Audacious Claim Puts Stephen Curry Behind Nikola Jokic as Past Controversy Resurfaces

When two forces of nature collide, one overpowers the other. That is the law of the universe, and you cannot escape it. But what if I told you that something similar happens in the cosmos of basketball? We’ve experienced the age of the greatest in every era. From Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to the mid-80s, witnessing the rise of young Jordan, challenging Larry Bird, and then there was a transition when Kobe and Shaq dominated to keep fans debating on who’s the best. The league continued its rituals, and LeBron walked in next, and Stephen Curry followed. But every legacy turns into a debate, and this did too.

The truth lies in the fact that Curry and LeBron ruled the NBA for the longest time. Two forces of nature from the cosmos of basketball. When they played, no one stole the show; it wasn’t easy, impossible, to say the least. But then something changed in 2014, a small shift in the fiber of the NBA. Entered in the debate a Serbian.

Stephen Curry vs. Nikola Jokic: A fiery debate

A player whose draft moment felt so unimportant to the broadcasters that Taco Bell advertisements showed up instead. However, that ‘unimportant’ hooper, who was supposedly just another name in the league, the 41st pick of the 2014 draft, turned out to be one of the greatest players in the making. Yes, Nikola Jokic, the pretentiously laidback 3x MVP. The heart and soul of the Denver Nuggets. And a storm no one saw brewing in stoicism and silence.

Therefore, someone asked Jason Timpf on Hoops Tonight about his thoughts on his claims that Stephen Curry is the second-best offensive engine of all time after Jokic. Does this mean he thinks the Joker is better than Steph as a basketball player, but that Steph’s accolades make him higher all-time? The simple answer is yes. Timpf shared his thoughts: “That’s exactly where I’m at right now. I think Jokic’s peak is higher than any peak of Steph’s career, but Steph’s overall accomplishments in the NBA are so much greater at this point that you have to have Steph above Jokic on all-time lists.” 

Nikola Jokic may have three MVPs and a ring, but Steph Curry turned basketball into a cultural revolution. Eleven All-Star nods, four titles, two MVPs, a Finals MVP, and a resume sprinkled with scoring crowns, steal titles, and three-point fireworks. While Jokic builds brilliance in Denver, Curry lit a global fuse. One reinvented the center spot. The other? He reinvented the game. That’s the Curry difference. Legendary, loud, unstoppable.

Timpf continued: “I thought Jokic staked his claim as the best player in the world in that 2023 playoff run. But just compared to the best players in NBA history, he wasn’t quite as reliable getting separation and creating shots for himself at the end of games. I think that was just kind of a ceiling difference between Steph and Nikola Jokic.” 

Nikola Jokic danced through the 2022-23 playoffs with 30 points, 13.5 boards, and 9.5 assists a night across 20 games, sealing his first title and Finals MVP. Yet, as Jason Timpf sees it, while Jokic ruled the run, he lacked that late-game shot-creation punch. That’s where Curry edges him. Moreover, four rings speak louder than peaks. Even if you strip away the two titles Steph snagged with a superteam, he still stands on a mountain Jokic has yet to climb. One ring, 3 MVPs, and a Finals MVP are shiny, sure, but Jason Timpf makes it clear—Jokic needs more jewelry. Until then, the Baby-Faced Assassin keeps dancing ahead in the all-time greatness parade.

Now, this debate that Jason Timpf triggered has brought back an age-old, controversial debate. The podcast host believes that Curry has played with some of the greatest players at the Golden State Warriors. And that’s because of the dream team consisting of Kevin Durant, the 37-year-old super point guard has two consecutive rings from 2017 and 2018. How true is this fact? Well, we’re yet to know, but it’s never too late to dig in!

Kevin Durant is the reason why Curry has more rings

“The last time I did these rankings, I had Steph ahead of Larry Bird. I have Steph very high in terms of his all-time accomplishments,” Jason Timpf noted. “The big one for me is he literally played alongside the greatest player to play the game — in my opinion, at worst the second-best — and he was just barely below him. That’s the kind of claim to fame for Steph Curry in this era.”

Championship rings come with stories, and Stephen Curry’s are dripping with plot twists. Sure, he teamed up with Kevin Durant for two dazzling titles, but let’s rewind. Before the superteam shimmer, Steph already led a revolution, toppling seasoned giants with swagger and splash. Critics love to hang their hats on KD’s arrival, but that ignores the foundation Curry laid before the Slim Reaper ever touched Bay soil.

Now, imagine a fifth ring. Suddenly, the narrative flips. Curry outpaces LeBron James, ties Kobe Bryant, Magic, and Duncan, and climbs into the VIP section of NBA royalty. But the magic lies in the how. Titles before, with, and after KD. If another one comes, it would prove his greatness isn’t propped by star power—it thrives through eras, egos, and evolution.

While Nikola Jokic is enjoying his business trip in China, the Curry conversation rages louder than ever. Rings, revolutions, rivalries—Steph has checked every box and torched a few along the way. Jokic may own the paint, but Curry owns the moment. And if that fifth ring lands? History won’t whisper his name. It’ll scream it through every arena forever.