Every fan and analyst has their own version of the best starting five in NBA history, but the players always offer the most interesting choice for their preferred lineup.
Recently, Stephen Curry gave his all-time starting five, and the Warriors point guard made sure to reach back through the last 40 years of basketball. Curry chose Magic Johnson at point guard, Michael Jordan at shooting guard, Kobe Bryant at small forward, Tim Duncan at power forward and Shaquille O’Neal at center.
During the selection, Curry originally went with Larry Bird at small forward but made a late substitution going with Bryant instead.
While Curry is on many all-time starting five lineups, the point guard went with an all-retired players lineup, while the exercise also did not include himself. As Curry rises up the all-time point guards list, his decision to choose Johnson seems like an indication of the bar he feels he has to clear to reach the top.
Had this list included active players, Curry may have included LeBron James, as the two have a strong mutual respect for each other. For now, the Warriors star only went with three players against whom he’s played, while Johnson and Jordan both retired before Curry entered the league.