Golden: The Miraculous Rise of Steph Curry
by Marcus Thompson
Published by Atria Books on April 11, 2017
NBA // Non-Fiction // Steph Curry
I often get asked what I’m reading: takes a while with non-fiction books to know if I’m digging it or it’s frowzy. I kinda hafta argue with the book: plus like every amazing documentary is defined by what was overlooked or left out.
Still I’ll happily share more in 2018…I tend to read 70-80 books a year so I figure there’s something that’ll appeal to somebody here.
Right now: one of the books my nose is in is: Golden: The Miraculous Rise of Steph Curry by Marcus Thompson II. This dude writes strong thought packed descriptions. It’s hard to make a fast and physical sport like the NBA come alive on the page. Marcus does it well: it’s impressive. He’s a lead columnist at The Athletic, covering the Golden State Warriors, San Francisco 49ers and Giants, and the Oakland Raiders and A’s.
This is his first Warriors bio Golden: The Miraculous Rise of Steph Curry. His writing at The Athletic is highly recommended. Sound cultural analysis that’ll deepen your relationship with basketball.
Steph Curry’s jaw-dropping 32/35 footer to win the game and hearts of NBA fans while stabbing OKC in the front has now established him as a Premier Player.
He was elite before this shot, he was a champion before this shot and he was a superstar before this shot.
Now that shot cemented his status; he has earned the reputation of being consistent, being thrilling and attracting the attention of non-NBA fans. Like Magic and like Jordan he has become an efficient basketball machine capable of delivering impressive wins and improbable victories. (LeBron never reached machine level…his foibles made him all too human).
If anything last year…the year Warriors won it all…was Curry’s first year; a coming out party much like a Rookie Year. This year he is an genuine MVP…thrilling, bold and confident. Last year was a shock seeing The Who?? win it all. This year nobody will Get Fooled Again.
It’s fascinating living post-OKC shot. Now I’m getting non-NBA fans ask who is this Curry guy? And of course the classic…where did he come from? It’s an illusion to suggest somebody came outta nowhere; that he just magically appeared.
Nobody arrives in the NBA fully formed:
Before NBA there was college;
Before college there was high school;
Before high school there was the park;
Before the park there was watching basketball games on TV
You can’t just come out of nowhere and be instantly successful.
Somebody somewhere is working on something fresh.
They may be recording a genre busting album.
Producing an exceptional film.
You may not have heard of them; may not be familiar with what they can accomplish and yet…that does not matter nor does it define em.
This is the Superman lie: that you can naturally fly…nobody trained Superman how to fly.
This is the Superman lie: that you can naturally be strong…nobody weight trained with Superman.
This is the Superman lie: that you can be naturally be invulnerable: work your way up it with the focused power of your mind…nobody trained Superman to be invulnerable.
We are not Superman.
We are Bruce Wayne.
This is our Bruce Wayne truth…that we go on long epic journeys of discovery without a GPS or a map.
This is our Bruce Wayne truth…that we endure setbacks and work through failures.
This is our Bruce Wayne truth…that if we train hard enough; develop patiently and slowly we eventually become…Batman.
It’s possible to become a superhero if you’re willing to make sacrifices.
I reject the lies, accept the truth and work towards coming out of nowhere…just like Batman and Curry.
Since September 28, 2017 I’ve also read:
Betaball: How Silicon Valley and Science Built One of the Greatest Basketball Teams in History
by Erik Malinowski (About the Warriors…business and science)
The Blueprint: LeBron James, Cleveland’s Deliverance, and the Making of the Modern NBA
by Jason Lloyd (I still don’t get it…)
Plus 2 other NBA related books.
Remember kids: Reading is FUNdamental.
–28-
Sammy Younan is the affable host of My Summer Lair: think NPR’s Fresh Air meets Kevin Smith: interviews & impressions on Pop Culture.
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