Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry has the top-selling jersey in the NBA, and his head coach Steve Kerr thinks that his star guard might be more popular than one of his former teammates.
Yes, that former teammate.
Kerr told the media before the Warriors’ game against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night that Curry might be more popular than His Airness, Michael Jordan.
“The crowd size is similar, but the biggest difference is the children that gravitate toward Steph,” Kerr told reporters comparing the fan base of the two players. “You see so many little kids with Steph jerseys begging for his autograph.”
Kerr believes that the gravitation toward Curry is due to his size, which is small by NBA standards. The two-time MVP stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs 190 pounds. His thin frame and perimeter oriented game make Curry more relatable than the 6-foot-6, 195-pound Jordan or the 6-foot-8, 250-pound LeBron James.
“They all identify with him,” Kerr told reporters. “He’s probably the rare superstar where an 8-year-old kid can go, ‘He looks just like me. Maybe I can do it.”
Warriors forward Kevin Durant also see’s Curry’s stature as one of the reasons for his immense popularity.
“He is relatable being 6-foot-3 and baby-faced,” Durant said. “When he was in high school, he was probably 6-feet and 160 and to make it to be one of the top five players in the world, well it feels like anybody can do it. He’s inspirational.”
Durant, however, also believes that the age of social media has buoyed Curry in a way that Jordan was unable to benefit from.
“MJ didn’t grow up in the social media era and he was still huge,” Durant said. “Imagine if he grew up in this era being Michael Jordan, being the first global NBA superstar. Can you imagine what his following would be?”
Jordan did OK without the benefit of Twitter and Facebook, as the Jordan Brand continues to flourish well after his retirement. We’ll see if Curry can say the same after he hangs up his Under Armour sneakers.
Thumbnail photo via Russ Isabella/USA TODAY Sports Images
