Gilbert Arenas is keeping the Golden State vibes going on his podcast.
After hosting Andre Iguodala last week, The “Gil’s Arena” show invited Steph Curry to join in an episode that was published on Monday.
Despite his known humility, Curry didn’t hold back when he was asked by Arenas if he’s the “best point guard ever.”
“Yes. It’d have to be yes,” Curry said after a brief delay. “Me and Magic (Johnson), is that the conversation?”
Steph is 35 now and appears to still be in his prime, so his resume is incomplete. For now, he’s got four rings, two MVPs, a Finals MVP, nine All-Star bids, two scoring titles and the all-time record for 3-pointers.
Magic, meanwhile, has a Hall of Fame jacket, five rings, three MVPs and 12 All-Star bids. While Magic’s rivalry with Larry Bird in the late 1970s and 80s elevated the sport to a completely different level, Arenas thinks Steph’s impact on the game has been greater.
“We can look at stats all day and try to judge,” Arenas said. “I know there’s not a lot of 6-9 point guards. But I can witness and watch every kid trying to be Curry. It’s like the influence you had on the game from your position as a player. I look at the stats and I say, ‘OK, Magic and Curry.’ When I look at the kids and I watch AAU it’s like, ‘Nah.’”
“Obviously, I have to answer that way,” Curry said. “But I really feel like, Magic’s resume is ridiculous. The fact that we’re even having that conversation is a place that I thought I’d never be in. But to your point like how you grade and the whole conversation, that’s why we have the conversation because it’s fun. It’s measuring eras against each other. That’s what basketball and sports is all about. That’s why people watch. That’s why people get in heated debates about it. I love it. Put me on my own team, I’m gonna rep myself for sure.”
Recency bias is real, but it’s hard to argue with how Curry has changed the game of basketball since entering the league in 2009. And he’s not done. Perhaps this is a conversation and debate we should revisit when Curry’s career is finally over.
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