In a recent chat with Dude Perfect, Warriors star Stephen Curry opened up on his updated list of the top five greatest players ever. Instead of Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant, Curry named himself, LeBron James, and Tim Duncan alongside Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal as the greatest players ever.
“Shaq at the center, Tim Duncan at the power forward, LeBron at the three, MJ at the two, and me at the one,” said Curry via Dude Perfect.
Some big names missed the cut this year, but you can’t blame Curry for adjusting his list over time. Back in 2022, Curry’s top five included himself, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki, and Shaquille O’Neal. Today, Curry’s picks are more in line with the majority thinking, even if they exclude Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, who has long been a favorite of Curry’s.
As a 4x champion, 2x MVP, and a reputation as the greatest shooter ever, Stephen Curry is arguably the game’s most impactful player, and he certainly has a strong case for being the greatest point guard in basketball history. Over 15 years in the NBA, Curry is averaging 24.8 points, 6.4 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game on 48.1% shooting. He’s redefined the position and redefined the sport itself as the pioneer of the three-point revolution.
It’s no surprise that Curry included James as one of the top five players, considering their long history with each other. Since 2015, Curry and LeBron have faced off several times over the years, including in the regular season, in the NBA Finals, and during the Western Conference playoffs. James, 39, is the most decorated player in NBA history as a 4x champion, 20x All-Star, 4x MVP, and 20x All-NBA player. After playing against LeBron for many years and playing with him during the 2024 Paris Olympics, Curry’s respect for James’ game has reached maximum levels.
In the case of Michael Jordan, he is the natural fit at point guard and completes the perfect backcourt pairing with sharpshooter Stephen Curry. The Bulls legend, who is widely acknowledged as the GOAT, is a 6x champion, 5x MVP, and 10x scoring leader. He dominated way before Curry’s time, but his run of two separate three-peats in the 90s stands today as one of the most impressive feats in sports history.
In the frontcourt, Curry subbed out Dirk Nowitzki for legendary Spurs big man Tim Duncan, who is certainly more qualified in terms of hardware. The “Big Fundamental” was an absolute beast in his day, averaging 19.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game on 48.8% shooting. He retired in 2016 as a 5x champion, 15x All-Star, and 2x MVP. His consistency and flawless game made him extremely effective for the Spurs, and he is widely recognized today as the greatest power forward ever.
One thing that has always remained the same for Steph is his admiration for Shaquille O’Neal. He once admitted to wanting to play with O’Neal in the past, and their skills would mix well, given that Shaquille O’Neal is a beast in the paint. The Lakers legend averaged 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game for his career. He was a 4x champion, 15x All-Star, and 14x All-NBA player in 19 years in the NBA.
In the end, Steph built a pretty solid list with some of the All-Time greats at every position. Over time, new names will enter the mix and push out some others, just like LeBron and Curry did during their rise to superstardom.
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