From Underdog to Legend: Analyzing Steph Curry's 2009 Combine Through a Data Lens

The Metrics Behind Curry’s Ascent
That Skinny Kid From Davidson
When the Warriors’ social media team posted throwback footage of Steph Curry at the 2009 combine, it wasn’t just nostalgia - it was a masterclass in talent evaluation. My RAPTOR-based analysis shows his 37.5” vertical (85th percentile) and lightning-quick lane agility times masked what really mattered:
- Shooting DNA: His 92nd percentile spot-up accuracy in college translated perfectly despite concerns about NBA range
- Playmaking Potential: Assist-to-usage ratio (1.38) predicted elite off-ball movement
- Efficiency Profile: .632 true shooting percentage screamed “system cornerstone”
What the Numbers Missed
Three franchises picking ahead of Golden State (Memphis, Minnesota, Sacramento) needed point guards. Their analytics departments likely over-indexed on:
- Standing reach (just 6’2”)
- Defensive matchup projections
- Traditional point guard archetypes
The Warriors’ front office correctly valued:
- Offensive gravity metrics
- Leadership intangibles from Davidson’s tournament runs
- That magical release speed (0.4 seconds - still fastest in combine history)
That release hasn’t changed since Day 1
Legacy of a Seventh Pick
Fifteen years later, we can quantify how historic this miss was:
Metric | 2009 Rank | Career Value |
---|---|---|
Win Shares | #7 pick | #1 in class |
VORP | 5th-best PG | Greatest shooter ever |
Championship Probability Added | 12% pre-draft | 4 rings (+27% franchise odds) |
The lesson? Sometimes the best analytics recognize when to ignore conventional wisdom.
GreenMachineX
Hot comment (11)

From Scrawny to Almighty: How Data Predicted Curry’s Rise
That 2009 combine footage isn’t just nostalgia - it’s the ultimate ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ moment in NBA history! While teams obsessed over standing reach (seriously, who brings a ruler to evaluate greatness?), the Warriors saw what really mattered:
- The Shot Clock in His DNA: That 0.4s release wasn’t just fast - it was basically cheating physics!
- The Ultimate Glitch in The Matrix: 92nd percentile accuracy that somehow improved with NBA range (take that, doubters!)
Fifteen years later, those ‘too small’ concerns aged like milk left in Arizona summer heat. Moral of the story? Sometimes the best analytics move is ignoring ‘expert’ eyes!
Drops mic picks it back up to check its efficiency metrics

O Menino Magrelo que Enganou a Todos
Lembram-se daquele ‘frangote’ do draft de 2009? Pois é, o Steph Curry provou que os números não mentem - mas só para quem sabe ler direito! Enquanto os olheiros se preocupavam com sua altura (coitados), os Warriors viram:
- Tiro quente: 92% de acerto nos spots? Isso sim é DNA de campeão!
- Velocidade cósmica: 0.4s para arremessar? Até o Flash tinha inveja!
A Lição Mais Cara da NBA
Memphis, Minnesota e Sacramento até hoje devem chorar no banho pensando nesse erro histórico. Enquanto isso, Golden State coleciona anéis… Quem ri por último, ri melhor (e com mais títulos)!
E aí, torcedores do Porto e Benfica, já imaginaram o que seria ter um ‘Curry lusitano’? 😉

When Analytics Overthink
Those 2009 GMs staring at Steph’s ‘short’ reach missed the real metrics: his shot release faster than a WiFi signal and gravity-defying vertical that launched a dynasty. Memo to scouts: sometimes the spreadsheet needs soul.
The Ultimate Troll Pick
Being the 7th pick might be NBA’s greatest flex - Curry turned ‘too small’ labels into 4 rings. Those top-6 teams? Still searching for their system cornerstone. Data wins, but only if you read between the percentages.
Mic drop Who else thinks we need a ‘Regret Index’ for draft misses? 😏
O ‘Magricela’ que Enganou Todos
Lembram daquele garoto franzino do Davidson que ninguém dava nada? Pois é, Steph Curry provou que estatísticas podem enganar! Com seu salto de 37.5” e um arremesso mais rápido que um piscar de olhos, ele deixou os olheiros comendo poeira.
Os Números Não Mentem (Mas às vezes enganam)
Memphis, Minnesota e Sacramento até hoje devem estar se perguntando: ‘Como deixamos passar o maior arremessador da história?’ Enquanto isso, os Warriors riem à toa com seus 4 anéis!
E aí, time do Sacramento, ainda querem discutir scouting? 😂 #SubestimadoNuncaMais

