With the way Stephen Curry slices through defenses — enough to score 36 points in two quarters — you get the sense that he's moving at a faster speed than anybody else on the court.
That's because, in a real way, he's thinking faster than everybody else.
It happens thanks to the way he and his trainer hack his nervous nervous system for "neurocognitive efficiency."
In a recent interview with Tech Insider, Curry explained that neurocognitive efficiency is "being able to make smarter, faster decisions on the floor."
"In a game, there are so many different variables that are thrown at you — the defense, where your teammates are, how fast your body's moving, and you have to be in control of all those decisions," he says. "So we overload in our workouts so that the game slows down in real life."
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"There are little beams that we have on the wall, and I'll be doing dribble moves and reading the lights that are associated with different moves" like a pass, or shot, he says. "Different colors mean to do a different move, and you have to make that decision in a split second and still have control of the ball."
Talking with ESPN, Payne explained the video-game-like mechanics of the drill. One light that flashes signifies "Do you shoot a 2 point shot or a 3 point shot?" Another light signifies the move he's taking to get himself the space to make the shot, like a crossover dribble. Many of the drills mimic situations on the outside perimeter of the 3-point line — the area where Steph creates opportunities to score for himself or his teammates.
It's a training innovation that results in silky-smooth ball handling. And being able to see behind your head.
