Charles Barkley most recently appeared on ESPN’s “Get Up.”
When asked about where Steph Curry falls as an all-time great, he had a very interesting take: “This is going to be painful for me to say, but I think he passes Isiah Thomas as the greatest small guard ever.”
It’s easy to see where Barkley is coming from, Isiah Thomas was about as tough as they come. The 6-foot-1 point guard, who played for the Bad Boys Pistons, was one of the first score-first point guards to play in the NBA. In fact, shooting 3s was the only thing Isiah wasn’t great at. There are many differences between the two, but Barkley hit the nail on the head with this.
The greatest comparison is the grit and toughness both played with. Curry and Thomas displayed champion-level toughness in different ways, but both grinded for their teams. The other big comparison was how both looked to attack. Again, in different ways. Thomas was always looking to get downhill and attack the paint while Curry looks to attack the 3-point line.
It’s always hard comparing eras, but some comparisons are clearer than others. With his fourth ring, Steph has risen to another level. He was already the greatest shooter of all time. Now, at least to Sir Charles, he is the greatest small guard the league has ever seen as well.
Per ESPN’s Get Up:
“This is going to be painful for me to say, but I think he passes Isiah Thomas as the greatest small guard ever.”
Charles Barkley on where Steph Curry now ranks on his list of the greatest players in NBA history.
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