NBA
Chris Paul Finally Admits Steph Curry Dropped Him With the Famous Crossover in 2015
Writing professionally since 2015, Jack Dougherty spent six years as a sportswriter with publications such as GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, and the Associated Press before joining Sportscasting in 2020. He covers the NBA, the NFL, and the world of golf extensively and has added expertise on any team located in or around his hometown of Philadelphia. Yes, that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philadelphia Phillies. When Jack isn't writing about sports, he's watching them or playing them as he regularly heads to the gym for some pickup basketball or the golf course to hit the links. He's also an avid participant in the sports betting scene who worked at a casino sportsbook for a year and learned the ins and outs of the industry before bringing his expertise to Sportscasting with one excellent gambling recommendation after another.
All posts by Jack DoughertyUpdated06 Apr 2020
March 31 was the five-year anniversary of Steph Curry’s nasty behind-the-back crossover that sent Chris Paul flailing to the ground. Debate raged at the time over whether Curry crossed Paul up or if Paul slipped on Curry’s foot. The replay shows Paul stepping on his left foot before losing his balance and falling, but the move had him scrambling before that.
Whichever side you took, everyone knew at the time it was a nasty move that would be celebrated for years to come. It’s not often a superstar embarrasses another superstar like Curry did, so it took Paul a while to come to terms with the incident.
Chris Paul and Steph Curry relived the crossover 5 years later
Paul and Curry hopped on Instagram Live Monday to chat with each other and some fans. The two riffed about their families, what they’ve been doing without NBA basketball, and of course, the anniversary of that infamous crossover.
“Listen, man, listen. He got me. He got me,” Paul said on the live feed. Paul said the video has been circulating in the past week because of the anniversary. He figured it was finally time to give Curry props.
Both Paul and Curry laughed about the incident, and Curry even admitted to getting dropped by Paul a few times in their history. They said you can’t even worry about those instances because everyone who plays defense long enough is going to get embarrassed eventually.
Paul and Curry have had a friendly rivalry for years
Paul and Curry are good friends off the court, but they’ve had plenty of tension-filled moments on the court in their careers. The Curry crossover was just one of the times the two butted heads.
Paul took Curry under his wing when the Warriors‘ star came into the league. The two formed a big brother, little brother relationship. That is until Curry started beating Paul’s Clippers every year and embarrassing him with highlight-reel plays every game. That’s when the friendly mentorship turned into a heated rivalry.
A few years ago, Paul shooed Curry off the court in Houston before Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals. Curry went to the gym early to get some shots up, but Paul kicked him out of the arena. The Warriors went on to win the game and the series.
Even the best NBA players get embarrassed on defense
Curry’s ankle-breaking crossover will live on for years as one of the best of the decade. The combination of quick handles and a helpless defender slumping to the ground in defeat is the perfect recipe for a timeless crossover move.
Paul kept quiet about the move for five years, but he finally admitted to the embarrassment Monday. Even with his confession, Paul added that everyone gets crossed up, even the game’s best. Curry has also gotten crossed up before. LeBron James has been dunked on plenty of times. Even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was blocked at the rim in his prime.
As long as you finish your career with more ankle-breakers given out, that’s all that matters. Both Paul and Curry have their fair share. Five years later, the most famous one is a memory to laugh about.
