On the latest episode of the Club 520 Podcast, retired NBA star Jeff Teague gave his two cents on who is the most influential NBA player of all time. The 1x NBA champion unsurprisingly claimed Michael Jordan sits atop the throne, but added that neither LeBron James nor Stephen Curry are second to the Chicago Bulls icon. He instead picked Hall of Famer Allen Iverson as the second-most influential player in NBA history.
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Explaining why the former Philadelphia 76ers superstar was second on his list, Teague said,
“Once you went from being like Mike, everybody in the world [wanted to be like Allen Iverson]. We have white people getting braids. Everybody in the world wore an arm sleeve, [got] tattoos. He made it acceptable to be yourself. He the reason we all wore these weak a*s big clothes when we were younger.”
Teague further explained that Iverson brought street basketball skills to the NBA and was the pioneer in showcasing that elite ball-handling and dribbling can be utilized at the highest level to devastating effect. He added that Curry’s shooting prowess has altered the landscape of basketball at all levels, with even high school kids trying to shoot from well behind the arc like the Golden State Warriors superstar. However, he claimed that believing the two-time MVP’s shooting ability can be replicated is unrealistic.
Teague claimed Iverson’s dominance despite his undersized build was more influential and prompted kids to focus on improving their dribbling and ball-handling. He’s spot on. Iverson was among the smallest players in the league throughout his career, but that did not affect his ability to impact the game. His exceptional playstyle was the blueprint for undersized guard to utilize their low center of gravity to their advantage. Iverson’s dominance helped pave the way for guards like Curry, Kyrie Irving, and Trae Young, who rely on their agility and dribbling like the Hall of Famer to influence proceedings.
Paul Pierce declares Stephen Curry the most influential player ever
Jeff Teague’s discussion with his podcast crewmates was sparked by Paul Pierce proclaiming that Stephen Curry has had more influence on basketball than anyone in the sport’s history. On the Truth Lounge show, the Hall of Famer said,
“Steph’s influence on the game of basketball, he’s influenced NBA more than LeBron [James] one, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant… Everybody think they can be Steph. All the kids now around America believe they can be Steph. If you can shoot the three and you’re about 6’2”- 6’3”. They know they can’t be Jordan. They can’t be LeBron. They can’t be Kobe. They believe he’s given — his influence is so huge, you could believe you could become Steph and make it if you can knock down and catch fire from three.”
Pierce’s argument has merit. Curry’s unrivalled shooting ability altered the NBA’s landscape. The Warriors’ dynastic success built on the back of the superstar guard and his teammates’ shooting prowess from beyond the arc prompted every other team to follow suit.
Exceptional three-point shooters have become the most sought-after commodity and the mid-range jumper has almost been outlawed from the game. Curry’s influence is undeniable and there’s enough evidence to argue that it rivals Michael Jordan’s legacy.
