Basketball legend Stephen Curry has praised NFL star Patrick Mahomes ahead of Super Bowl LVIII.

The Golden State Warriors player, known for his exceptional three-point shooting and ball-handling skills, described the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback as a “fierce competitor with a killer instinct”. In a chat with the New York Post, Curry said: “If you know anything about the NFL and you watch games and pay attention to the news cycle, there are certain names that move the needle – and Patrick is obviously at the top of that list.”

He added: “What the game has given me in terms of a reach and platform, I embrace it for sure. I lean into it. I don’t take it for granted. I appreciate that Patrick’s in that same boat.”

The pair have competed against one another in a neutral sport once before. Along with Warriors teammate Klay Thompson, the point guard played Mahomes and his Chiefs teammate Travis Kelce in ‘The Match’, a made-for-TV golf match last summer in Las Vegas, which the NFL duo won.

Both players have skills in their respective sports that have placed them in a league of their own, while also conducting themselves with class and the utmost professionalism. The pair are both incredibly charitable with their time and money behind the scenes, while coming from families with sporting backgrounds.

Curry’s father Del played in the NBA for 16 years and won the 1994 Sixth Man of the Year award, while Mahomes’ father, Pat Sr, was an MLB pitcher from 1992 to 2003. The thing that the 10-time NBA All-Star thinks he and Mahomes have in common – aside from their passion for golf – is the way they approach their respective sports.

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Mahomes will compete for a third Super Bowl title on Feb. 11 ( 
Image:
Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
“There is a serious joy and appreciation and gratitude and approachability that I’ve seen when I’ve been around him… and that’s the way a lot of people categorise me,” Curry said. “I would assume, without ever having asked him, that the most fun he has is when he’s out there on the field. He’s fulfilling his purpose. I have a joy when I play, and I’m 15 years in. That’s my oasis and my happiest place.”

The Chiefs will attempt to win back-to-back Super Bowls when they take on the San Francisco 49ers, something no team has managed since the New England Patriots won the title in 2003 and 2004. Mahomes, the league’s reigning MVP, is aiming for his second consecutive Super Bowl trophy and third Super Bowl since entering the NFL in 2017.

“You always have nerves going into the Super Bowl,” Mahomes said. “You have to embrace those nerves. Now it’s about going out and playing the game. To be able to win back-to-back Super Bowls is special. There’s only a small group of teams that have been able to do that. So for us, it’s just to prove that we can do it. I think we got the guys to do it.”