Stephen Curry is out of this world. The Golden State Warriors star is a talented player, with a bag of tricks so deep you couldn't see the bottom of it. Curry consistently gave defenders fits with his otherworldly shooting and crazy handles. However, there's a couple of people in the NBA that gave Curry the business. In a recent interview on the TODAY show, the star listed the three hardest defenders he's faced: Tony Allen, Jrue Holiday, and Ron Artest.

“There's a group of 3 that always a light bulb went off when they're on the court. Jrue Holiday, Tony Allen and Ron Artest.”

This list is a good summarization of the best perimeter defenders of their respective generations. Stephen Curry entered the league towards the end of Artest's career, but even then, the Warriors star recognized just how tough he was to face. It was only a handful of games, but Curry had a taste of what every guard and wing faced back in the late 2000s when they faced the enforcer.

Out of all of the defenders he listed, Curry perhaps faced Tony Allen most often, and in more high-leverage situations. The Warriors and Grizzlies were bitter rivals towards the start of the earlier's dynasty, and Allen was one of the few defenders that could slow Curry down significantly. His quick hands, strength, and high-revving motor certainly made life hell for the younger version of the star.

Jrue Holiday's reputation is well-known by now. The Milwaukee Bucks star is perhaps the best two-way guard in the league, with his defense in particular being note-worthy. While Curry hasn't faced Holiday in the playoffs, the Warriors star has been in enough regular season games against the latter to know that he's a tough nut to crack. A common theme with these three defenders is that they have the strength to body Curry (especially during his first few years in the league), and Holiday's strength is well-documented.

Still, like any great player, Stephen Curry adjusted his game to better face these defenders. The Warriors star worked on his own strength to avoid being bullied by the Allens and Holidays of the NBA. Entering Year 15 of his NBA career, it will be interesting to see which other player can make Curry's life a living hell on the court.