When Nerds Outsmart Jocks
That skinny kid from Davidson just schooled the entire NBA with math! My RAPTOR model still gets emotional remembering how:
- Vertical Leap: 37.5” (or as I call it, ‘The Height of Bad Decisions’ for teams who passed on him)
- Release Speed: 0.4 seconds (faster than Memphis’ regret)
- True Shooting: .632 (basically basketball witchcraft)
Fun fact: Sacramento’s analytics team probably cried into their spreadsheets when they realized they drafted ‘traditional PG traits’ over a literal basketball revolution.
DMs open for angry Timberwolves fans 🍿

¡Vaya ojo el de los Warriors!
Cuando todos buscaban un base ‘tradicional’, ellos vieron lo que los datos escondían: un tirador nacido con ADN de leyenda.
Lo que los números no mienten:
- Tiro más rápido que mi café matutino (0.4s)
- Eficiencia que avergüenza a las calculadoras (.632 TS%)
Y pensar que 3 equipos dijeron ‘no gracias’… ¡Menos mal que en Golden State saben leer entre estadísticas!
¿Cuándo aprenderán que en baloncesto moderno lo que importa es hacer canasta, no medir palmos? 😂
#DatosQueGananAnillos

¡El fichaje que nadie vio venir!
Steph Curry en el combine de 2009 era como ese jugador que compras en el FIFA por 2M y termina siendo leyenda. Los datos decían “potencial”, pero solo Golden State supo leer entre líneas:
- Tiro mágico: Ese 92% en tiros libres era solo el aperitivo de lo que vendría.
- Agilidad de liebre: Sus tiempos en los drills dejaron a todos preguntándose “¿Cómo es posible?”
- Rechazo épico: Memphis, Minnesota y Sacramento aún lloran por pasarlo por alto.
¿Lección? A veces las estadísticas no cuentan toda la historia… ¡y menos mal! #DatosQueEngañan

Quando os números contam uma história épica
Lembram daqueles relatórios que diziam que o Curry era ‘muito pequeno’ para a NBA? Pois é, os dados do combine de 2009 já mostravam o diamante bruto:
- Tiro mais rápido que piada pronta (0.4s de preparação!)
- Eficiência que faria um alemão chorar (.632 TS%)
- Visão de jogo digna de técnico (razão assistência/uso: 1.38)
E pensar que 3 times preferiram olhar pro alcance dos braços dele…
Lição da história: às vezes o melhor analytics é saber quando ignorar o óbvio. Alguém aí ainda duvida do poder dos underdogs? 🔥 #DadosNãoMentem

When Nerds Win Championships
That moment when 7th-pick Steph outranks every ‘better prospect’ on advanced metrics is why I trust data over draft hype. His combine was basically a sneaky Python script printing ‘Future MVP’ while GMs were still measuring wingspans.
Funniest Missed Metric: Teams worried about defense against bigger PGs… meanwhile Steph was coding his own defensive algorithm called ‘Score More Points Than Them’.
[Image: Side-by-side comparison of pre-draft concerns vs. actual career - one side crumpled paper labeled ‘Traditional Scouting’, other side glowing tablet showing ‘xGOD Model’]
Warriors analytics team deserves a ring too for spotting that 0.4s release - faster than most fans’ WiFi latency! Who’s your favorite analytics underdog story?

¡Vaya ojo los Warriors!
Cuando Steph Curry llegó al combine en 2009, muchos vieron solo un chico flaco de Davidson. Pero los datos no mienten: su tiro (más rápido que un tweet de Ramos) y su eficiencia ya gritaban ‘leyenda’.
Lo que otros no vieron:
- Que su 37.5” de salto vertical valía más que su altura
- Que su ratio de asistencias era pura magia (‘tiki-taka’ baloncestístico)
- Que 4 anillos después, Memphis y Minnesota siguen llorando
¿Lección? A veces el mejor análisis es saber cuándo ignorar lo ‘normal’.
¡Comenten: qué otro ‘subestimado’ merece su estatua?

When Metrics Meet Magic
That 2009 combine footage isn’t just nostalgia - it’s the ultimate ‘told you so’ moment in analytics history. Three teams passed on Curry because they measured his wingspan instead of his shooting DNA (92nd percentile accuracy, folks!).
Fastest Release in the West
His 0.4-second release time wasn’t just combine gold - it was the cheat code for 4 championships. Meanwhile, Memphis was probably crunching numbers on ‘ideal point guard height’.
Drop Your Hot Takes
Who’s your biggest combine ‘sleeper’ pick in hindsight? Tag a friend who still thinks traditional PGs > shooters!

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