What does Steph Curry still have to do for you to consider him the greatest?

[WarriorGM]

Back in 2021 Steph said "I have a lot to accomplish. I don't have anything to prove."

I will stress the word "accomplish" in the above. For some people I think they cannot think of Curry as being what I will term as "the best" in that he lacks the physical tools that they think are required to be the best. Curry in this view lacks potential that limits his upside whereas another player might have a higher upside. Hakeem for example I think is a player who some people think very highly of because he fits their idea of what the best player is supposedly like. But for the purposes of this discussion being the best is not necessarily the same as being the greatest. For this discussion being the greatest is a matter of achievement. A player in this view may have the highest potential and in that sense can be argued to be the "best" but without accomplishment it is just that: potential not greatness.

Curry may not be able to prove he is the best to some people but perhaps he can accomplish more to show he is the greatest.

What more do you think Steph needs to accomplish to consider him the greatest? Greater than Jordan, greater than Kareem, greater than Russell?

[Zvaart]

Oh, it's you again.

He is borderline top 10 per general perception. I have him around 11-13

You answer this: What can a declining player can do to overpass what he's done in his prime?

I'll cheat a little and tell you the answer: nothing.

It would take a miracle for this, and as we grown men know, there aren't such things as miracles.

[EvanZ]

If he wins a fifth title he’ll be top 3.

[Onus]

NGL if he wins a 5th it will be considered the Steph Curry era bar none and it's going to crush the Bron stans. I hope he does because I'm going to go hard on them Bron stans.

[CDM_Stats]

Overall (numerical) rankings of players across the sports existence are a great way to kill time with pointless arguing.. today is season tipoff. So I’ll say he’s generational, like a very small amount of players in NBA history, and hope the Warriors don’t come out flat against an aimless Portland team

[Jester_]

If he wins a fifth title he’ll be top 3.

This ^

I wish everyone (including our FO) would realize we are almost certainly never going to have a player this good again and we should stop wasting the last morsels of his career

[superunknown]

he has nothing more to prove to my eyes, he's already proved to me he's the best of this generation and this is enough any player can aim for. to be the best in his time. not 60 years ago or even 20 years ago, but during his time. regardless team and personal accomplishments, he changed the game forever, and this is something you can argue probably for just another player (MJ).
people tends to forget that this is a team sport at the end of the day, it's not tennis or golf. winning 5,6,11 championships requires not only your greatness but a lot of pieces to fall in the right place at the right time around you: teammates, coaching staff, injuries, draft year (look at the spurs with duncan), opponents, luck of course (there is no player o team in the history of any sport that has won anything being unlucky).
MJ for me is the greatest athlete of all time, not just basketball, but as great he has been since day one he entered the league, he didn't win jack**** until phil jackson got there and there were the right pieces around him (also lakers, celtics and pistons be at the end of their run). and he and his bulls were pretty lucky in terms of injuries during their 6 titles run, with the only exception of last title where pippen was badly hurt and could barely play in the final 2 games of the series against the jazz.
steph doesn't need to win a 5th title to cement his legacy, to me if he leads GS to a 5th title is just gravy.

[TB]

I've always felt there is a consensus like 12 or so guys that are almost universally considered the top 12 ever. And honestly, any argument on the order of the 1-3 and 4-12 shouldn't receive much debate because it's a toss up.

I look at it this way:

1-3 I have MJ, Lebron, Kareem. I can argue for days on why it's MJ, but if someone wants to argue LeBron or Kareem that's fine.

4-12 its too hard to determine era, positional importance, etc... I've got the following today, but honestly I could flip a handful of spots tomorrow because its interchangeable):

4. Steph
5. Magic
6. Kobe
7. Russell
8. Wilt
9. Bird
10. Shaq
11. Duncan
12. Hakeem

But you could literally flip these players in any order and it's kind of hard to do more than shrug and go "ya that could make sense". I'm a Steph homer so I have him as the one guy that I truly think has solidified a top 5 with a chance at going higher, but if someone has him 12 I'm not losing sleep over it.

Then every once in a while you have someone with KD, Moses, Oscar, West, Dr J etc creeping into that 12, but it's pretty consistently those guys.

