Warriors star Steph Curry and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes are two of the best to ever play their respective sports.
So, what happens when the basketball player breaks down the football player’s attempt at hustling on the hardwood as a high school student?
Pure comedy, with, of course, some top-of-the-line analysis.
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“He’s got a nice like -- ooh. He shoots with his whole body. I was going to give him some compliments on how fluid he was with his footwork,” Curry told ESPN on Tuesday right before finding out he was reviewing Mahomes’ prep highlight reel. “No, it’s not, no, it’s not. You would have no idea that’s Pat Mahomes right there. He looks pretty comfortable around the trees, as we call it when you get in the paint. So, it seems like his ‘pocket’ presence looks pretty solid.”
.@StephenCurry30 breaks down @PatrickMahomes BASKETBALL film 😮 👀 pic.twitter.com/QzQe9jIiS2
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 28, 2024
The 10-time All-NBA Golden State guard had zero clue he was watching Mahomes’ basketball clips from when he was a youngster.
Mahomes’ highlights caught Curry off guard, as he wasn’t fully aware of the quarterback’s dual-athleticism -- even after the Chiefs superstar clearly can hoop and shoot like the Warriors’ No. 30.
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Patrick Mahomes doing his best Steph impression 🔥 pic.twitter.com/RdB31PY2qQ
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) July 9, 2022
During the 2012-13 varsity basketball season for Whitehouse High School in Texas, Mahomes impressively averaged 19.9 points over 27 games -- the guy is good at everything.
Curry saw some of the quarterback’s advanced skill set unleashed during his basketball-playing days, specifically admiring Mahomes’ play-making ability.
“Yeah, I think his creativity, double spin-moves and always finding like a little lane to attack using his body,” Curry added. “Doesn’t seem like he’s scared of the physicality, either. So, pretty well-rounded, even though the jumper needs some work.”
As an NFL player, Mahomes isn’t afraid of physicality. He isn’t afraid of confrontation either, as he did take a light-hearted exception to Curry’s remarks about his jump shot.
“But it goes in,” Mahomes emphasized when also talking to ESPN on Tuesday. “I mean, it goes in. It doesn’t always have to be pretty. I mean, I’m not going to shoot like Steph.”
Curry continued to compliment Mahomes’ game, comparing their thought processes in similar but different scenarios across their respective professional sports.
“Kind of like when you get trapped and you just have to get [the ball] out of there and somehow get it to the open guy and let them do the rest of the work, but you always have an option,” Curry added. “I think that’s kind of the way Pat sees the game, and for me as a point guard, that’s what you try to feel like -- you always have an option to get the ball where you want it to go.”
Mahomes would agree his ability to view the field is unmatched.
And, just because, he had fun with the “what-if” factor surrounding his basketball career.
“People see the arm angles, but they don’t see how I can see the whole entire field and pass it to the guy where they can get the ball and can get upfield, and everything like that. I think that’s point guard, growing up,” Mahomes concluded.
“Maybe if I didn’t stop growing in eighth grade, I might be playing basketball. You never know.”
One thing is for certain: Curry and Mahomes always make for great entertainment -- whether on the field, court or range.