There's no limit to the superlatives you can use for Stephen Curry's incredible basketball career. He's the greatest shooter this game has ever seen by a wide margin. He's the best off-ball scorer and playmaker in league history, creating more space for himself and teammates than anyone ever has.
Curry is a four-time NBA champion, two-time league MVP, 11-time All-Star and All-NBA, and one of the best 20 players to ever live. His 2022 playoff performance en route to his first Finals MVP was one of the most visually appealing and impressive runs by any NBA player, much less one that stands around six-foot-three.
That skinny kid out of Davidson has wreathed himself in glory throughout his 16-year career, known as not only a mythical shooter but the epitome of the face of a franchise. He's the ultimate leader and basketball player for his Golden State Warriors, and never shies away from crediting his organization and teammates for their tremendous success.
As we know, Steph also possesses an all-time great basketball IQ. His savviness on the floor is unmatched by many others, but he does give credit to two contemporaries for being the smartest players in NBA history.
Curry Credits Two Chief Rivals For Their Basketball Brains
Team USA Stephen Curry Steve Kerr
In an interview with Complex, Stephen Curry was asked about intelligence on the basketball court, and which players exhibit it best. Curry gave an interesting answer, not only providing two (or three) names, but laying out how they used their brains to contribute to winning basketball in unique ways.
Retired players like Magic Johnson, Bill Russell, and Kobe Bryant have been praised for their incredible basketball acumen, and how it translated to winning at the highest levels (21 championships between the three players). Others such as John Stockton and Jason Kidd are also often mentioned for their IQ, but Curry shouted out three active NBA legends for their smarts.
According to Curry, Chris Paul and LeBron James are the two smartest basketball players he's ever seen on the floor. Stephen also credits his running mate and fellow architect of the GS dynasty, Draymond Green, for his intelligence. Green was the leader of all four Warriors championship teams, and was an incredibly smart passer and defensive player during the dynasty (and still is).
Curry calls Paul and James the two smartest players in NBA history for some similar reasons, and some very different. For LeBron, Curry cites his uncanny ability to control the pace of a game in a way that's beneficial for his team. Although James is best-known for his Herculean frame, insane athleticism, and unbreakable durability, his brain may just be his best asset.
Bron's like the one that controls the tempo the greatest. CP is the one that, in every possession, he knows what he's trying to get out of it, and at his peak, he was just insane.
Many of James' former teammates consistently praise him for being able to control a game's flow by slowing it down and reading opposing defenses with a high level of detail. He's generated elite offense for two decades now by systemically hammering out the team's best advantages and directing his teammates.
No one diagnoses defensive plays better than James, who seems to have a photographic memory when it comes to game film.
As for Paul, Steph notes his unrelenting knowledge of the sport, its rules, and his opponents. CP3 is always the most prepared guy on the floor, whether that comes from knowing defensive gameplans, how to take advantage of inefficiencies in certain rules, or the strengths and weaknesses of opposing defenders.
He used all of this knowledge to forge a two-decade career in which his teams always had top-tier offenses because of his ability to squeeze every little drop out of each possession. Despite standing at just six-feet, Paul is arguably a top-five point guard of all-time.
James, Paul, and Curry Are 3 Defining Stars of This Generation
Chris Paul Steph Curry
It's fitting that Curry credits James and Paul for being the two greatest minds in league history. These three players, along with Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, and others, will define the 2010s era of NBA basketball with their greatness and competition.
Curry matched up with James in five playoff series (3-2), including four NBA Finals. He battled Paul three times in the postseason (2-1), including two iconic series between his Warriors and the Houston Rockets. James and Paul played just once, in the 2021 first-round, with CP3 emerging victorious.
These three players are some of the best and smartest guys to ever grace an NBA court. Their legacies will live forever, and it's nice to see them giving each other their due.