Steph Curry snubs Kobe Bryant & picks 5x NBA champion for his all-time starting 5
Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry revealed his all-time starting five during an interview with Dude Perfect's Tyler Toney on Saturday. The four-time champion made a surprising choice by leaving out LA Lakers icon Kobe Bryant.
Curry picked Michael Jordan at shooting guard instead, his longtime rival LeBron James at small forward, Spurs legend and five-time NBA champion Tim Duncan at power forward, four-time champion Shaquille O'Neal at center and himself at point guard.
The all-time lineup appeared balanced with decent spacing. While Kobe Bryant remains one of the game's greats, Michael Jordan is often regarded as the best player and shooting guard of all time, leaving little space for Bryant in many all-time starting fives.
Their similar playing styles and famous competitive spirits also make it difficult to include both in a hypothetical squad.
Although Bryant didn't find a spot in Curry's team, his longtime teammate Shaquille O'Neal made the cut.
"Shaq at the Center, Tim Duncan at the Power Forward, Bron at the 3, MJ at the 2, Me at the 1," Curry said.
Steph Curry considers himself the GOAT point guard
Having backed himself as the starting point guard for his all-time starting five, it is no surprise that Steph Curry considers himself the greatest point guard of all time. He made this clear during an appearance on the "Gil's Arena" podcast.
While talking with the former Wizards star, Curry confidently placed himself ahead of Hall of Famer Magic Johnson when asked about the best point guard in NBA history, despite acknowledging Magic’s immense legacy:
"Obviously, I have to answer it that way, but I really feel like Magic's resume is ridiculous," Curry said. "It's a place I never thought I'd be in. That's what basketball, that what's sports are all about. That's why people watch. That's why people get into heated debates about it. I love it."
"So, you put me on my own team, yeah, I'm gonna rep myself, for sure."
While many still consider Magic Johnson the GOAT point guard, Curry's confidence is well-founded.
Despite having played 24 games fewer than the Lakers legend, Steph Curry has already registered 4,005 more points.
While Magic has five championships, one more than Curry's total, the Warriors legend still has a few seasons left in him.