NBA great Michael Jordan has been compared to plenty of basketball superstars, from Lakers' Kobe Bryant to Cavs' Lebron James, in terms of achievements and greatness. Another NBA superstar from this era has entered the GOAT conversation and his name is Stephen Curry.
Is Curry the closest thing to his "airness? According to Luke Straub of Sports Blog, Curry is indeed the closest thing to Jordan.
"Stephen Curry is the new Michael Jordan because Michael changed the sport," Straub wrote.
But what makes Curry, NBA's reigning MVP and NBA champion has to be compared to the GOAT.
Curry has changed the game of basketball and how it is being played in this generation. His three-point shooting ability makes him "special" in today's game, much like Jordan's jumping prowess made him the dominant force during the 90s.
Jordan's ability to take flight has been emulated by several players in the league, but the "skill is no longer special" in today's basketball game.
However, it is not only the skill set that makes these two players alike in their own ways.
In the Golden State Warriors' first eight games of the season, Curry has averaged a league-best 32.4 points on 53.5 shooting from the field, including a staggering 47.1 from downtown.
"The baby-faced assassin" is the first player to score at least 118 points through the season's first three games since Jordan in 1989-1990. It also made him the first Warrior since Wilt Chamberlain in 1962-1963 to reach such feat.
Moreover, Curry has been doing things equaled by only Jordan and the Oscar Robertson, according to Elias Sports Bureau via ESPN.
The report pinpointed Curry's total stats in his first six games of the 2015-2016 NBA regular season, where he tallied 213 points, 32 rebounds, and 39 assists. The only players to do such feats are Jordan (1989-1990) and Robertson (1965-1966). This means any of the other NBA legends like Larry Bird and Magic Johnson have not done it.
"The reigning MVP is a force the NBA has never before seen. His approach to the game is changing basketball and illuminating just how devastating the 3-pointer can be in the right hands," Fox Sports noted.
But what separate Curry from the other NBA greats like Lebron and Kobe is how he takes away the breath of basketball fans using his sweet shooting stroke and dazzling dribbling skills.
While Jordan's basketball wizardry fits perfectly into his own era of basketball, Curry has been doing the same thing today.
Some may believe that Curry is being surrounded by great teammates and coaches in a rich and supportive Golden State Warriors franchise. But Jordan also needed his teammates' brilliance to achieve greatness.
Curry may not have Jordan's move, but how he has "changed the sport" puts him beside MJ' level. Nobody can be "like Mike," but right now, nobody can also be like Curry.