Stephen Curry is one of the best basketball players of all time. The plethora of recognitions that adorn the showcases of the Golden State Warriors point guard assures him a place in NBA history, which is why it is strange that Mark Jackson, one of the men who forged him, has decided to ignore him in a crucial moment.
Jackson was head coach of the Warriors from 2011 to 2014, during which time he posted a record of 121 wins and 109 losses, 9-10 in the postseason. His time on the team was marked by controversy due to his opinions and points of view considered homophobic.
After he departed from the Warriors, Jackson has not worked as a head coach again and has dedicated himself to being a sports analyst for the ESPN television network, from which he left in mid-2023.
Curry had barely two years in the NBA when Jackson came to the Warriors, he laid the foundation for the player’s career. However, when asked who the best point guards of all time were, the former head coach did not even mention his former pupil.
Jackson’s Top Five
Speaking on the “Come and Talk 2 Me” podcast, Jackson selected Magic Johnson first, Isaiah Thomas second, John Stockton third, Jason Kidd fourth, and Steve Nash and Chris Paul tied for fifth.
As for his reasons, Jackson explained, “I’m talking about six guys that run a team like a true maestro. Gary Payton is one of the greatest point guards that ever played the game, but he wasn’t running a team to the level of those guys.”
He pointed out that Payton “was a lockdown defender, tough, competitive, great scorer, but those guys, as far as maestro, when I think of maestro in the history of the game, I think of those five or six guys.”
Stephen Curry’s position
It should be noted that the host asked Jackson to list “pure point guards,” and it can be argued that Curry is not a “pure point guard,” in the style of Johnson, Thomas, or Stockton.
However, that is due to the constant evolution of basketball and the positions themselves. In this sense, analysts believe that the Warriors’ point guard helped revolutionize the position and turn it into something slightly different than what it was until a few years ago.
That is why it is still strange that Jackson has forgotten his former pupil and a future member of the Hall of Fame.
