Is Curry top 5 all time?

[Kernewek]

Russell
MJ
Magic
Bird
Lebron
Kareem
Wilt

I think that's my definitive top-7, in no particular order.  Nobody is breaking into that list any time soon.

Yeah, it's hard to argue against those 7. I've also got Duncan, Hakeem, and Oscar definitely ahead of Curry, no question, so Curry doesn't make my top 10.

I think the interesting question is who ranks higher: Curry or Durant?

By the resume, I think Curry edges ahead of Durant. More league MVP's, more championships, a transformational player... but when they played together, both in their primes, Durant was clearly better. Durant walked on to Curry's team and won 2 FMVP's. The second one was particularly impressive because everyone was dying to give it to Steph but they couldn't because of how much better Durant was.

So what do you do? Look at the entire career or look at the clearest possible comparison you couldn't ever make between 2 players and trust what happened?

I think for an all-time list it's only natural to consider the span of someone's career, but usually these comparisons don't happen with two players who have overlapped as much as KD and Curry.

[aefgogreen]

I have him in my Top Ten

Jordan
Russell
Kareem
LeBron
Duncan
Magic
Bird
Kobe
Curry
Wilt

[Celtic Fan Forever]

I have him in my Top Ten

Jordan
Russell
Kareem
LeBron
Duncan
Magic
Bird
Kobe
Curry
Wilt

No Shaq?

[Goldstar88]

Wonder how good Curry would have been if he played in the 80?s, 90?s or early 2000?s when players were actually allowed to play defense. I remember listening to an Interview with Allen Iverson earlier this year and AI said that he would average 40ppg if he played in todays NBA. 

[Csfan1984]

I'd say top 5 PG all time is a lock. Top 10 all time player is hard because he lacks defense. I'd go top 15 for Curry and I'd put him above Kobe in Shaq even though I feel the later two have more talent and better rounded. Curry's shooting has just been that good while Shaq and Kobe were too selfish at times. Ironically my current top 15 are also in order to make three teams. My shocker is I have Giannis at 15.

First team-Jordan, Wilt, LeBron, Magic, Bird
Second team-Russell, Kareem, Oscar, West, KD
Third team-Curry, Duncan, Kobe, Shaq, Giannis

If I was constructing a team out of those 15 I'm going Jordan, Bird, Russell, Curry, Giannis. Best overall player, two snipers and two mobile defensive juggernauts.

[aefgogreen]

I have him in my Top Ten

Jordan
Russell
Kareem
LeBron
Duncan
Magic
Bird
Kobe
Curry
Wilt

No Shaq?

Nope, I think the other players accomplished more.  But yes, you could make the case for Shaq.

[Donoghus]

I don't think Kobe's top 10. But neither is Curry.

[tenn_smoothie]

Russell
MJ
Magic
Bird
Lebron
Kareem
Wilt

I think that's my definitive top-7, in no particular order.  Nobody is breaking into that list any time soon.

Good list though I have this involuntary gut wrench when I see Lebron's name because I consider him to be competitively inferior.
Undeniable pure talent/athleticism, but like Phil Jackson, he has always looked for a ready-made winner to jump aboard.

I think it's a bit more forgivable for coaches for two reasons.
One - you're only going to be as successful as your roster allows you to be, and two - different coaches get the most out of different rosters.

Stevens is a good example of point two: a great coach for getting the most out of 'underdog'-level players and teams, not the best coach for leading a roster with the talent to contend for a title.

Red didn't hop around the league signing on to coach the best team in the 50's when his Celtics couldn't quite get over the hump - he just got to work and built the dynasty team of the late 50's/60's along with two other championship groups in the 70's and 80's. Yeah, yeah, I know, different era with less teams. But I've never had much respect for Phil Jackson, who, apparently with no shame, admitted he considered the Cavaliers job when Lebron was young, but did not think they were ready to win a title. He always let someone else do the hard work of developing a young team until he could step in and replace that coach and win titles. Of course, we saw what happened when he did attempt the GM job in New York - he was a disaster. I always laugh when I hear him whining about the Celtics years later, claiming, "We didn't have any trouble with Boston when I played for the Knicks." Oh No ? Your teams, of which you were a rotation player at best, finally beat the Celts in the 1973 ECF after our second best player was knocked out from a game 2 shoulder injury. Of course, the next season, the healthy Celts took Jackson's team out 4-1 in the ECF. Jackson was also the loser a couple of times to Bill Russell's aging Celtic champions of the late 60's.

[tenn_smoothie]

Speaking of Top 5 all-time, I always include Bill Russell and possibly put him at #1 for the following reason.
We always include the all-time top offensive players in the GOAT discussions, Jabbar, Lebron, Jordan, Wilt come to mind. But it seems to me that preventing a basket is every bit as important as scoring one. Russell is the greatest defensive player of all time, probably the second greatest rebounder and clearly the all-time winner in basketball history. He was a very good scorer when he needed to be, 30 points (with 40 rebounds) in the 1962 game 7 win over the Lakers is one example. His excellence in the most important performance categories in the game, along with his 11 NBA titles, 2 NCAA titles and Olympic gold medal, have not been equalled by anyone in the game.

