Steph Curry has made a style change to copy Lionel Messi’s “mindset”

THE best basketballer in the world has changed his style to borrow this one thing from the best footballer in the world.

THERE’S nothing really to worry about when it comes to the health status of Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry, or so it seems.

When the best basketballer in the world steals something from the best footballer in the world, there isn’t too much that can go wrong.

That’s what happened when Curry announced he wants to be a little bit more like Barcelona forward Lionel Messi — the four-time FIFA player of the year Ballon d’Or winner.

The reigning NBA MVP has been roughed up and is fighting through bumps, bruises and strains in his lower body, but a shin contusion won’t be enough to keep Curry out as the Warriors face the Blazers on Saturday AEDT.

Just in case Curry happens to bump into someone and risk aggravating the injury, however, he has a plan — and it involves taking a cue from other, more physical sports:

Steph Curry is using soccer-style shin guards to protect his ankles tonight.https://t.co/owp3VtGCwl

— AtTheBuzzer (@TheBuzzerOnFOX) January 8, 2016

New shin guard for Steph Curry, in Portland https://t.co/MibUVk3G5k pic.twitter.com/8g9SpLlElW

— Ethan Strauss (@SherwoodStrauss) January 8, 2016

Curry said he is trying to find something that protects him from contact to his injured shins without making him feel encumbered by the extra padding.

“I don’t want to look like a football player out there with pads, but also, I want one that will protect me enough,” Curry told reporters.

“We’ll keep trying out stuff till we find something that works.

He probably doesn’t need his pins to shoot the lights out.

“Once I obviously, hopefully get through this, I’ll be back to my normal attire.”

Which brings us back to Messi.

Curry is a fan of the Argentine maestro, and he wants his new look shin guards to help him be a little bit more like the goal-scoring phenomenon.

“I’ve got to bring out my Messi mindset tonight, so we’ll see,”Curry said.

Earlier this year Curry and Messi expressed their mutual admiration for each other.

@SherwoodStrauss @warriorsworld is that a signed messi shinguard? pic.twitter.com/VMf2rnP0wE

— Jerry Mcfly (@JR1tty) January 8, 2016

“We both have a creative style, a feel when you are out on the pitch or the court,” Curry told ESPN.

“I love watching him play. I’m a big fan, and he’s the guy you watch play because you never know what he is going to do at any particular moment.”

We’re just excited to see if the “Messi mindset” can change the NBA’s best player into some form of transcendent hooping beast — if he isn’t that already.

Originally published as Steph Curry has made a style change to copy Lionel Messi’s “mindset”