“This is the next iteration of Steph Curry that’s trying to win a chip in the next two years,” said Williams.
With Butler under contract for the next two seasons, the Warriors’ window is still firmly open.