[Kernewek]

Russell
MJ
Magic
Bird
Lebron
Kareem
Wilt

I think that's my definitive top-7, in no particular order.  Nobody is breaking into that list any time soon.

Good list though I have this involuntary gut wrench when I see Lebron's name because I consider him to be competitively inferior.
Undeniable pure talent/athleticism, but like Phil Jackson, he has always looked for a ready-made winner to jump aboard.

I think it's a bit more forgivable for coaches for two reasons.
One - you're only going to be as successful as your roster allows you to be, and two - different coaches get the most out of different rosters.

Stevens is a good example of point two: a great coach for getting the most out of 'underdog'-level players and teams, not the best coach for leading a roster with the talent to contend for a title.

Red didn't hop around the league signing on to coach the best team in the 50's when his Celtics couldn't quite get over the hump - he just got to work and built the dynasty team of the late 50's/60's along with two other championship groups in the 70's and 80's. Yeah, yeah, I know, different era with less teams. But I've never had much respect for Phil Jackson, who, apparently with no shame, admitted he considered the Cavaliers job when Lebron was young, but did not think they were ready to win a title. He always let someone else do the hard work of developing a young team until he could step in and replace that coach and win titles. Of course, we saw what happened when he did attempt the GM job in New York - he was a disaster. I always laugh when I hear him whining about the Celtics years later, claiming, "We didn't have any trouble with Boston when I played for the Knicks." Oh No ? Your teams, of which you were a rotation player at best, finally beat the Celts in the 1973 ECF after our second best player was knocked out from a game 2 shoulder injury. Of course, the next season, the healthy Celts took Jackson's team out 4-1 in the ECF. Jackson was also the loser a couple of times to Bill Russell's aging Celtic champions of the late 60's.

Good points, and Red was very much a cut above, but even then - what happens if Russell doesn't get traded for the Ice Capades? We probably remember the 60's Celtics very differently.

[Who]

Is Jokic top 15 yet?

3 MVPs. Title winner.

I always think of Jokic as a 6-11 280lb version of Larry Bird. Those two guys are so similar to my mind.

[tonydelk]

I read an article that said he was but I don't think he's even top 20. Here's a list of players I feel are better and that's just off the top of my head:

Bill Russell

Michael Jordan

Larry Bird

Magic Johnson

Rick Barry

Wilt Chamberlain

Kevin McHale

Julius Erving

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Shaquille O'Neal

Jerry West

Hakeem Olajuwon

Kevin Durant

Kevin Garnett

Tim Duncan

Elgin Baylor

Oscar Robertson

Kawhi Leonard

Nikola Jokic

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Kobe Bryant

Lebron James

He's definitely a top 5 shooter but not overall player.  Curry is an amazing player and one of the best to ever do it just not top 5.  The ESPN 75th anniversary team had him at #16 ahead of Dirk, Jerry West, Giannis, KG, Barkley, Baylor, Malone etc.  I think he should be before the mailman at #23 right after Sir Charles.

[Roy H.]

I read an article that said he was but I don't think he's even top 20. Here's a list of players I feel are better and that's just off the top of my head:

Bill Russell

Michael Jordan

Larry Bird

Magic Johnson

Rick Barry

Wilt Chamberlain

Kevin McHale

Julius Erving

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Shaquille O'Neal

Jerry West

Hakeem Olajuwon

Kevin Durant

Kevin Garnett

Tim Duncan

Elgin Baylor

Oscar Robertson

Kawhi Leonard

Nikola Jokic

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Kobe Bryant

Lebron James

He's definitely a top 5 shooter but not overall player.  Curry is an amazing player and one of the best to ever do it just not top 5.  The ESPN 75th anniversary team had him at #16 ahead of Dirk, Jerry West, Giannis, KG, Barkley, Baylor, Malone etc.  I think he should be before the mailman at #23 right after Sir Charles.

I think Barkley over Malone is an argument in its own right.  Barkley was my favorite non-Celtic for years, but I have Malone over him.

[Donoghus]

I think Barkley over Malone is an argument in its own right.  Barkley was my favorite non-Celtic for years, but I have Malone over him.

Definitely a tough debate. I have a hard time with Malone.  He's proved to be such a horrible human being that's its tough for me not to have a bias against him.

[Roy H.]

I think Barkley over Malone is an argument in its own right.  Barkley was my favorite non-Celtic for years, but I have Malone over him.

Definitely a tough debate. I have a hard time with Malone.  He's proved to be such a horrible human being that's its tough for me not to have a bias against him.

Yeah.  I feel similarly about Ty Cobb in baseball.  How do you give a proper ranking to somebody who was completely vile?