Let's analyze Steph Curry's famous mouthguard

I'll put it simply... there's no way he still shoots this well if it weren't for that mouthguard.

Steph Curry chewing on his mouthguard while shooting a free throw has become one of the iconic images in sports.

He’s become famous for wearing this thing.

But what kind of guard is it? And does it adhere to my biomechanical principles?

If so, could his performance as a shooter perhaps be related to the fact that he wears it?

I’ll answer all of these burning questions that i’m sure have been top of mind for all of you today. Hahaha :)

Steph Curry is widely considered the best shooter of all time in the NBA

Stephen Curry has revolutionized basketball with his crazy shooting ability.

The Golden State Warriors superstar has shattered conventional wisdom about shot selection, regularly pulling up from distances that would have been considered reckless just a decade ago.

His ability to shoot from anywhere past half-court with remarkable accuracy has transformed how the game is played.

His combination of shooting accuracy, quick release, and extraordinary stamina makes him very hard to defend.

Many NBA players consider him the most difficult player in the NBA to defend. Because he moves a lot and needs only a split second to get off a shot from virtually anywhere on the court.

2024-25 season stats

He hasn't lost a step despite being 36 now

At age 36, Curry shows no signs of slowing down.

His shooting percentages remain elite, and his ability to move without the ball and create shots hasn't diminished.

This is pretty remarkable considering he's been in the NBA since 2009 (16 years), playing a high-intensity style that involves constant movement and frequent physical contact.

Most players will start to decline by their mid-30s, especially guards who rely on quickness and agility. Curry, however, continues to perform at an elite level after 16 seasons in the league.

So what is this mouthguard that he is wearing?

Curry's famous mouthguard is a custom-fitted appliance that sits on his upper teeth.

From photos of one that was auctioned off (above), it appears to be a flat plane splint which doesn’t lock the jaw into a position.

So basically what i’m saying is that his mouthguard adheres to my two core tenets:

1- It adds vertical dimension

2- It doesn’t lock a jaw position

And thus it will be stretching soft tissue and improving curve of spee.

I would almost put money down right now that his back molars do not touch and that he has a slight posterior open bite from wearing this.

Do I think it is impacting his game?

For sure, yes.

I think it is one of the main reasons he is still this good.

While it may provide some immediate performance benefits during the game, its most important function likely comes from how it affects his recovery and maintains his body's symmetry.

When he plays while wearing the mouthguard, he's essentially stretching the soft tissue that i talk about. The tissue that covers the skull and jaw like a balloon.

This process, similar to what happens when wearing a Reviv One during exercise, helps stretch the tissue and ‘inflate the balloon’. Which will then help a lot after the game.

Because it prevents his body from compensating and tightening the way a normal body would following the intensity of a NBA game.

And for a shooter of Curry's caliber, maintaining great symmetry is crucial. Once the body starts twisting & compensating it throws off the symmetry that is key to hitting 3’s from so far out.

As an ex-high school team player who loves basketball and was mainly a shooter I understand this all too well.

I played some light baskeball here and there over the last ten years and noticed this change myself. When i was doing better my whole body worked symmetrically and it was so much easier to shoot consistently.

Particuarly from long range where you also rely on the symmetry of the legs as that is providing a lot of the thrust.

Kevin Durant still playing solid NBA ball at age 36 also wears a performance mouthguard

Mouthguards in pro sports

The use of performance mouthguards in professional sports has a long history.

Athletic trainers have been using them for at least two to three decades. As many have probably recognized their potential benefits beyond just protecting teeth.

I remembered watching a video many years ago of Shaquille O'Neal talking about using a performance mouthguard recommended by his trainer back in the mid-1990s. And how he thought it helped him shoot better free throws.

Professional sports trainers have often been ahead of the curve in recognizing these biomechanical relationships. And they are kind of incentivized to keep it to themselves as their ‘special sauce’ rather then sharing their learnings with all the trainers of other teams.

Closing thoughts

Steph Curry is one of the best shooters of all time.

He's maintained his top performance for a long time already. And i absolutely think its related to the fact that he wears a flat plane splint while playing each game.

I think it will extend his career significantly and probably already has.

Maybe he is the best shooter of all time exactly because he is leveraging these biomechanics unknowingly? Hmmm

To most that will almost sound like a joke.

But if you spent the last ten years in my shoes and saw + experienced what I have… it would almost sound obvious ;)

Check out our other social channels:

• X.com: https://x.com/Kenny516

• Medium.com: https://medium.com/reviv-method

• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Reviv-technique

• Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@getreviv

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/revivtechnique

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/egk_reviv/