A four-time NBA champion with two MVP awards (one of which was unanimous), the all-time record for three-point makes and a credible case as the guy who transformed basketball more substantially than anyone in the last 50 years, Stephen Curry is now among the world's most celebrated and recognizable humans.

Back in 2008, things were different. Diehard college basketball fans knew who he was, but to most of the planet, Curry was just a rail-thin guard for mid-major Davidson. In hindsight, the run he went on during the 2008 tournament seems completely on-brand. But back then, we didn't yet know what Curry's brand was, even if he'd finish the year averaging 25.9 points and flinging an at-the-time unheard of 10.3 long-range attempts per game.

We should start with Steph's efforts against No. 7 Gonzaga in the first round. Down by double figures, Curry scored 30 of his 40 points in the second half, hauling Davidson into the second round for the first time since 1969. Then came second-seeded Georgetown, which seemed to have Davidson in hand. The Hoyas led by 11 at the half and ran their advantage to 46-29 just a couple of minutes after the break.

Curry had other ideas. Georgetown smothered him with multiple bodies and face-guard tactics throughout that first half, but Curry found a way to beat a defense designed to limit him in the second half. Still blanketed by multiple defenders wherever he went, Curry managed to crank out 25 of his 30 points after halftime.

It wasn't all threes, either. The intuitive off-ball movement and unselfish passing that would make Curry such a force as a pro were also present back then. A slick backdoor cut for an and-one layup gave Davidson a 60-58 lead with under five minutes to play that it would never relinquish.

Curry hung another 33 points on Wisconsin in the Midwest Regional final. By that point, it was clear something special was happening. The star power in the crowd validated Curry's status as a national story, and LeBron James was courtside to watch Davidson advance again.

Top-seeded Kansas—which had future pros Brandon Rush, Mario Chalmers, Darrell Arthur, Cole Aldrich, Sherron Collins, Darnell Jackson and Sasha Kaun— held him to 25 points on 9-of-25 shooting in the Elite 8. Davidson had a chance to tie or win on its final possession, but Curry gave up the ball when double-covered, and teammate Jason Richards couldn't convert what would have been the game-winning triple.

Curry cemented his legendary status with that run, to the point that nobody even remembers Davidson failed to win its conference and had to settle for the NIT in 2009. Despite even more defensive attention, Curry led the nation in scoring that season.

Things have gone pretty well for him since.