The Athletic NBA Daily Should Steph Curry be a top 10 player? - Episode 5 Basketball 100
Aug 26, 2025
Join Jay King, who covers the Boston Celtics, and Kelly Iko, the Houston Rockets correspondent, as they dive deep into the debate on Steph Curry's legacy. The duo explores the ranking of basketball legends, including Shaquille O'Neal and Larry Bird, while emphasizing the impact of both iconic and unsung players. They dissect the criteria for greatness, weighing peak performances against historical context, and discuss whether recent trends in performance affect legacy. It's a spirited conversation that challenges listeners' perceptions of NBA history!
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Episode notes
Project Focus On On-Court Impact
- The Basketball 100 project isolates on-court achievements and ranks players by basketball impact rather than personality.
- The episode focuses on players 19–5 to debate placement based on peak, longevity, and influence.
KD's Quiet Dominance
- Kelly Iko names Kevin Durant as a player who excites her because his pure scoring and 17-season consistency stand out.
- She argues Durant is often underrated due to off-court drama despite an all-time scoring pedigree.
Shaq's Peak Is Disproportionately Powerful
- Jay King argues Shaquille O'Neal's peak was uniquely dominant and hard to place purely by accolades.
- Shaq's Finals stretches (35/15 range) make his peak feel historically unstoppable despite fewer MVPs.
