"Further than gap between Kobe and Jordan": Former LeBron James teammate weighs in on Magic Johnson vs Steph Curry GOAT PG debate
The Magic Johnson vs. Steph Curry debate over who is the greatest point guard of all time has generated plenty of online conversation.
After Curry proclaimed himself as the greatest point guard of all time, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith controversially claimed that Michael Jordan texted him to weigh in. The situation only poured more fuel on the fire regarding the debate between Johnson and Curry, with more and more insiders weighing in.
One of the latest former NBA players to share his thoughts was none other than Channing Frye, who spoke with another former teammate of LeBron James, Richard Jefferson.
According to the two men, Curry doesn't want any smoke when it comes to comparing his stats to Magic Johnson's.
Frye said on the "Road Trippin'" podcast that Magic Johnson's stats are hard to comprehend:
"His stats are so astronomically wild. Like, the only rookie ever to get a Finals, like, MVP. Almost every single year, championship after championship. Like, Steph is that dude, but Steph ain't that dude. He ain't that. You ain't him."
Richard Jefferson said there's a considerable gap between Magic Johnson and Steph Curry in the debate. In fact, Jefferson believes the gap between the two is greater than Michael Jordan's lead over Kobe Bryant in the GOAT debate:
"Steph doesn't want that smoke, as great as Steph is. And Steph could make a claim. Magic Johnson, it's not even close. ... The gap between him and Magic is, in my opinion, further than the gap between Kobe and Jordan. In my opinion."
How Magic Johnson and Larry Bird built the NBA to what it is today
As Channing Frye pointed out, the famous battles between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird helped the NBA take its popularity to new levels. During the era in which the two men played, the league under David Stern continued to grow into a worldwide spectacle.
While Stern brought stability to the NBA, he also put a lot of focus on the stars, namely Bird and Johnson. As Channing Frye explained on the "Road Trippin'" podcast, their impact on the game certainly counts for something in the debate.
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"Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were the two most, next to Michael Jordan, or maybe you could make a case for the argument, are the two most influential people for the NBA in the history of its 79 years.
"The NBA players before Magic and Larry ... were not sniffing a million dollars. Magic and Larry built the NBA up to what it is now. And think about this, that rivalry still is deep-seeded in American history"
Of course, if Steph Curry were to capture a fifth NBA title, the debate could begin to swing more in his favor. As he said recently, he has no plans of slowing down any time soon, meaning another championship or two could be in the superstar's future.