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[Saba Sports News] LeBron James and Stephen Curry are widely considered the two greatest players of their generation.
While James is often seen as the better all-around player, Shaquille O’Neal believes Curry surpasses him in one key area: influence.
On a recent episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, O’Neal was asked if Curry is more influential than James. He responded:
“I think it’s part of the same. LeBron was always there, but when Kobe was fading out, that’s when LeBron took over. Then Steph took off. Actually, I’m going to say Steph is more influential—because if you look at basketball now, it’s being played like the Golden State Warriors.”
While not every team mimics the Warriors exactly, Curry undeniably sparked the NBA’s three-point revolution. His success from beyond the arc helped reshape how the game is played, with teams now relying heavily on perimeter shooting.
O’Neal isn’t alone in this opinion. Hall of Famer Paul Pierce has also said that Curry’s influence exceeds even that of LeBron, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Jordan. Even James himself once called Curry one of the two most influential players he’s ever seen, alongside Allen Iverson.
Despite being known for criticizing modern players, O’Neal has consistently praised Curry. He’s even called for fans to include Curry in the GOAT conversation:
“As the supreme leader of the big man alliance, I demand fans start putting Steph Curry in that greatest of all time conversation. There’s Mike, there’s Kobe, there’s LeBron—start putting Steph in there too.”
“I played against Mike, played with Kobe, played with and against LeBron. They’re all great. But we have to start including Steph. I’m not saying he *is* the GOAT—but let’s at least have the conversation.”
O’Neal points to Curry’s unique impact on the game, as well as his impressive resume: four championships, two MVPs, a Finals MVP, and two scoring titles.
While Curry may still need another title to rival the legacies of Jordan or LeBron, he’s undeniably one of the all-time greats.
After a rocky start to the 2024–25 season, the Warriors have found new momentum following the addition of Jimmy Butler. With a 46–31 record and fifth place in the West, Golden State is 19–4 in its last 23 games and looks poised to make a strong playoff run.