When constructing an all-time top five list of NBA players, most people figure to include Michael Jordan. From there, though, it gets murky. Even legends like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James might not fall into some fan’s top all-time quintet.
Wilt Chamberlain? Bill Russell? Magic Johnson? Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? Larry Bird? … Steph Curry?
Curry will start for Team LeBron in Sunday’s All-Star Game, which tips off at 5 p.m. PT. On Saturday at media day, a reporter asked the eight-time All-Star Curry if he’s working towards becoming a top five NBA player of all-time.
“That depends on who you're asking,” Curry said. “Everybody has a different top five list, just like you can argue certain guys that were left off the top 75 list and all that. So I don't really get into the rankings too much in terms of where you finish all time and all that because there's no law on that. But in terms of being in that conversation where realistically based on things you accomplish individually, championships, all the things that you play for in this league, once you build a resume like that, if you can just be in those type of conversations and get the respect from your colleagues, players that have played before, the different legends that know the game and have respect for the way that you play and what you've done, that's all that matters to me.”
Curry said he has appreciated interacting with the game’s greats over the years, including this weekend in Cleveland.
“Even coming here, you feel that love,” Curry said. “Like you see some of the – in the most respectful way – some of the old heads that go out of their way to compliment the way that you play and compliment your greatness and all that type of stuff and there's so much mutual respect there. That's all that matters at the end of the day to me, and hope to have the ability to continue to add to that resume as I keep going.”
Three championships. Eight All-Star Game invites. Seven All-NBA selections. Two MVPs. Two-time scoring champ. More than that, Curry has transformed the game by revolutionizing how 3-point shot is used around the league -- and around the blacktop.
Curry is 33 and still has plenty more to accomplish, starting with a possible second-half championship run. He’s always had his eyes set on grand goals and it doesn’t get much higher than this aspiration.
