Making a case for Steph Curry. Photo by Harry How/Getty Images.
It's a staple of sports talk radio, bar arguments and the comments section online.
Who's the greatest basketball player of all time? The debate invariably comes down to Michael Jordan (six NBA Finals, six titles) vs. LeBron James (10 NBA Finals, four titles), with fans of the vintage game calling from Memorial to throw Bill Russell (11 NBA titles in 13 years) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six MVP awards, six titles, career scoring leader) into the mix.
With Jordan usually coming out on top.
But let me toss another name into the debate, my favorite player ever, and should be fresh in fans' minds: Wardell Stephen Curry II, who just led his Golden State Warriors to their fourth NBA championship in eight years. At 34, Curry is still going strong, although he looks like he should be trying out for his high school team ... the junior varsity. They don't call him the "Baby Faced Assassin" for nothing.
If it pleases the basketball court, I'm going to present the case for Steph Curry as the best player today, which in practically every measurable, quantitative sport, would mean the best player ever. Of course I'm going to cherry pick statistics and accolades, but there's no denying his feats. Facts is facts.
Much like baseball has become a tedious sport of home runs, walks and strikeouts, the modern NBA game has evolved into a contest of dunks, 3-pointers and free throw shooting.
I submit to you that Curry is undeniably the greatest ever in two of those categories: 3-pointers and free throws. Curry has made 3,117 (and counting) from behind the arc over his 13 years in the NBA. His career percentage from long range is .428. He won the 3-point contest twice during All-Star Week. For comparison, Jordan wasn't really a 3-point shooter, averaging 33 percent. Strange fact: his first four years in the NBA, Jordan never shot better than 20 percent on 3-pointers. He did get better and was clicking on more than 35 percent the second half of his career. King James who does attempt them, only 34 percent for his career.
Curry's percentage at the free throw line is .908, the all-time best. Jordan, .835. James is not so impressive at the line, only .734, and in three of the last four seasons he's dipped below 70 percent.
Jordan's Bulls went to the NBA Finals six times and won all six. James has gone to the Finals a total of 10 times, with three different teams, and has four titles. Curry's Warriors are 4-1 in Finals, they're the current champs, and Vegas has the Warriors as one of the favorites to win next year.
There is no disputing the supreme greatness of Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Both have dominated their generation of basketball. But did they change how the game is played? Steph Curry has.
In 2015-16, only six teams took more than one-third of their field goal attempts from 3-point land. Five years later, 28 of the NBA's 30 teams were jocking it up from beyond the arc better than one-third the time. Thank you, Steph Curry. In 2017-18 the Houston Rockets became the one and only team to attempt more than half its shots from 3-point land. Thank you, Coach Mike D'Antoni.
During the 1989-90 season, the heart of Jordan's career, NBA teams attempted 6.6 shots from behind the arc per game, connecting on about 33 percent of them. Last year, NBA teams attempted 35 3-pointers. While teams have increased the number of 3-point attempts, their accuracy hasn't improved very much. Last year, the league hit about 35 percent.
Curry's career average from distance is .428. He is acknowledged as the greatest shooter in basketball history.
Curry's team has met James' team four times in the NBA Finals. Curry has a 3-1 advantage.
Here's important evidence in Curry's favor. Much like Babe Ruth set all of his home run records without having to face black pitchers, Jordan played most of his career when international players were a rarity. In 1993, the year Jordan's Bulls won their third title, there were only 23 international players on NBA rosters.
In 2021-22, when Curry's Warriors won their fourth title, there were 121 foreign-born players representing 40 different countries in the NBA. Think these international players don't make a difference? Since 2017-18, all four Most Valuable Player awards went to a player born and raised outside the U.S. (Giannis Antetokounmpo won twice, Nikola Jokić the most recent two honors). I'll go you one year better, an international big man has been named Defensive Player of the Year the last five seasons (Rudy Gobert three times, the Greek Freak twice). Last year, three of the five All-NBA First Team members were foreign-born (Jokic, Antetokounmpo and Luka Dončić.
More Curry: in 2015-16, Curry led the NBA in scoring, the Warriors won a record 73 games and Curry became the first - and still only - unanimous Most Valuable Player. He also joined the 50-40-90 club, meaning he shot 50-percent from the field, 40-percent from 3-point land, and 90-percent from the free throw line. Only 11 players have accomplished the 50-40-90 feat. Jordan and James are not on the list.
Jordan has 10 scoring titles, Curry has two, curiously James only one.
Curry has plenty of intangibles, which really don't count on the floor, but they're noteworthy. Curry's teammates apparently love him. Jordan's teammates feared him. James doesn't stick around with a team long enough for his teammates to form an opinion.
