Steph Curry Claims He's The Best Point Guard In The History Of The NBA
Whenever we get into the dog days of summer it's hard to go a day without seeing some player, whether current or former, give their own Top 5 list. Sometimes it's a top 5 list of GOATs. Sometimes it's a top 5 list of a certain position. It' all subjective really, there's no way to prove someone right or wrong, and with those clips come the social engagement everyone craves.
What we don't often get is when one of the players often discussed in those lists goes on record with a bold claim of his own. Think of how many times you've heard the
"who are the top 5 point guards of all time?"
debate question in your life. Depending on who you ask, I'm pretty sure you're going to get a different answer. Older basketball fans are going to go with their guys, new age basketball fans are going to go with this era's players, and around and around we go.
Which brings me to Steph Curry
Now of course someone like Steph is going to say this. You don't reach his level of success without having supreme confidence. It's not like some fringe NBA player is suggesting something like this, it's freaking Steph Curry. This man
To be honest, Steph and Arenas are talking about two different things in that clip. To me, there's a difference between "best" and "most influential". For example, Allen Iverson was one of the most influential point guards in the history of the league. Like Curry, he had kids all around the world trying to play just like him. If you grew up during that era, you were practicing the AI crossover in your driveway the same way kids today are imitating Steph's range. We're not doing it anywhere close to as well, but they impacted basketball culture.
I think it's fair to say nobody is calling AI the best point guard ever.
So when Arenas says he leans Steph because nobody was trying to really be that 6'9 point guard and play the way Magic did…..it's because you can't. Well, that's not exactly true. You know who got pretty damn close to replicating it?
I mean, I know nobody wants to say it, but LeBron should probably be mentioned in these conversations. I know he's not a "point guard" per se, but grow up.
Here's what I will say though about Curry. He's getting close to the point where he doesn't need to play the "influential" card and can make a case for that title simply through his basketball production and accolades. Is it out of the realm of possibility to think Steph could find his way to securing 1 or 2 more titles? He certainly doesn't look like a guy who is slowing down any time soon, and it's not as if he relies on super human athleticism to be productive. I'm pretty sure he's going to be able to run around screens and drop bombs until he's 50. If he does that, I do think you can at least have a conversation.
But also, let's not forget about what Magic did.
- 12x All Star
- 4x AST champ
- 10x All NBA
- 3x MVP
- 3x Final MVP
- 5x champ
- 2x Steals champ
- Top 75 Team member
Magic is 7th all time in assists. He's 3rd all time in triple doubles and 1st in playoff triple doubles. The man went for 42/15/7 as a rookie in 1980 to win a title while playing center. Look, nobody despises the Lakers and Magic as much as me, but even I can admit the guy is the best point guard to ever walk this earth. I know comparing eras in these debates is tricky, but I feel confident in suggesting that Magic would dominate any era.
When it comes to Steph, I think it's also fair to talk about how he's used. There's a definite difference between Magic/Isiah Thomas and Steph. While he doesn't have the ball as much as those guys, Steph is still the engine of the Warriors offense due to his off ball movement. Everything still revolves around him even when he doesnt have the ball, which is why some make the case that he's not even really a "point guard". I wouldn't go that far, but I can understand the argument. Maybe he's actually more in the "combo guard" group than "pure point guard", sort of like Wade/Harden/Iverson etc.
Either way, he's still an all time great which is truly all that matters. He's one of the greatest players ever and we'll probably never see another player like him. One of the truly terrifying players to watch your team try and stop. Every second he has the ball all you feel is dread. That has to count for something.