TLDR, I don't expect it to happen, but if Steph was to have a healthy, MVP contending season that ends in another finals win, I think that 1-3 becomes a universal consensus 1-4 with Steph pretty consistently in the 4th spot (even if I already have flirting with that spot).

[CS707]

The greatest is so subjective that I don't really care. I care about the Warriors, and he's already climbed that mountain. I think he's probably the basketball player I've most enjoyed watching in my lifetime, for whatever that means to the conversation.

[whatisacenter]

greatest Warrior?

[clyde21]

the greatest what?

he's top 10 already but probably nothing he will do will even get him into top 5, let alone greatest convo.

[WarriorGM]

the greatest what?

he's top 10 already but probably nothing he will do will even get him into top 5, let alone greatest convo.

The greatest player to have played in the NBA.

Part of the reason I ask the question. Why not? What precludes him?

The general sense I get from some is that it would take a miracle for the Warriors to win this year. If a miracle is performed would that be enough for you to consider Steph as the greatest?

[HiRez]

the greatest what?

he's top 10 already but probably nothing he will do will even get him into top 5, let alone greatest convo.

The greatest player to have played in the NBA.

Part of the reason I ask the question. Why not? What precludes him?

The general sense I get from some is that it would take a miracle for the Warriors to win this year. If a miracle is performed would that be enough for you to consider Steph as the greatest?

If it's a series of performances similar to the Olympics where he puts the team on his back and drags them over the finish line, it would be damned impressive (albeit unlikely) and I think there would be an argument. I think that would put him in the top 5 for sure, GOAT is a tough hill to climb though (as it should be). Others at the top have had those kinds of performances many times as well.

[vvoland]

the greatest what?

he's top 10 already but probably nothing he will do will even get him into top 5, let alone greatest convo.

The greatest player to have played in the NBA.

Part of the reason I ask the question. Why not? What precludes him?

The general sense I get from some is that it would take a miracle for the Warriors to win this year. If a miracle is performed would that be enough for you to consider Steph as the greatest?

Win 2 more rings without a 2nd star joining the dubs. Impossible? No. Highly unlikely? yes. IF he got to 6 rings, in this era, with 4 of them coming with Dray as the sidekick, he'll be in the top 3 conversation with Mike and Bron. His defense would make it hard to really argue he's "better" than either of those 2 BUT he's had the biggest impact on the way the sport is played so that should count for something.

The much more likely scenario is that he stays at 4 rings and not even another MVP would seriously vault him much higher than the 7-15 range

[WarriorGM]

the greatest what?

he's top 10 already but probably nothing he will do will even get him into top 5, let alone greatest convo.

The greatest player to have played in the NBA.

Part of the reason I ask the question. Why not? What precludes him?

The general sense I get from some is that it would take a miracle for the Warriors to win this year. If a miracle is performed would that be enough for you to consider Steph as the greatest?

If it's a series of performances similar to the Olympics where he puts the team on his back and drags them over the finish line, it would be damned impressive (albeit unlikely) and I think there would be an argument. I think that would put him in the top 5 for sure, GOAT is a tough hill to climb though (as it should be). Others at the top have had those kinds of performances many times as well.

Miracles? No I don't think they are as common as you are suggesting. Or at least I'd like an example of a basketball miracle as a common baseline. Preseason odds for this team are +3000. Those would be the longest preseason odds of any championship team if they can win that I'm aware of. Does that qualify as a miracle?

By the way the 2015 Warriors won with +2800 preseason odds. I don't think people really get even now how special Steph has been.

[vvoland]

The greatest player to have played in the NBA.

Part of the reason I ask the question. Why not? What precludes him?

The general sense I get from some is that it would take a miracle for the Warriors to win this year. If a miracle is performed would that be enough for you to consider Steph as the greatest?

If it's a series of performances similar to the Olympics where he puts the team on his back and drags them over the finish line, it would be damned impressive (albeit unlikely) and I think there would be an argument. I think that would put him in the top 5 for sure, GOAT is a tough hill to climb though (as it should be). Others at the top have had those kinds of performances many times as well.

Miracles? No I don't think they are as common as you are suggesting. Or at least I'd like an example of a basketball miracle as a common baseline. Preseason odds for this team are +3000. Those would be the longest preseason odds of any championship team if they can win that I'm aware of. Does that qualify as a miracle?

