Stephen Curry is easily the greatest shooter to ever step on an NBA court, and his four titles and sustained excellence give him a very real case to be considered a top-ten player ever.
It's generally agreed that the three best players in league history are Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. After that, things get messy, but fans can reasonably place Curry anywhere between 4-15, although most would have him hovering around the tenth best ever.
However, one former player who had to go against Curry on multiple occasions is quick to name him one of--if not the--very best players ever.
"I would consider him the best ever," said Victor Oladipo on *The Inner Court*podcast. "I would consider him that because he's supposed to be playing golf. If you really look at him, he's supposed to be playing golf."
Curry is a very good amateur golfer and is a fixture of charity tournaments. One of the reasons why he has widespread appeal is thanks to a misrepresentation of his game: not everyone understands the levels of work he's put in, and his skillset as a shooter is much more relatable than that of LeBron James.
People can catch fire and make some 3s in a rec league, but no one is throwing down dunks like James, although Curry's influence goes well beyond driveway games. Everyone wants to play like him.
"He's changed the game completely," continued Oladipo. "I got to consider you one of the greats if you change the game like that, change the way that we play."
Related: Ex-Grizzlies Star Reveals Why Jimmy Butler May Have Preferred Golden State Warriors Trade
In the last ten seasons, the league has seen more 3-point shots taken than ever before and Curry's influence on the league rivals players who might have been more talented.
Check out the Inside the Warriors homepage for more news, analysis, and must-read articles.
Related: Jimmy Butler's Candid 'Heat Culture' Message Before Warriors Play in Miami
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This story was originally published March 24, 2025 at 6:59 PM.
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