Shaquille O’Neal explains why Stephen Curry is more influential than LeBron James.
LeBron James and Stephen Curry are the two greatest players of their generation, and while the former is regarded as the better player of the two, Shaquille O’Neal believes the latter beats him in one aspect. On the latest episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, O’Neal was asked if Curry is more influential than James.
“I think it’s part of the same,” O’Neal said. “LeBron was always there, but when Kobe was fading out, that’s when LeBron [took off]. And then you got Steph Curry [taking off]. Actually, I’mma go with Steph Curry is more influential because if you look at all f***ing basketball, it’s being played like Golden State Warriors now.”
It’s not completely accurate to state that every team plays like the Golden State Warriors, but Curry has helped usher in this three-point era. Teams are shooting more from beyond the arc than ever before, and that’s thanks to all the success he has had with the outside shot.
Curry certainly has been very influential, and O’Neal isn’t the only Hall of Famer who’d put him above James in that aspect. Paul Pierce went as far as to say that Curry’s influence is greater than that of LeBron, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Jordan.
Even James once called Curry one of the two most influential players he has ever seen, with Allen Iverson being the other. He believes the two of them changed the game and became the ones whom kids wanted to watch every night.
Shaquille O’Neal Wants Stephen Curry To Be Included In The GOAT Conversation
O’Neal has developed a reputation for hating on today’s players, but he has always been very complimentary towards Curry. So much so that he demanded fans put Curry in the GOAT conversation.
“As the supreme leader of the big man alliance, I demand you fans to start putting Steph Curry in that greatest of all time conversation. Just start putting him in the conversation. There’s Mike, there’s Kobe, there’s LeBron. Start putting Steph in that conversation. I demand it.”
“I played against Mike, played with Kobe, played against and with LeBron. They’re all great. But at some point, we’re going to have to put Steph Curry in that category. I’m not saying he is, but let’s just have the conversation.”
“I like all the internet talk and the barbershop talk, but I ain’t never seen nothing like that before, and nobody has. And how many thangs he got? One, two, three, four, against LeBron. I demand that people start putting my guy in that conversation, period.”
Curry has won four titles, a Finals MVP, two MVPs, and two scoring titles in his career. O’Neal isn’t proclaiming him the greatest ever, but wants him to be in that conversation.
Curry probably would have to win another title to be thrust into that conversation. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest players ever, but his resume still isn’t as great as that of Jordan and James.
For much of the first half of this 2024-25 season, it had seemed like Curry’s chances of winning another title with the Warriors were next to none. The team was floundering but has a new lease of life now following Jimmy Butler’s arrival.
The Warriors are currently fifth in the Western Conference with a 46-31 record and have won their last five games. They are now 19-4 in their last 23 games and look set to make a lot of noise in the playoffs.
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