Stephen Curry Forms 'Strategic Alliance' With NBA Prospect Scoot Henderson
Stephen Curry is at the stage of his career where players who are entering the league have looked up to and, to a certain degree, modeled their games after him. His revolutionary style of play has allowed less traditional athletes with supreme skill sets to not just have a role for them, but to flourish in that kind of role.
Scoot Henderson isn’t the type of player that wouldn’t have been an NBA guy if not for Steph, though. He’s an exceptional athlete, league-ready physically while having a high game IQ and polished skillset at only 19 years old. In any draft that didn’t include Victor Wembanyama, it’s possible he’d be the consensus #1 overall prospect. In most regards, Henderson has more in common with Russell Westbrook and prime Derrick Rose than he does with Curry.
But there is common ground between the two: They both take their winning mentalities to the next level, and want to impart it on the next generation of hoopers. Per ESPN, the duo has formed “a strategic alliance built on common values in an effort to encourage and promote the future of youth sports”.
“As I look towards the future of the NBA and the broader world of sports, Scoot embodies the next evolution of the game over the years, demonstrating the importance of playing for something greater than oneself” Curry said in a statement.
Henderson, like Curry, comes from a basketball family. 5 of his 6 older siblings played college hoop, and his parents Chris and Crystal operate the Next Play 360 non-profit, a philanthropic endeavor which “uses sports to advance STEM disciplines for underrepresented K-12 graders in Cobb County, Georgia” per their website. Much like Steph, Scoot is all about moving the game forward.
His goal is ultimately, in his own words, to “take the reins of [his] own future”. Henderson has stated his admiration for Curry as not just a player but a “disruptor”, a game-changer who altered the history of not just the NBA but the sport itself, and has professed he aspires to be recognized for something similar.
This partnership is a unique step between one of the NBA’s now-legendary ‘old guard’ and the newest, incoming generation. In many ways, it’s a bridge in the gap between the two genres of hooper, and the pair’s commitment to ensuring that’s the standard moving forward shows a lot about how much respect Curry has for what Henderson and his family stand for. Steph’s also been giving him and his sister, Georgia State commit Moochie Henderson, some game on the court: The siblings worked out with Curry and his training team this past spring prior to the playoffs.
In terms of future in the league, there are few players who can get as surefire as Scoot. He averaged over 18 points per game and almost 7 assists for the G-League Ignite program, the same team which rostered Jonathan Kuminga just two years ago before he was drafted to the Warriors. While it’s highly unlikely that Henderson and Curry ever share a backcourt in the league, Steph’s trust in him is a positive sign that he’ll have a great career.
And it’s still fun to imagine what a duo like that would look like on the court. Curry’s defense-warping shooting and precise playmaking would open up plenty of looks for an explosive teammate to get into the lane and hunt his own shot, and Henderson’s own proficiency as a passer would lend well to finding Steph’s relocation tactics: If he could shake his defender for an inch of daylight, Scoot could find him for the shot. Defensively, pairing a savvy vet and a pesky athlete together would poise a challenge to opposing offensive players.
Returning to the reality of the partnership, however, Steph is once again leading the way in innovations for players in and adjacent to the NBA. On the court, he’s bringing together the platforms of perennial superstars and their possible successors. Off the court, he’s encouraging others in effort to build their own brands both for themselves, and for their communities.
Despite Scoot Henderson having no chance of being a Warrior in the upcoming draft, Stephen Curry’s partnership with him gives Golden State fans plenty of reason to root for him to be the next face of the league… As long as he’s not a Houston Rocket, of course.
(Photo credit: Ethan Miller / Getty Images)