USA TODAY's David DuPree looks at how NBA stars play the game:
The particulars: The 6-11, 285-pound center is in his second season with the New York Knicks. He earns $8.17 million this season and is under contract through the 2010-11 season, but he has a player option he can exercise after the 2008-09 season. He was Mr. Basketball in Illinois while a senior at Thornwood High School and had accepted a scholarship to DePaul before deciding to skip college and go directly to the NBA. He participated in tumbling and gymnastics as a youngster.
Road to the Knicks: The Chicago Bulls made him the fourth overall pick of the 2001 draft. After four seasons, Curry was traded to New York along with Antonio Daniels for Tim Thomas, Michael Sweetney, Jermaine Jackson, a conditional first-round pick in 2006, a conditional right to swap 2007 first-round picks and 2007 and 2009 second-round picks.
Style: He is an aggressive offensive player, quick leaper and very strong. Isn't a dominating rebounder or shot-blocker, even though he has the wingspan of a player 7-6. Fairly effective from either block and can put the ball on the floor on occasion. Doesn't usually take bad shots or force things.
Go-to-move: He likes to catch the ball close to the basket and go right at the rim with a drop step in either direction.
How to defend him: Crowd him and double-team him right away if he does get the ball low and make him make a decision; force him as far from the block as possible and don't be afraid to put a body on him.
By the numbers: He's fourth in the NBA in field goal percentage (.584) and leads the Knicks in scoring at 19.5 a game (the last Knicks center to lead them in scoring was Patrick Ewing during the 1999-2000 season). He is only third in rebounding (seven) behind David Lee (10.8) and Quentin Richardson (7.3); averages only 0.54 blocks, but gets to the free throw line eight times a game.
His peers: Kwame Brown was the first overall pick of Curry's 2001 draft class, followed by Tyson Chandler, who was picked by the Los Angeles Clippers, but whose draft rights were traded to the Bulls in a deal involving Elton Brand. Pau Gasol was the third pick. Zach Randolph was the 19th pick and Tony Parker the last pick of the first round. High school players were four of the first eight picks (Kwame Brown, Chandler and DeSagana Diop were the other three). He played recreational ball as a youngster with Knicks teammate Richardson and spent his first three seasons in the league with the Bulls with current Knicks teammate Jamal Crawford.
Former player he is most readily compared to: Bob Lanier. He has that same big, awkward body that makes him difficult to defend and has an assortment of moves around the basket. He runs the floor better than Lanier did but is still learning to be intimidating at the defensive end and on the boards.
Says Curry: "I was upset I didn't make the All-Star team because I felt with the season I was having, I should have been there."
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