"LeBron James’ conversation is about Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson" - Antoine Walker aggressively dismisses Steph Curry G.O.A.T talk, claims "there’s no conversation when it comes to LeBron James and Steph Curry"
Comparisons between LeBron James and Steph Curry have only gotten louder after the Golden State Warriors star won his fourth NBA title. Curry has now matched James’ title haul and could end up with more because of how the Bay Area team is constructed.
While basketball analysts are mostly content with a top-ten all-time designation for Curry, that label may change if wins more championships.
Former NBA player Antoine Walker bristled at the idea of putting the two superstars in the same category. Here’s what he had to say about the topic on an episode of "First Things First":
"I don’t understand why we’re having this type of discussion. When you think about LeBron James and Steph Curry, you don’t put them in the same category.
"LeBron James’ conversation is about Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, the top five players to ever play the game. If Steph Curry is able to win another title, he’ll definitely be in the top ten all time."
Walker further dismissed Curry’s GOAT credentials:
“There’s no conversation when it comes to LeBron James and Steph Curry of all-time players, no matter what Steph does.
"We’re talking about GOAT status. That’s Michael Jordan and LeBron. That’s where the conversation starts and stops. Steph is not in that type of category with those guys."
🤔“He’s an unbelievable player. One of the best players in the world, if not the best player in the world...I’m a fan of his.”
Michael Jordan weighs in on the “GOAT” debate & the comparisons between him & LeBron James.
Who do you think the GOAT is? 🐐🤔 https://t.co/l3R2c9W6TY
Although Curry has tied James’ NBA championship collection, the individual awards and numbers are firmly on the latter’s side.
The Warriors guard recently won his first finals MVP, while the LA Lakers’ do-it-all point-forward has amassed four.
6 years ago today, LeBron and the Cavs won the greatest championship in NBA history. https://t.co/wJ9LuSfoSo
In the 22 games that they met in the NBA Finals, Curry put up 25.4 points, 6.3 assists and 5.9 rebounds. He also shot 42.3%, including 39.7% from long range.
James, on the other hand, averaged 33 points, 11.5 rebounds and 9.3 assists. He hit 48.1% of his shots, including a respectable 34.9% efficiency from beyond the arc.
LeBron James played with a weaker supporting cast versus Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors
Steph Curry holds a 15-7 edge over LeBron James in NBA Finals games and a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. However, an argument could have been made that James didn’t have the kind of supporting cast that Curry had.
In 2015, James didn’t have Kevin Love in the championship round, while Kyrie Irving played only one game for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The following year, with both superstars healthy, Cleveland stunned the 73-10 Golden State with a comeback for the ages and won the 2016 title.
It's sad that some of y'all only learn to appreciate greatness way after it happens. Despite losing Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love to injuries, @KingJames almost carried the Cleveland Cavaliers to an NBA championship in 2015 vs a 67 win Golden State Warriors team. LeBron James= 🐐👑 https://t.co/xdMrbxFY6I
2017 and 2018 saw Kevin Durant jump ship and join the Golden State Warriors. With such firepower at their disposal, the Bay Area team ran away with titles in those two years. They won 4-1 in 2017 and blanked the Cavaliers 4-0 the next year.
I’m seeing a lot of people slandering Kevin Durant.
Let’s not forget that he’s a big part of this Warriors dynasty, and that there’s no need to go at him. @KDTrey5 https://t.co/6TFmjpbb9i
Curry’s window of winning more championships could extend for the next five years with how GM Bob Myers built the team. James’ opportunities could not be as promising as the LA Lakers have too many uncertainties and obstacles to overcome.
The comparisons between the two icons of the sport are bound to get more heated in the future.