The 2010s generation of kids can’t wear their badge of honor more proudly. They actually witnessed prime LeBron James and Stephen Curry rewrite history. Fascinating right? Their runs were so scary that it put the rest in their shadows badly. One among the crowd – DeMar DeRozan. The king of the Kings doesn’t get his credit often, which is a shame. But fear not – he learnt it the hard way. There’ll never be another like the Chef – and his message to the rest? Don’t try to be either – you’re pretty much guaranteed to fail.

Steph Curry dominates the deep game, but he absolutely torches defenses from the mid-range too—he just doesn’t flex it often. He hits 45–50% from there across his career, which places him in elite company without relying on screens or catch-and-shoots. He pulls up off the dribble, stops on a dime, and buries floaters like clockwork. In 2015–16 and 2020–21, he straight-up cooked from that range, ranking among the best in the league. Defenders jump at his threes or sag for the drive, but he kills them with cold-blooded in-between shots. You ignore his mid-range at your own risk. Every time.

“It goes back to where I never want young guys that’s coming up to feel discouraged, like they gotta go out there and be Steph Curry all the time,” said DeRozan. “‘Cause everybody’s just not gonna be Steph Curry. It’s one Steph Curry. He’s able to do what he does — it’s incredible. I think we’ll never see somebody else like that. I always — and it’s crazy — I heard you talk about it with your son one time, that you taught him the game inside out first. And that’s not preached enough within our game.”

But this could be a hidden blessing too. After all, even Air Diesel admits there’s only one Steph—and he’s spot on. Still, that doesn’t mean chasing Curry’s blueprint is the only way to find greatness. Quite the opposite, actually. His advice? “You do you, boo.” It’s simple, but it lands. Greatness doesn’t need imitation—it needs authenticity. Trying to mimic the Chef will likely burn your recipe before it’s even cooked. So instead, carve your own lane. That mantra might just save your game—and your career. Because at the end of the day, being the best you beats being a discount Steph.

“Like, I can’t believe it, but I stuck to me being myself. I didn’t let nobody change that. I just worked and tried to be great at what I did, and it got me this far. Don’t be discouraged from it because you see everybody doing all this other stuff,” said DeMar DeRozan on 7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony.

Carmelo Anthony would hate to discredit DeMar DeRozan for his work in the NBA

And look where that got him. DeRozan built a legacy that deserves front‑page respect in Sacramento. He maintained 20+ PPG for 12 straight seasons, averaging 21.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists over 1,187 games across 16 years. During his first Kings season (2024‑25), he posted 22.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game on 47.7% FG and 32.8% from deep. He also crossed the 25,000 career points milestone—joining elite company—and moved past Reggie Miller on the all‑time scoring list. A six‑time All‑Star with a near‑unstoppable mid‑range game – and one of the best in the business.

But Melo himself knows what’s up. Maintaining that consistency in this economy – where expectations outweigh deliverables, is no small feat. And credit where credit’s due – DeRozan doing what he’s doing deserves more than just flowers. It’s just a shame that that’s all Carmelo has to offer.

“I’m gonna give you a flower, champ, because for you to still play that game in today’s game,” said Anthony on the pod. “Where you gotta hear the noise of “that is a bad shot,” “that is not an effective shot” — and for you to go against the norm, go against the noise, again, above the noise when it comes to your game. You pay attention to your game, you don’t pay attention to nobody else. So I really wanna take my hat off to you, because I’m sure it’s very difficult for you to play in today’s game.”

DeMar DeRozan’s 35 now – funny, right? The man’s been in Steph’s shadow for so long it seems like he started his career yesterday. But that in itself speaks volumes – it’s often the quite ones that let their game do the talking. He doesn’t mind being in that shadow. The Chef might just be 6-foot-3, but that shade in itself? That spans across generations. Take notes, because game recognizes game.