The debate never really ends. It simmers in barbershops, rages on sports talk radio, and spills across social media timelines every time a legend retires or a new star emerges. Who belongs in the NBA’s pantheon? Who are the greatest of all time?
This week, a Hall of Famer weighed in. And his answer is shaking up the conversation.
Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd — a legend in his own right, a point guard who saw the game from angles most players never will — appeared on the Dan Patrick Show and was asked to list his all-time top five. He didn’t hesitate. He didn’t hedge. He didn’t reach for the usual suspects from the 1980s and 1990s.
He started with Michael Jordan at number one. Then LeBron James. Then Kobe Bryant.
Then came the curveball.
“And then if you had to end it today, it would be Joker and Steph.”
Nikola Jokić and Stephen Curry. Two active players. Two superstars still adding to their legacies in real time. Two players who have fundamentally changed the way basketball is played.
Kidd placed them ahead of Kevin Durant. Ahead of Tim Duncan. Ahead of Shaquille O’Neal. Ahead of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, whom he placed in his top 15 but not his top five.
That is not a casual take. That is a statement.
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For Warriors fans, it is validation of what they have known for years. Stephen Curry is not just the greatest shooter in NBA history. He is one of the greatest players, period. His four championships, two MVP awards, and revolutionary impact on the game have earned him a seat at the table with the absolute icons of the sport.
For the rest of the league, it is a reminder that the debate is shifting. The old guard is giving way. And Curry’s place in history is becoming harder to deny.
Let’s break down Kidd’s comments, the case for Curry as an all-time top-five player, and why this matters for the Warriors as they navigate a pivotal offseason.
Before we dive into the rankings, let’s establish why Jason Kidd’s opinion carries weight.
Kidd is a Hall of Famer. He was named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team. He is a 10-time All-Star, a five-time All-NBA First Team selection, and a nine-time All-Defensive Team member. He led the New Jersey Nets to back-to-back NBA Finals. He won a championship with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011.
He knows greatness because he played against it. He matched up with Michael Jordan. He battled LeBron James. He went head-to-head with Kobe Bryant. He saw Tim Duncan’s quiet dominance up close. He felt the force of Shaquille O’Neal in the post.
And then he became a coach. He has coached LeBron in Los Angeles. He has coached Luka Dončić in Dallas. He has seen the game from the sidelines as well as the floor.
When Jason Kidd speaks about basketball, he speaks from experience. He is not a hot-take artist trying to generate clicks. He is a serious student of the game offering a serious opinion.
That is why his top-five list matters. And that is why his inclusion of Curry and Jokić is so significant.
Let’s look at Kidd’s list in full.
1. Michael Jordan: The gold standard. Six championships. Five MVP awards. The most competitive player to ever live. No argument.
2. LeBron James: Four championships. Four MVP awards. The all-time leading scorer. Unmatched longevity. A legitimate case for number one.
3. Kobe Bryant: Five championships. One MVP award. An assassin. The closest thing to Jordan basketball has ever seen.
4. Nikola Jokić: Three MVP awards (and counting). One championship. A Finals MVP. A center who has redefined what the position can be.
5. Stephen Curry: Four championships. Two MVP awards (including the first unanimous MVP in NBA history). The greatest shooter ever. A player who changed the game more than anyone since Jordan.
That is Kidd’s top five. Four of them are widely accepted as top-ten all-time players. Jokić is the most recent addition, but his resume is already staggering. Curry’s resume has been debated for years — but Kidd’s inclusion puts him firmly in the conversation.
Let’s make the case for Stephen Curry as an all-time top-five player.
Argument 1: Championships. Four NBA titles. That is not a fluke. That is not luck. That is sustained excellence. Only a handful of players have won more; only a handful have won as many while being the unquestioned best player on their team.
Argument 2: Unanimous MVP. In 2016, Curry became the first and only player in NBA history to win the MVP award unanimously. Not even Jordan. Not even LeBron. That is a level of dominance that separates him from almost everyone who has ever played.
Argument 3: Changed the game. Basketball before Curry and basketball after Curry are different sports. The three-point revolution is his doing. Every team now shoots threes at a volume that would have been unimaginable a decade ago. That is not just greatness — that is legacy.
Argument 4: Longevity. Curry is 38 years old and still one of the most impactful players in the league. His prime lasted longer than most superstars. His decline has been gradual, not sudden. He is still feared. He is still respected. He is still Steph.
Argument 5: The intangibles. Leadership. Unselfishness. The gravity that warps defenses even when he doesn’t have the ball. There is no stat for that. But everyone who has ever played with or against him knows it’s real.
