Basketball Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady recently shared his thoughts on Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry’s place among the NBA’s greatest players. In a social media post, McGrady explained why he didn’t include Curry in his personal top 10 list. “He hasn’t cracked my top 10 yet. In my opinion, if one of your teammates is eliminated and you can’t even make the playoffs, I can’t put you in my top 5 or my top 10,” McGrady said bluntly. McGrady, a seven-time NBA All-Star and one of the most dynamic scorers of his era, seems to place a high premium on playoff success when assessing a player’s overall greatness.
Despite Curry's unmatched shooting prowess and his individual accolades, which include four NBA championships, two MVPs and eight All-Star selections, McGrady believes Curry has fallen short in some areas. "I know Steph is one of the greatest shooters we've ever seen, but to me, it's about more than just individual stats and accolades," McGrady said. "When you're considered an all-time great, I think you have to constantly elevate your team to the highest levels, even when key pieces are missing." McGrady pointed to Curry's inability to lead the Warriors to the playoffs last season, when Klay Thompson was sidelined, as a big factor in his assessment. "If you're a top-five or top-4 player, I think you have to find a way to make your team play in the playoffs no matter what the circumstances are," he said.
During the 2022–2023 National Basketball Association season, star point guard Steph Curry appeared in 74 games during the regular season schedule. During those contests, Curry averaged a very impressive 26,4 points, 4,5 rebounds, and 5,1 assists per game. These numbers further cement Curry's status as one of the league's best players and most dominant offensive forces. Now in his 14th NBA season, the 35-year-old has firmly established himself as one of the greatest shooters the game has ever seen, with his unmatched accuracy from beyond the three-point arc transforming the strategic landscape of the sport.
However, not everyone has been quick to praise Curry’s accomplishments. Before last season, former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas stirred controversy by suggesting that Curry wasn’t a true “generational talent” — a claim that drew strong pushback from the player’s legions of devoted fans. Arenas, who made three All-Star teams during his own 12-year career, has argued that Curry’s success is more a product of the modern NBA’s emphasis on three-point shooting than any raw, transcendent ability. Regardless of such criticism, there’s no denying Curry’s sustained excellence and impact on the game. As the centerpiece of the Golden State Warriors dynastic, he led his team to four NBA championships while becoming one of the most recognizable and beloved figures in professional sports. With many more years ahead of him, the legacy of this all-time great point guard continues to grow with each passing season.
