Given their intense rivalry in the second half of the 2010s and their dominance in the game, Stephen Curry and LeBron James are often pitted against each other. These two Ohio-born superstars are part of the elite of the NBA thanks to their incredible performances over the years.
After Steve Kerr compared Curry with former teammate Michael Jordan, everybody started debating this, bringing up LeBron James’ name to the table. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith gave his two pennies on this conversation, agreeing that Curry is very similar to Jordan, even more than The King.
However, he clarified that didn’t mean Curry is better than LeBron. He focused on the fact that defenders get scared when guarding Steph, just like they did with His Airness in the 80s and 90s.
“When you thought about going up against MJ, you were scared to death on how to defend him. Steph Curry has you scared the second he goes past half-court.”
Moreover, Smith said that Curry’s long range allows his teammates to shine, as he gets them open looks by attracting rival defenders.
“What happens is that it spreads the defense and it makes every defense vulnerable to all the ancillary parts around Steph Curry because you’re opening up shots for Jordan Poole, Toscano Anderson, Gary Payton II, and others.”
The LeBron-Curry debate has floated around for a while, and that doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. They are two of the most influential players in NBA history and it’s not crazy watching people make a case for their favorite player.
They could clash in the postseason next year and live another edition of their intense rivalry.
While Curry is already considered the greatest shooter of all time, and some think he’s the greatest point guard ever, too, LeBron is trying to catch up to Jordan’s six titles. The King is seen as the GOAT by his fans, and it’s hard to argue against that.
However, it seems like Michael Jordan is still the blueprint for current and future legends.
