Home

NBA

“Stephen Curry Is Not a PG”: 45YO Basketball Veteran Defends Isiah Thomas’ Bold Claim Amid Backlash

Published 03/14/2024, 12:30 PM EDT

Follow Us

via Getty

Stephen Curry‘s bold claim of being the best point guard in league history is once again up for debate. Various big names have given their two cents on who the greatest point guard of all time is. While some agree with Curry, others, including Chicago Bulls icon Michael Jordan, have publicly expressed their disapproval, inciting unpleasant reactions from fans on social media. 2x champ Isiah Thomas has also been facing the brunt for expressing his disapproval of Curry’s claims. However, another basketball veteran, Rashad Phillips, stepped in to support the Detroit Pistons legend.

Phillips took to his X account to share his thoughts on the matter. Showing support for Thomas’ opinion, Phillips wrote, “Isiah Thomas is right. Steph Curry is NOT a PG. We’ve been handicapped so long terminology wise when it comes to identifying styles and skill traits. Evolution is inevitable.” 

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

His comment came after one of the fans called out the basketball legend for his intellectual and strategic views of the sport expressed in his book, ‘Basketball Position Metric.’ 

Isiah Thomas Bolsters NBA’s Bond With $10.2 Billion Company Through Wholesome Visit

Previously, in an episode of ‘The Draymond Green’ Show, Thomas shared that Curry’s teammate Draymond Green is the “point guard” of the Golden State Warriors. Here is what went down on the show.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Isiah Thomas’ controversial comments on Stephen Curry

“On the Golden State Warriors, you are the point guard. You have more assists than Steph. Steph comes off screens, he catches and he shoots, and he is one of the greatest shooters ever,” explained Thomas about naming Green as the PG over Curry. However, he praised Curry for his unique style. He mentioned how the Warriors star has created a legacy for him by showing an unprecedented skill set and talent. But that has not been able to convince him.

Moreover, like Jordan, Thomas also seemed to believe that the Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson was the greatest point guard. He put four basketball legends: Johnson, Oscar Robertson, himself, and John Stockton over Curry. While the Pistons legend is confident about his choice, the young fans have also expressed their disapproval on the same. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Trending

Get instantly notified of the hottest NBA stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

While Thomas’ claims aren’t wrong, he fails to highlight the impact Curry has on the opposition. And with basketball having changed so drastically since Magic’s time, it is unfair to put them in the same boat. Today’s basketball is widely considered to be positionless, with players fulfilling their roles rather than a specific position’s roles. That wasn’t the case back in the day. This is an age-old debate that will likely never have a correct answer.

“Why Did We Ever Drop DeMarcus Cousins”: Warriors Fans In Utter Disbelief As Former All Star Finds His Groove For A Career High vs Stephen Curry and Draymond Green

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Pritha Debroy

1,192Articles

One take at a time

Pritha is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. After reporting on the luxurious lifestyle of celebrities for a year, she used that experience to cover the glamor side of the basketball world. She has expertly covered Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan's complicated love story and the lavish vacations of NBA superstars, among other off-court scoops.
Show More>

Edited by:

Pragya Vashisth