Stephen Curry has pieced together a résumé to which few of even the greatest players can measure up. With MVP awards, championships, All-NBA selections, and a seemingly endless supply of seasons as a league leader, Curry combines accolades and influence in a truly unique manner.
Widely regarded as the second-best player of his generation, Curry can create a fascinating debate that may never cease to exist by adding one more title to his résumé.
The general consensus in the average NBA circle is that the top three players of the generation that's nearing its end are Curry, Kevin Durant, and LeBron James. James is considered to be a rival to Michael Jordan for the most common selection when labeling a player as the greatest of all time.
It's all subjective, and there's truthfully no way to even feign objectivity without ignoring other sources of context, but Curry winning another title would create a fascinating debate over who the best of this era truly is.
James' résumé is iron clad, no matter how badly those who oppose his greatness pretend it isn't. As such, it's difficult to envision a scenario in which Curry truly overtakes him with an admitted disadvantage as far as several accolades are concerned.
By winning another championship, however, Curry would create a fascinating entry into the cultural zeitgeist that would likely last for generations to come.
A fifth title would create generation-spanning Curry vs. LeBron debates
Curry will enter the 2025-26 season as a two-time MVP, one-time Finals MVP, four-time NBA champion, two-time scoring champion, and 11-time All-NBA honoree. He also led the Association in steals once and has ranked No. 1 in three-point field goals made per game in 10 different seasons.
That gives Curry quite an entry point to debates pertaining to his greatness in comparison to the few players who can call themselves his historical peers.
James admittedly has several advantages over Curry in some of those same areas. He leads Curry by two regular-season MVP awards, three Finals MVP honors, and nine All-NBA selections—massive gaps that could be utilized to begin and end a debate over who ranks higher all-time before it can begin.
One simply can't ignore how ring culture has permeated debates around the globe—and how one more title would give Curry five to James' four.
Both Curry and James have been surrounded by Hall of Fame talent and high-level role players who have helped make their championship success possible. Curry has played with the likes of Jimmy Butler, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson.
James, meanwhile, has been teammates with current and future Hall of Famers such as Chris Bosh, Anthony Davis, Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Dwyane Wade.
It's fair to question if one more championship would truly offset James' advantages in areas of individual accolades, but Curry's influence could be the great equalizer. Few have changed the way the game is played as dramatically as the Warriors' three-point supernova, whose mere style of play has inspired generations to follow.
With almost unrivaled influence, a winning head-to-head record in the NBA Finals, and one more title, Curry could create fascinating conversations about who ranks higher between himself and James.