JaVale McGee has shared the court with NBA royalty. From Luka Doncic to LeBron James, he has played with some of the greatest stars in history. But none, he claims, has left a bigger mark than Steph Curry. The former center lauded the two-time MVP’s impact on the game during his recent appearance on Dub Dynasty.
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Dub Dynasty is hosted by longtime ESPN reporter Israel Gutierrez, who takes a behind-the-scenes look at the NBA’s most recent dynasty in each episode. The show also examines the Warriors’ undeniable impact on basketball and the challenges that came with being an unstoppable force in the sport.
McGee shared that he’d see the superstar point guard chuck up shots from literally anywhere on the court during practice and also confessed that he’d seen Curry knock down at least 100 random shots, all net, without effort. This convinced McGee that the 37-year-old once-in-a-lifetime talent may not actually be from this planet.
McGee’s reverence for his former teammate doesn’t stop at Steph’s unmatchable shooting accuracy, though. The 16-year veteran believes the four-time champion has changed the game more than most. “I believe [Steph] might have the biggest impact on the game of basketball, second to literally [James] Naismith, just because who was even trying to shoot shots that he was shooting?” McGee said.
“He had kids coming down in 4th grade trying to shoot four-pointers,” McGee continued. “It’s stuff we didn’t even think was legal or we could do. Before Steph started doing it, if we shot some of the shots that he shot, we already knew we were coming out the game, even if we made it.”
McGee explained that most people will never be able to dunk like many NBA players, but everyone can at least try to shoot like Stephen Curry. Of course, plenty have tried and failed to replicate Steph’s repertoire. But at least for McGee, Curry’s skill set is much more accessible to children trying to learn the game.
There have been a handful of players whose impact on the sport and the league has been considered pivotal. But comparing Steph to the creator of basketball is truly next-level acclaim.
McGee did win two of his three NBA Championships playing alongside Steph, but considering the other future Hall of Famers he’d battled with, it’s difficult to find bias in his statement. Both of McGee’s two seasons with the Dubs were magical, but his time with the franchise also allowed him to see Steph at arguably his best.
McGee wasn’t around for Steph’s pair of MVP campaigns, but he was able to witness Curry continue to dominate the league, even with Kevin Durant by his side. Some are reluctant to crown Stephen Curry as basketball’s greatest point guard, but his impact on the game has been undeniable, to his teammates and opponents alike.
