Trainer Describes the Rigorous Shooting Routine of Warriors’ Steph Curry

Steph Curry continues without his ‘Splash Brother’ Klay Thompson into the upcoming season. A majority of the team’s burden falls on Curry’s shoulders due to Thompson’s unfortunate injury. The 2x MVP is following a strict regime to revive his prime shooting, and he has been succeeding. 

Brandon Payne, Curry’s trainer, is the man behind honing the 32-year-old’s talents. He crafts several drills for Curry that the Warriors star toils to complete. These rigorous routines in turn help him excel on the court. 

Payne connected with ‘The Athletic’ where he revealed details about “The 57” drill. It is no ordinary shooting drill as it requires extraordinary commitment from an athlete. Curry has been doing it for years now, but even he struggled to complete it recently. 

Payne’s challenging drill has 7 designated areas on the floor: corner, wing, slot, top, and the same repeats on the other side of the court. Curry’s test is to make five threes out of seven attempts, but it’s not as straightforward as one might think.

Brandon Payne’s effective drill makes Steph Curry the incredible shooter that he is 

Steph Curry has a knack for sinking deep three’s and not every bit of it is raw talent. Curry puts in a tremendous amount of work to maintain the consistency, and his trainer’s routine massively contributes to it. 

Now, Curry doesn’t take repetitive shots when following the aforementioned routine. If he’s attempting to make five 3’s from the corner, for example, the Akron native has to make a floater, a mid-range jumper, and then attempt the three. 

A similar sequence is followed for each of the seven spots on the court, but the depths vary. For instance, Curry takes a trio of three-pointers from the top, but in alternating depths. The deepest one comes from the half-court logo, so it’s no surprise if he sinks in a similar shot on game night! 

Curry’s been following this routine for years now, but the unusual layoff period in 2020 made him rusty. Payne explained how the Warriors star took more time than usual, but stood determined and finished the assigned task. 

“I was just throwing the passes, and I was ready to give up,” Payne told The Athletic. “He just kept grinding. We had to climb the hill. Some days it goes like that. Some days it’s just not as smooth as you would like for it to be.

“But when you’re as tough as he is, and when you’re as competitive as he is, you can work through that. He was a hell of a lot tougher than I was during that drill because I was getting sore. But that’s just how he is.”

Payne reveals what to expect from the Warriors’ sharpshooter this season

Steph Curry played a mere 5 games last season and sat out due to an injury. The Warriors sunk to the bottom of their conference, and they have a point to prove this year. Curry will once again be the highlight, as he has to lead his team without the presence of Klay Thompson. 

Thus, he is putting in the extra work, staying more determined than ever to keep the confidence flowing. A lot of people might assume Curry’s talents to be natural, but his incredible work ethic makes him the player that he is. 

“I have every reason to believe that he’s going to be the same Stephen Curry that he’s always been,” mentioned Payne about his expectations for the 2020/21 season.

“Every year, teams have found different ways to try to defend him. And every year, he’s had an answer. I don’t think that this year will be any different.”

Payne is extremely confident about his client as his performances in the past didn’t have any room for disappointment. Curry has been creating numerous records with his long-range shooting, even when opponents devise special game plans to stop his streak. 

“What he sees might be more complex than what he’s used to just because teams can get that way with him. But I think you’re eventually going to see the answers to all the problems,” Payne added. 

Their relationship has reaped massive benefits, and it raises huge expectations for the upcoming season. A wounded Warriors roster will look up to Steph Curry to inspire the newly acquired talents in the team.

And without a doubt, we will see him come out and do his business when the season kicks off.