Stephen Curry has earned the 2024 Clutch Player of the Year award, adding another accolade to his illustrious career. However, the decision has sparked controversy due to the underwhelming season experienced by the Golden State Warriors under Curry’s leadership. Some NBA enthusiasts have raised concerns regarding the award’s credibility, given the team’s failure to secure a playoff berth.
Despite these doubts, Rachel Nichols has publicly defended the selection, presenting a breakdown of the voting results. Curry claimed the award with 298 points, securing the most first-place votes (45) and placing third in second (18) and third (19) place votes. This enabled him to triumph over notable contenders such as Nikola Jokic, DeMar DeRozan, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Initially, Nichols’ post aimed to highlight the NBA’s initiative in recognizing exceptional players in clutch situations, stating, ‘Love that the NBA has added this award – clutch moments are what sports is all about.’ Throughout the season, Curry assumed a dominant role in high-pressure scenarios, leading the league in points (189) during such moments, as per NBA.com.
Despite the data supporting Curry’s selection, skepticism persists among certain fans who argue that the award should have been bestowed upon a player who made a significant impact in the playoffs. This has fueled debates and placed pressure on Curry to demonstrate his worthiness in upcoming seasons, validating the statistics with tangible playoff success.
