Bleacher Report ranked Steph Curry as the 10th-best NBA player of all time and Magic Johnson the fourth-best in an article published Monday, and Jeff Teague wasn’t having it.
The retired 12-year veteran explained Wednesday on his “Club 520” podcast why the Warriors legend should be ranked above the Los Angeles Lakers icon and considered the game’s greatest point guard.
“I’m taking Steph over Magic Johnson,” Teague said. “I know Magic saved the league — him and Larry Bird saved the NBA — I get it. So there’s no disrespect. Magic made it cool to be a big point guard. But Steph saved everybody.
“Steph is the best PG of all time. [Johnson] was cold. He backed people down. He deserves to be in the top 10. But he should be 10; [Johnson and Curry] could switch. What he did at 6-foot-3, bro. Like, think about Magic Johnson. He was going to be able to play anyway because he’s 6-foot-9 — could’ve played center, he could’ve played anywhere.”
Teague saw Johnson as an electric, versatile facilitator who helped save the NBA alongside Bird in an era that needed big-time stardom and rivalry. But Teague simply sees Curry as a world-changer.
Curry changed basketball forever with his 3-point prowess. He has made 4,058 triples over 16 regular seasons and still is going. Johnson, in his day, made just 325 over 13 campaigns, after the NBA introduced the 3-point line during his rookie 1979-80 season.
“I think that Steph Curry changed the game in a way where he made it beneficial for the world,” Teague said. “If you can shoot just half as good as Steph Curry, you can be in the NBA. Magic is still cold because he can play any position. If he were a four-man today, he’s cold; he’d be another version of Draymond Green, all these guys that can play point guard [and] forward.”
Teague’s argument is a good one. Though, the retired veteran added that he would take Curry over Johnson in a hypothetical one-on-one matchup.
“Have you ever seen Magic Johnson move? He had no chance in hell guarding Steph Curry,
Teague humorously added. “And Steph’s liable to get 60. I mean, he’s shooting that [3-point shot]; I’ll take my chances with him shooting all 2s.”
Boom.
The Curry-Johnson debate probably will live forever. But Teague’s stance is hard to refute.
Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast
