Wearing the arm sleeve was the closest Steph could get to becoming A.I.
During Game 1 of the 2017 NBA Finals, Golden State Warriors two-time MVP Stephen Curry wore a black sleeve on his right arm at the start of the game.
But after missing his first two shot attempts, Steph took off the arm sleeve and went 11-20 from the field, including 6-9 from three-point range to finish with 28 points along with six rebounds, ten assists, three steals, and just two turnovers as the Dubs drew first blood 113-91.
After the game, a reporter asked Steph about wearing and ditching the arm sleeve, and he said it was a tribute to Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson.
"Low key, I've always wanted to be like Allen Iverson," said Steph. "That was the only way that I could really come close."
Iverson's arm sleeve wasn't a mere fashion accessory
Whether he was kidding or not, you can't blame Steph for wanting to be like A.I. While the slogan in the 80s and 90s was 'Be like Mike,' Iverson was a more relatable NBA star to most kids because he was just six feet tall.
Born in 1988, Stephen was one of those kids who grew up watching A.I. popularize tattoos, braids, baggy shorts, headbands, and, of course, the arm sleeve. However, while most of the accessories that Iverson wore were for fashion, the arm sleeve was a necessity, according to former teammate Matt Barnes.
"If I'm not mistaken, he said he started wearing the sleeves 'coz he would fall on his elbows so much they would start swelling up like tennis balls," said Barnes, who also played 50 games with A.I. in Philly during the 2005-06 NBA season.
Steph was bothered by his elbow entering the 2017 NBA Finals
Similarly, Curry was bothered by a swollen right elbow during the 2017 Western Conference Finals. When asked about it, the two-time MVP said that it was an issue that nagged him the entire season after he fell into Row 2 during the Conference Finals one year back.
"But it just wasn't feeling right," added Steph about taking off the arm sleeve. "Just kind of a split decision, just whatever. Success, reason, it don't really matter. Just keep playing."
Although KD won Finals MVP honors, Steph had a great all-around series, averaging 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 9.4 assists, and 2.2 steals per game. And yes, he didn't have to be like Iverson to do that.
