Stephen Curry: Doing More With…More?

Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

There’s a difference between a boss and a leader.

A boss is more about himself (or herself), depending the most on his own singular authority. He’s the commander of the ship, the general of the army, the one who takes charge and directs people to do what he wants them to do. A boss takes the most credit for his company’s success, justifying the ends by their own means. A boss makes himself out to be the most important piece in the system.

But as impressive as that may be, is it more impressive to be the one carrying a team, or is it more impressive to be the one finding a way to make 14 other individuals THAT much better as a team?

The Difference Between a Boss and a Leader

Because that’s what a leader does: a leader betters his teammates rather than carrying the load. A leader inspires his team to reach for their greatest potential. He thinks in terms of “we” rather than “me,” utilizing the gifts of each of his teammates to come about a desired end. A leader trusts his teammates, with each person sharing equal accountability. He pushes his teammates to grow alongside each other, to motivate each other to develop their skills in the spirit of camaraderie. A leader is confident in his own abilities, but he never forgets to give credit to others for what they bring to the table.

And the MVP of the NBA should be a leader, rather than a boss. The MVP of the NBA should be someone that people of all ages can look up to — a superhero of sorts, that transcends all generations; an underdog that instills hope and embodies the principles of today’s league and it’s future. He shouldn’t be considered as the one and only reason why his team is winning; rather, he should be the glue that makes it all work for the entire team to achieve greatness.

This isn’t so much a story about who is MVP as it is about Klay Thompson making his first All-Star appearance. This isn’t so much about being an underdog as it is about Draymond Green being considered for a max contract. About Harrison Barnes overcoming his sophomore slump. About first year head coach Steve Kerr being a Coach of the Year candidate.

Each of them has enjoyed a piece of the collected success that the Golden State Warriors has achieved for much of the season, but if we were to trace that success and attribute it to one point, we would find that Stephen Curry is the biggest reason why the Warriors have remained elite all season.

Next: The More With Less Narrative