Stephen Curry believes he’s the best player in the world
Who’s the best basketball player in the world? Stephen Curry would like to interject.
In an interview with TIME this week, Curry, the reigning NBA MVP and leader of the defending champion Golden State Warriors was asked, point-blank, if he was the best player in the world. He thought so.
“In my mind, yes,” Curry said. “That’s how I have confidence out there that I can play at a high level every night. I don’t get into debates, arguing with people about why I am versus somebody else. I feel like anybody who’s at the level I’m trying to be at, if you don’t think that when you’re on the floor, then you’re doing yourself a disservice.”
• BALLARD: The evolution of Curry | SI’s top NBA moments of 2015
That discussion has largely centered around LeBron James for the past decade or so, with Kobe Bryant part of the discussion in the earlier end of that timeframe. But Curry’s performance not only last season, but in fueling the Warriors to an NBA-record start in 2015–16 and managing to improve his own numbers (his scoring is currently up eight points per game from his MVP level) has made his case hard to ignore.
Classic photos of SI NBA Player of the Year Stephen Curry
Classic Photos of Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry
Courtesy of the Curry Family
Stephen Curry
Courtesy of the Curry Family
Stephen Curry
Courtesy of the Curry Family
Stephen Curry
Courtesy of the Curry Family
Stephen Curry
Courtesy of the Curry Family
Stephen Curry and dad Dell
Courtesy of the Curry Family
Stephen Curry and Donny McLendon
Chuck Burton/AP
Stephen Curry and Gerald Henderson
Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
Stephen Curry
John Biever
Stephen Curry
John Biever
Stephen Curry with parents Dell and Sonya
Michael J. LeBrecht II
Stephen Curry
Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images
Stephen Curry
John W. McDonough
Stephen Curry and DeAndre Jordan
Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images
Stephen Curry and DeMarcus Cousins
Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
Stephen Curry
Jeff Siner/Charlotte Observer/MCT via Getty Images
Stephen Curry, David Lee and Andrew Bogut
Jeff Chiu/AP
Stephen Curry, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Brendan Haywood
Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
Stephen Curry
Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
Stephen Curry and Tim Duncan
John W. McDonough
Stephen Curry
Jed Jacobsohn
Stephen Curry
John W. McDonough
Stephen Curry and Mo'ne Davis
Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
Stephen Curry and Adam Silver
John W. McDonough
Stephen Curry and Mike Conley
Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images
Stephen Curry and daughter Riley
Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images
Stephen Curry
John W. McDonough
Stephen Curry and LeBron James
Paul Sancya/AP
Stephen Curry and J.R. Smith
Greg Nelson
Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, Leandro Barbosa, Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green
John W. McDonough
Stephen Curry
Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images
Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Stephen Curry and grandmother Candy Adams
Chris Keane
Stephen Curry
John Biever
Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson
Walter Iooss Jr.
Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson
Walter Iooss Jr.
Stephen Curry
Eric Risberg/AP
Stephen Curry
David E. Klutho
You can read the rest of Curry’s wide-ranging interview, touching on his career, family and other topics, here.
• GOLLIVER: Curry’s most memorable moments of 2015 | Open Floor
- Jeremy Woo
