Why Luka Doncic and Trae Young represent the next generation of NBA superstars

Superstardom isn’t born in a single night, but there are moments when it first reveals itself with a bright incandescence. The performance wasn’t just transcendent — as Curry’s 54-point outburst was on Feb. 27, 2013 — but the conditions were ripe. The game was broadcast nationally, and it occurred in Madison Square Garden, where basketball legends are codified for the ages.

The previous month, Curry had finished outside the top 10 backcourt players for All-Star consideration with fewer than 80,00 votes. But within a year, he would lead all guards in balloting with more than a million votes and make his debut on the list of top-selling NBA player jerseys worldwide at No. 5, despite never having advanced past a conference semifinal series.

By the time his Golden State Warriors vaulted to the top of the NBA standings less than two years later, Curry ranked second in sales to only LeBron James, and Curry would pass James during the 2015-16 season. Arena bowls filled up hours before tipoff with fans eager to witness Curry’s pregame warm-up routine. And he would lead all NBA players in Celebrity DBI, a metric that measures appeal, aspiration, awareness, breakthrough, endorsement, influence, trendsetter and trust.