There’s no denying that the NBA is nearing a shift in eras as the superstars who have dominated the league for the last decade or so(in some cases even more than that) approach the end of their illustrious careers. Perennial MVP candidates like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant are all currently in their extended prime, looking to collect a Championship or two before they hang up their boots, which might define their legacy in years to come. LeBron James’ former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate Richard Jefferson recently commented on Curry’s chances of winning a fifth Championship ring during an episode of the Road Trippin’ podcast.
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Jefferson played two seasons with King James on the Cavaliers side that pulled the historic comeback from a 1-3 deficit against the Stephen Curry-led Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals. Therefore, the 43-year-old is well aware of the veteran Dubs guard’s potential to lead his team to NBA Championships. RJ showed his faith in Curry recently as he predicted that the latter’s fifth ring is probably due in the next few years.
Richard Jefferson predicts the chances of Curry’s fifth ring
During a recent sit-down with his usual crew on Road Trippin’, Richard Jefferson was asked by co-host Allie Clifton whether he sees Curry winning his fifth ring anytime soon. RJ didn’t hesitate much before giving the four-time NBA Champion the nod during the show’s ‘Truth or Trash’ segment. The former NBA forward confidently deemed Curry’s chances of winning a fifth ring as ‘truth’.
“I say Truth. I don’t know if it’s this year. I think he’s [Stephen Curry] got three to four years as a primary player, as #1, because of his skill. Because you see players drop off in the regular season, not the postseason,” Jefferson said, during the show.
Golden State has managed to preserve the core of their four-time NBA Champion dynasty by retaining the likes of Draymond Green and Klay Thompson to aid Curry in his quest to add more rings to his collection. Trading away a young prospect like Jordan Poole, who had a dismal postseason in 2022-23, have some fans worried about the future of the team. But the signing of veteran campaigners like Chris Paul have surely underlined the Warriors front office’s ‘win now’ mindset.
Stephen Curry can extend his prime because of his unique skill set
Curry echoed Richard Jefferson’s remarks in his recent sit-down with Ahmad Rashad on NBA Rewind. He talked about extending his prime to win a few more chips before he finally calls it a day.
The two-time MVP’s supreme conditioning should easily allow him to be the #1 guy in a Championship-bound squad with a strong supporting cast. It’s important to note that Curry doesn’t rely on his explosive athleticism to score baskets, like some of the other superstars in the league. Therefore, many pundits and analysts have predicted the Dubs #30 to shoot threes and pose a threat to the opposition with his elite court vision even as a 40-year-old.
