Where Does Steph Curry Rank?
- Thread starter TheSpecialSauce
- Start date
He has to be the best shooter of all time. His ability to get off a shot is likely unmatched and he hits quite a few that are of a high degree of difficulty.
He isn’t the fourth best all around player.
Agree. He's in the 10-20 range.
And while we are at it @Sean Miller Fan, there is NO way that Kobe is #3. None. Zero.
The clear #3 is Kareem. At best, Kobe should fall in the same range as Steph around 10-20.
You could make that case. I'm thinking around 12-13.
First Group
MJ
Lebron
Kareem
Next group
Wilt
Russell
Bird
Magic
Next group
Duncan
Robertson
Shaq
After these ten, the next group includes Kobe, Steph, Akeem, Giannis, Moses Malone, Karl Malone, Garnett, West, Dr. J and KD. (And arguments to replace Oscar Robertson with a couple on this next ten list such as Steph, Akeem, Moses Malone or maybe Kobe can be entertained.)
That's fair, but Curry's shooting ability is just so great, I might have to put him in that 3rd group.
It depends on the critetia you use. For example, if you drop Oscar Robertson in his prime into today's NBA, he probably doesn't start. The reason is the game, the training, the skills have advanced so much that Oscar in his prime couldn't compete. Now, if you drop 8 year old Oscar into today, he would develop into an elite player with the way the game is played now. Have you ever watched those classic games? Its cringeworthy? They look like D2/D3 players.
The most wise sir 9nationalchampionships gets it. Sir Russell averaged 16, 25, and 5 in the tournament of postseason whilst winning 11 titles in 13 years. 2 national championships. Estimated 6 - 8 blocks per game. World class track athlete. The athleticism would translate to the battles of today. GOAT.
See ... when you say things like this: "For example, if you drop Oscar Robertson in his prime into today's NBA, he probably doesn't start" ... you sound kinda silly actually.
Yeah ... like I said, I can certainly see the case for this.
This is going to get interesting in the next 5-10 years because Jokic and Luka are going to move up also.
You might want to consider adding Elgin Baylor to the lower list. His biggest failing was playing in an era of limited television coverage. It can also be argued that he was the first in the line of Elgin Baylor>Dr. J>Michael Jordan>Labron James.
Slainte!
Great point and most if almost any can transcend their era to play at the highest level. The Big O was a favorite as a kid but you are right.....he may not start in today's gameSee ... when you say things like this: "For example, if you drop Oscar Robertson in his prime into today's NBA, he probably doesn't start" ... you sound kinda silly actually.
Then you agree with SMF ... but not me. The Big O and Wilt and Russell start in today's game for sure.
I'd put Kobe in that 3rd tier. And Dirk has to be somewhere in that 4th group as well. Maybe Charles as well.
My son and I regularly review and debate dozens and dozens of "lists" of top 100 or top 50 of all time.
The top three (Lebron, MJ and Kareem) and next four are pretty much universal across the board.
The next three that I mentioned are the most often named "next three." But I do see Kobe in that next three group from time to time. Personally, I think Kobe shouldn't be that high. I do think he's overrated a tad because he shot the ball so incredibly much (leaving him with a ranking of #62 on all time win shares per 48 minutes) , but again, that's my opinion.
There are a good handful of lists who have Dirk in their top 20. There are probably less lists (but a few) who have Charles that high but I also would agree that Charles might be a bit underrated. He's #13 in average win shares per 48 minutes.
Very well could be your most idiotic take.
Slow down there, like SMF, you're not giving enough credit to the classics from past years.
He doesn't even come close to curry. It's seriously not close
I think Akeem is so underrated. He had chicken shit his whole career until Clyde and then they crushed it.
To be fair, they won the first championship without Clyde. Had a lot of role players alongside Hakeem Kenny Smith, Mad Max, Cassell, Horry, Thorpe, Elie, and I can't remember anyone else.
Haha. He’s Larry Legend for a reason. Not bagging on Bird. But as a pure shooter, you’re out of your mind.
Agree ... Akeem's first championship came without Clyde and he WAS the team. The guys you mentioned are nice support players, but none are even All Star types.
It kinda reminds me about how Sir Charles described the Denver Nuggets this year, still having a good season without Murray and Porter Jr. He called them "Michael Jackson (Joker) and a bunch of Titos!"
Maybe he could start. Not sure exactly but basketball was a very low skill, less athletic game back then. If he was in the NBA now, he wouldn't be much. That is just reality.
I agree, but Bird did win the NBA All Star game three point shooting contest three years in a row. That's a good foundation for a legend!
I wonder what Bird's three point shooting numbers would have looked like if the three had been emphasized in the 80's like it is today.
Accordingly, perhaps in a three point shooting contest (with shots at the three point line), Bird might go shot for shot with Steph. As for much deeper threes or crazy contested threes, the nod certainly goes to Steph.
O was very skilled and very athletic. People who watched him think he'd be just as good in today's NBA. Same for Russell, Wilt, Baylor and West.
Curry can hit 100 in a row from 3. I'm sure if he wanted he could ve won a bunch of those
In a different era he was. It was a different sport. A guy like Xavier Johnson, if he got into a time machine and dropped into the 50s or 60s NBA, would be viewed as one of the goats 🐐s
I'm going to drop George Mikan and Bob Petitt into today's NBA, just for kicks.
Some of you must be too young or have terrible memories of Larry Birds playing days.
Steph has that lightning Marino like release. And relatively speaking maybe even quicker.
As much of a sniper as Bird could be, he just didn’t. As a shooting weapon it’s Steph then everyone else.
I guess that boosters my case. I still say he's the best other than Jordan. Flawless game. Pts blocks assists.steal rebounds offense all of it.