By the way the 2015 Warriors won with +2800 preseason odds. I don't think people really get even now how special Steph has been.

+2800 and +3000 are in a very similar tier; both are around 3% implied probability. I would imagine our 21-22 weren't a ton better. In terms of basketball, I believe ATL and NOP winning their respective draft lotteries had much lower odds; somewhere in the <1% range.

[clyde21]

the greatest what?

he's top 10 already but probably nothing he will do will even get him into top 5, let alone greatest convo.

The greatest player to have played in the NBA.

Part of the reason I ask the question. Why not? What precludes him?

The general sense I get from some is that it would take a miracle for the Warriors to win this year. If a miracle is performed would that be enough for you to consider Steph as the greatest?

just doesn't have the raw volume and longevity of guys like LeBron and Kareem and not the athletic and two-way pop of an MJ. there is a ceiling for Steph all time unless something wild happens like win two more rings or something. it is what it is.

[WarriorGM]

If it's a series of performances similar to the Olympics where he puts the team on his back and drags them over the finish line, it would be damned impressive (albeit unlikely) and I think there would be an argument. I think that would put him in the top 5 for sure, GOAT is a tough hill to climb though (as it should be). Others at the top have had those kinds of performances many times as well.

Miracles? No I don't think they are as common as you are suggesting. Or at least I'd like an example of a basketball miracle as a common baseline. Preseason odds for this team are +3000. Those would be the longest preseason odds of any championship team if they can win that I'm aware of. Does that qualify as a miracle?

By the way the 2015 Warriors won with +2800 preseason odds. I don't think people really get even now how special Steph has been.

+2800 and +3000 are in a very similar tier; both are around 3% implied probability. I would imagine our 21-22 weren't a ton better. In terms of basketball, I believe ATL and NOP winning their respective draft lotteries had much lower odds; somewhere in the <1% range.

Well the chance of a 40% 3-point shooter to hit 4 consecutive threes is around 2.5% but something tells me that the odds of that randomly happening at the Olympics in the finals minutes of the gold medal game are lower.

[WarriorGM]

the greatest what?

he's top 10 already but probably nothing he will do will even get him into top 5, let alone greatest convo.

The greatest player to have played in the NBA.

Part of the reason I ask the question. Why not? What precludes him?

The general sense I get from some is that it would take a miracle for the Warriors to win this year. If a miracle is performed would that be enough for you to consider Steph as the greatest?

just doesn't have the raw volume and longevity of guys like LeBron and Kareem and not the athletic and two-way pop of an MJ. there is a ceiling for Steph all time unless something wild happens like win two more rings or something. it is what it is.

As I said I'm looking for possible accomplishments. The two rings thing is fine. Mentioning athleticism and two-way pop though is a sign of prejudice. Raw volume and longevity for me aren't accomplishments in themselves but are possible ingredients to one although there are those who do treat them as accomplishments in themselves.

[HiRez]

The greatest player to have played in the NBA.

Part of the reason I ask the question. Why not? What precludes him?

The general sense I get from some is that it would take a miracle for the Warriors to win this year. If a miracle is performed would that be enough for you to consider Steph as the greatest?

If it's a series of performances similar to the Olympics where he puts the team on his back and drags them over the finish line, it would be damned impressive (albeit unlikely) and I think there would be an argument. I think that would put him in the top 5 for sure, GOAT is a tough hill to climb though (as it should be). Others at the top have had those kinds of performances many times as well.

Miracles? No I don't think they are as common as you are suggesting. Or at least I'd like an example of a basketball miracle as a common baseline. Preseason odds for this team are +3000. Those would be the longest preseason odds of any championship team if they can win that I'm aware of. Does that qualify as a miracle?

By the way the 2015 Warriors won with +2800 preseason odds. I don't think people really get even now how special Steph has been.

Jeez dude, EVERYONE understands how great Steph is. That's why he's always mentioned as a top all-time player. But you're comparing him to Jordan, LeBron, Kareem, Magic, Duncan, and others. Those guys all have incredible resumes, they have all achieved amazing things, and in most cases things no other player ever did before them, and may not ever again. I'm not sure if I'd put Steph at THE top or not, but I know he's NEAR the top, that's enough for me.