The debate over who’s the greatest point guard in NBA history will continue to rage on, but a focal point of the conversation weighed in this week.
Stephen Curry is regularly pitted against Magic Johnson in the GOAT of point guards discussion, but the Warriors star voted for himself when asked point-blank by Gilbert Arenas on a recent episode of the “Gil’s Arena” podcast whether he thought he was the best point guard ever.
Curry paused for a brief second before turning to Arenas and responding, “Yes.”
As Arenas shook his head and silence filled the room, Curry slightly hedged his answer, adding, “I would have to — yes. It’s me and Magic.”
Arenas agreed and suggested Curry’s immense influence on the game as a reason the four-time champion might have an edge over Johnson.
“We can look at stats and try to judge,” he said. “I wasn’t around with Magic… I know there’s not a lot of 6-9 point guards… but I can witness and watch every kid trying to be Curry.”
Curry went on to share his thoughts on the debate between him and Magic.
“Obviously I have to answer that way. But to your point, Magic’s resume is ridiculous so the fact that we’re even having that conversation that’s a place I never thought I’d be in,” Curry said. “But to your point of how you grade it and the whole conversation, that’s why we have that conversation, it’s fun. And it’s measuring eras against each other. I love it.
“Put me on my own team, I’m going to rep myself for sure.”
It’s difficult to measure eras against each other, which is why some choose not to entertain such debates. But Draymond Green gave his perspective on the matter earlier this year on his podcast.
“If you watch those two play basketball, you probably wouldn’t say they’re the same position,” Green said in February. “… There’s someone that’s going to like the way Magic went about it because they’re like, ‘Oh, that’s more of a true point guard…’ And then there’s others that are going to appreciate Steph more because it’s like, ‘Man, look what he’s done at the position, scoring and how he affects the defense and all of that.’
“They’re both GOATs,” Green continued. “They are both the greatest point guards of their eras.”
That talking point was only one of several topics Curry discussed on the half-hour podcast.
Curry also sent a warning shot to the rest of the league, telling Arenas and listeners that the Warriors will be “the hunter not, not the hunted” this season.
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“This year’s the run,” Curry said.
It wasn’t so much a championship hangover that hampered the Warriors’ 2022-23 title defense, but rather their once-strong championship culture had been ruptured by a preseason punch and players being frustrated with playing time.
After an up-and-down season ended in an early playoff exit, the Warriors have retooled their roster in an attempt to capitalize on Curry’s prime. Golden State will return its four-time championship core of Curry, Green and Klay Thompson as well as former rival Chris Paul, whom the Warriors acquired in a trade that sent Jordan Poole, Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Ryan Rollins to the Washington Wizards.
