Stephen Curry wants to be on the court by any means necessary — even if that means borrowing gear from another sport.
The NBA’s reigning MVP will wear soccer-style shin guards as he continues to play through a left shin contusion. He’s also approaching his game much like one of soccer’s stars — Barcelona forward Lionel Messi.
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"I've got to bring out my Messi mindset tonight, so we'll see," Curry said while discussing his shin guards (via ESPN.com). "We'll keep trying out stuff till we find something that works, and then once I obviously, hopefully get through this, I'll be back to my normal attire."
Curry leads the NBA in scoring at 29.3 points per game but has missed two games with the injury, suffered on Dec. 28 against the Kings. The Warriors staff said the bruise would take about four weeks to heal, but Curry plans on playing through the pain. The team has said he isn't risking further injury.
As for Messi, he and Curry have mutual respect for each other. The basketball star has complimented Messi’s creativity, while the soccer star is a proud owner of Curry’s jersey.
"We both have a creative style, a feel when you are out on the pitch or the court," Curry said in November. "I love watching him play. I'm a big fan, and he's the guy you watch play because you never know what he is going to do at any particular moment."