VC Strategy: Steph Curry vs. Russell Westbrook

Two of the best point guards in the NBA right now are Steph Curry and Russell Westbrook. Steph and Russ have vastly different styles. Steph’s unbelievable three point shooting — the accuracy, the quick release, the ability to create shots off the dribble, and the range- has played a large part in redefining today’s game with higher scoring and more three point shots. Steph has really instilled a new paradigm of basketball that spreads the floor in ways that we’ve never seen before.

On the other hand, although Russ is a freak of nature, whose athleticism allows him to score, rebound and create opportunities for his teammates at an unbelievable level, his half court offense is not especially different from other elite point guards.

As venture investors, we can invest in Steph Curry, who has created a new paradigm of the way the game is played, or we can invest in Russell Westbrook, who is faster, stronger, and more athletic than others. Curry represents startups that make us think about the game in a completely different way. AirBnB comes top of mind as a startup that created a completely new category and shifted the paradigm of hospitality.

Westbrook represents startups that are doing something better, faster, stronger than incumbents. Nothing at all wrong with that as iconic companies like Google (vs. Altavista, Yahoo) and Facebook (vs. MySpace, Friendster) created massively successful businesses based on incremental/derivative improvements of existing technologies/products.

And indeed, Westbrook recently has had some of the most impressive seasons, averaging a triple-double two seasons in a row and winning an NBA MVP in the process.

Every day, we are blown away by the up and coming Steph’s and Russ’s of the entrepreneurial world. Just like these NBA stars, exceptional companies are truly special to watch.