Kidd sees all of this. That is why Curry made his top five.
Now let’s talk about Nikola Jokić, because his inclusion in Kidd’s top five is almost as significant as Curry’s.
Jokić is 30 years old. He already has three MVP awards — one more than Curry, two more than Kobe, three more than Durant. He has one championship and one Finals MVP. His statistical production is absurd: triple-doubles from the center position, efficiency that defies belief, a basketball IQ that borders on supernatural.
He is still playing. He is still adding to his resume. If he wins another championship, his case will become even stronger.
Kidd placed Jokić ahead of Kevin Durant. Ahead of Tim Duncan. Ahead of Shaquille O’Neal. That is a bold take — but it’s not an unreasonable one.
Jokić is not flashy. He doesn’t dunk. He doesn’t chase blocks. He doesn’t fit the traditional mold of a superstar. But he dominates games in ways that few players ever have. And Kidd recognizes that.
Let’s talk about the legends Kidd left out of his top five.
Kevin Durant: Two championships. Two Finals MVPs. One MVP award. One of the greatest scorers in NBA history. Kidd placed him in his top ten, but not top five.
Tim Duncan: Five championships. Two MVP awards. Three Finals MVPs. The greatest power forward of all time. Also in Kidd’s top ten.
Shaquille O’Neal: Four championships. One MVP award. Three Finals MVPs. The most dominant physical force the league has ever seen. Top ten.
Larry Bird and Magic Johnson: Bird saved the NBA in the 1980s. Magic redefined point guard. Both are top-ten all-time players. Kidd placed them in his top fifteen.
Kidd is not saying these players aren’t great. He is saying that, in his opinion, Jokić and Curry have already surpassed them. That is a statement about the evolution of the game — and about how high the bar has been raised.
Let’s bring this back to the Golden State Warriors, because the timing of Kidd’s comments matters.
The Warriors are entering a pivotal offseason. Steve Kerr’s future is uncertain. Draymond Green has a player option. The roster needs retooling. And Stephen Curry is 38 years old.
But this debate — this ongoing conversation about where Curry stands among the all-time greats — is a reminder of what the Warriors have had. They have had a player who belongs in the same conversation as Jordan, LeBron, and Kobe. They have had a player who changed basketball forever.
That is not nothing. That is everything.
As the Warriors navigate their future, they should not lose sight of the present. Curry is still here. He is still elite. He is still capable of carrying a team. The Warriors owe it to him — and to themselves — to maximize what remains of his prime.
Kidd’s comments are a tribute to what Curry has already accomplished. But they are also a challenge. The legacy is not finished. Every season adds to it.
So, after all that analysis, where does Stephen Curry really rank among the all-time greats?
The honest answer is: it depends on what you value.
If you value pure scoring and defensive dominance, you might put Jordan, LeBron, and Kobe ahead. If you value championships, you might put Bill Russell ahead. If you value statistical accumulation, you might put Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ahead.
But if you value impact — the way a player changes the game, the way he forces opponents to adapt, the way he bends the sport to his will — then Curry’s case is as strong as anyone’s.
He is the greatest shooter ever. He is the most feared off-ball mover in history. He is the engine of a dynasty that won four championships. He revolutionized the sport.
Jason Kidd played against Jordan, LeBron, and Kobe. He coached LeBron. He has seen every era of modern basketball. And he says Curry belongs in the top five.
That is not hyperbole. That is informed opinion.
Curry’s legacy is still being written. He is still playing. He is still winning. But even if he retired tomorrow, his place in history would be secure.
Joker and Steph. Top five. According to a Hall of Famer who knows the game as well as anyone.
That is the company Stephen Curry keeps. And that is the legacy he has built.
Stephen Curry has spent his entire career proving people wrong. They said he was too small. They said his ankles wouldn’t hold up. They said his style couldn’t win championships. They said he was just a shooter.
He proved them all wrong.
Now, the conversation has shifted. It is no longer about whether he belongs among the greats. It is about how high he belongs.
Jason Kidd — Hall of Famer, NBA champion, one of the most respected minds in basketball — has given his answer. Curry is in his top five. Alongside Michael Jordan. Alongside LeBron James. Alongside Kobe Bryant. Alongside Nikola Jokić.
That is not a casual opinion. That is a verdict.
Kidd played against the best. He coached against the best. He knows what greatness looks like. And he sees it in Curry.
The Warriors are at a crossroads. Their dynasty is aging. Their future is uncertain. But one thing is clear: Stephen Curry is one of the greatest players to ever touch a basketball.
Joker and Steph. Top five.
Believe it.