Steve Kerr feels Stephen Curry impacts offense more than Michael Jordan

Steve Kerr, coach of the Golden State Warriors, has showered lavish praise on Stephen Curry, stating that the superstar point guard could be the most impactful player in NBA history. Kerr believes that even his former Chicago Bulls teammate Micahel Jordan didn't impact defensive schemes the way Curry does.

During Jordan's prime, opposition defences came up with the infamous "Jordan Rules" to find ways to stop the player widely hailed as the greatest of all time. But even Jordan didn't have the ability to shoot from 30 feet and disrupt opposition defensive schemes. That's why Kerr believes Curry, a two-time NBA MVP, puts the "fear of god" into defences like nobody he has ever seen.

"He (Curry) is the most impactful offensive player in terms of what he does to the defence -- maybe ever. There are guys, obviously, Michael Jordan impacted things. But the way Steph plays, [he] puts the fear of God into defences like nobody I've ever seen.

"Nobody's been able to shoot off the dribble from 35 feet in a normal setting. But he does that, which changes an entire game. So, everything we do revolves around Steph. You can talk about where he stands in terms of the best players in the league. He's obviously one of the best. By that standard, he's the best," Kerr said of Curry after Golden State's practice session on Saturday.

Stephen Curry still the engine of Golden State's offense

When Kevin Durant joined the Warriors last year, several analysts expected an implosion that could lead to Golden State's eventual downfall. However, the team has sustained its identity and continued to play unselfish basketball. Kerr credits Curry as the primary reason for the team's success.

"Everything we do is based on Steph. From the very beginning of this run, Steph was the guy who started it ... I feel like our foundation is built around not only his talent, but his character, his selflessness, his joy, his work ethic. Literally our offensive system is built around the chaos that he creates for defences. I've never seen a player who elicited so much of a defensive schematic response because of his ability to shoot from 30 feet and dribble around everybody."

Stephen Curry signed a five-year max contract worth US$201 million (AU$254 million) with the Warriors this offseason. The Warriors enter the 2017-18 NBA season as the overwhelming favourites to repeat as champions, despite the growing number of Super Teams in both conferences. Steve Kerr replaced Mark Jackson as the head coach of the Warriors in the summer of 2014. He signed a five-year contract worth approximately US$25 million (AU$31 million).