Curry appeared on Sesame Street this week. The lesson was the letter C. Curry hosted the ESPYs last week. Can you imagine Jordan hosting the ESPYs? If someone else won NBA Player of the Year, Jordan might punch him and go on for 15 minutes how he's better than that bum.
While Jordan and James are physical forces who out-muscled and overpowered their opponents, Curry wins with incredible shot-making and ball-handling wizardry. He's fearless and cocky, dazzling and entertaining. Above everything, he's a winner. Kids in the playground can dribble behind their back like Curry and attempt long-distance shots from the water fountain. Kids can't do what Jordan did and James does. They can't do what Curry does, either, but it's more fun to pretend. I'm not saying that Curry is the greatest player ever. I'm just saying he deserves to be in the discussion.
My final ranking: James is the greatest, followed by Jordan, Russell, Abdul-Jabbar, Magic, Bird, Chamberlain, then a little guy with a mouthguard hanging from his mouth named Curry.
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How Houston Rockets hold the cards for a franchise-changing summer
May 8, 2025, 5:45 pm
In Houston, the winning standard has been set so high that anything short of World Series contention now feels like failure. And yet, the 2025 Astros find themselves at an unfamiliar crossroads—caught between the fading brilliance of past stars and the uncertain promise of what comes next.
Jose Altuve is at the center of this issue. His early struggles (-0.5 WAR) may indicate more than just a temporary slump. And when he swung at the first pitch after Lance McCullers had just endured a grueling 33-pitch inning on Sunday, it raised a bigger question: who has the influence to talk to Altuve?
The Astros’ culture has long been praised for its accountability, but who inside the clubhouse has the standing to challenge or counsel Altuve or other vets when needed? With so many veteran voices gone, there’s a growing sense that no one does—and that’s a problem. That’s why the idea of bringing back Michael Brantley—not as a player, but as a respected voice—could make some sense. Brantley was always viewed as a quiet leader, and his presence could restore some of the guidance this roster desperately needs.
Batter up?
While the Astros have built a reputation for reviving pitchers' careers, their track record with hitters is far less impressive. There are few, if any, examples of a bat joining Houston and unlocking a new level. That failure in development becomes especially stark when considering how much they’re currently leaning on homegrown youth.
Which brings us to Zach Dezenzo. The 24-year-old rookie is showing he belongs—his .737 OPS makes him one of the more productive bats in a lineup that desperately needs stability while Yordan Alvarez nurses an injury. While Victor Caratini provides the Astros with the ability to switch hit, he's hitting just .217. Dezenzo should be starting every day in left, with Yordan out. Jose Altuve, who has already played too many innings this year, should be shifted to DH duties to ease his physical burden. The Astros should go with Cam Smith in right and keep Jake Meyers in center to round out the outfield.
GM Dana Brown has made clear that he views Dezenzo as a first baseman or left fielder for the future. So why not get him in the lineup while Yordan's out and see what he can do with consistent playing time?
Of course, losing Yordan Alvarez is always going to hurt. But the numbers tell a surprising story. Yordan currently holds a -0.4 WAR, right there alongside Altuve and Christian Walker as the only Astros with negative marks. On paper, the team hasn’t lost much production. But let’s not kid ourselves—Yordan’s mere presence alters how opponents pitch to this team. The lineup without him lacks fear factor, and the margins get razor-thin.
Speaking of margins, one move that may haunt this front office is the decision to sign Christian Walker. The veteran first baseman is hitting just .205 with a .617 OPS—far below the level expected from a player earning $20 million annually through 2027. Compare that to Jon Singleton, who posted better numbers in 2024 and currently boasts an .880 OPS in Triple-A with the Mets organization. Walker's defense is strong, but it's hard to argue that justifies the price tag. Singleton might not be a Gold Glover, or anything close, but he came much cheaper and was quietly more productive with the bat.
No regrets?
There’s also a broader question looming: if fans had known that Altuve’s massive contract extension would potentially cost the team the ability to re-sign current MVP candidates Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman, would they still have supported the deal? Hindsight is cruel, but with Altuve’s decline and Tucker and Bregman thriving, it’s a fair debate. Houston might have paid for the past instead of securing its future.
Big deals on the horizon?
All eyes now turn to owner Jim Crane. This winter, Houston's payroll will have considerable room to maneuver. But will Crane commit to restocking the lineup with All-Star-caliber bats, or will his reluctance to offer long-term deals keep the Astros stuck in a holding pattern? It’s one thing to let players walk. It’s another to fail to replace them.
The Astros still have the bones of a contender, but the road back to dominance is getting steeper. The team can’t simply rely on what used to work. It’s time for difficult conversations, bold lineup changes, and a rethinking of how this organization develops—and retains—offensive talent.
We have so much more to get to. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday!
*ChatGPT assisted.
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