The Athletic NBA Daily – "Should Steph Curry Be a Top 10 Player?"

Episode 5: Basketball 100
Date: August 26, 2025
Hosts: John Krasinski, J. King, Kelly Iko (with mention of The Athletic team)

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode dives deep into The Athletic’s "Basketball 100" project, specifically debating players ranked #5 through #19 in NBA history. The hosts reflect on the on-court greatness, cultural impact, and legacy of legends like Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Steph Curry, Larry Bird, and others. In particular, the pod examines whether Steph Curry deserves a higher spot—potentially in the top 10—and features lively debates about historical rankings, bias, and how context and team impact legacy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Most Exciting Names on the List [03:08–12:52]

• Kelly Iko: Picks Kevin Durant (#14) for his 17-year consistency and being overlooked due to off-court presence.
  • "KD is just a future Hall of Famer, obviously, but he's just a good guy, good character. And I think these lists are a reminder of why these guys are so special and why we love the game so much." [04:31]
• J. King: Highlights Shaquille O’Neal (#7) as the most dominant player he’s seen, impossible to defend at his peak:
  • "That peak, Shaq at his highest, I don’t know that there was a more unstoppable player. So I was happy to see him." [06:34]
• John Krasinski: Chooses Kevin Garnett (#18) for his relentless effort and embracing a new archetype for big men.
  • "When I think of players who gave you your money's worth as a fan ... there was never a night off with Kevin Garnett." [11:14]

2. Alternate Histories & Appreciation for Unsung Legends [12:52–19:52]

• How KG’s legacy would differ without the Celtics championship.
• The hypothetical debate: If KG and Tim Duncan had swapped franchises, would their careers and reputations have been different?
• "KG was his own culture ... and the people that played with him ... absorbed themselves into that culture." – Kelly Iko [16:55]
• Memorable stories about KG’s intensity and his emotional interview with John Thompson.

3. Old School Legends They Wish They’d Witnessed Live [19:52–31:05]

• Kelly Iko: Larry Bird (#9)—wishes to have covered him during the Bird-Magic rivalry era.
  • "A white guy that is so confident and can back it up ... being around for that run must have been legendary." [20:31]
• J. King: Dr. J (#15)—feels Erving is under-discussed for his impact and charisma.
  • "He doesn't often get talked with the greatest of the greats, but the way he played, the style ... I wish I had a better appreciation." [24:45]
• John Krasinski: Oscar Robertson (#13)—astounded by his triple-double era and revolutionary stats.
  • "When you look at his numbers, they almost don’t even make sense ... literally just blow your mind." [29:22]

4. Who’s Too High or Too Low? The "Red Meat" Debates [34:12–48:58]

• Kelly Iko: Magic Johnson (#5) is too high; would take Shaq, Duncan, Hakeem, or even Steph at their peaks in a must-win scenario.
  • "If you have to win one game, are you taking peak Magic or peak Shaq? I'm taking peak Shaq." [35:42]
• J. King: Defends Magic, citing his long MVP-caliber run and versatility.
  • "Other than his rookie year, he received MVP votes in every season of his career." [36:26]
• John Krasinski: Karl Malone (#17) is too high—"incredible longevity" but not a top 20 player considering his peers.
  • Brings up Nikola Jokic’s rapid rise and potentially overtaking Malone soon.
    • "Joker is coming to a place where he's going to not only be bum rushed in the top 20, but he's getting up into the top 15 or more if he keeps this up." [39:45]

5. Should Steph Curry Be a Top 10 Player? [43:39–48:58]

• J. King: Steph Curry (#12) deserves to be at least one spot higher and possibly top 10, due both to his on-court impact and his transformation of the modern game.
  • "Throughout this era, he's probably even been, to me, underrated ... it's hard to measure the impact he has on every player around him, because at every moment of every game...everyone on the other side has been petrified of him." [44:08]
• Long-standing debate over individual awards like Finals MVP and how they inform legacy.
• All agree the top of the list is exceptionally close: "splitting hairs" amongst legends.

6. Underappreciated Legends & Legacy Risk [49:26–53:13]

• Moses Malone (#19): His quiet nature, consistency, and dominance overlooked—“probably one of the most under discussed players in NBA history.” – J. King [49:31]
• Tim Duncan (#8): Risks being forgotten or underrated, despite "relentless consistency" and empowering teammates.
  • Anecdote: Garnett recalling Duncan’s understated trash talk “almost, big fella, nice try,” highlighting their contrasting personalities and competitive fire.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "I think KG would still be cemented for me personally in a top 20, 25 players of all time list, just because I saw day in and day out, the impact." – John Krasinski [13:09]
• "If you have to win one basketball game ... are you taking peak Magic or are you taking peak Shaq? I'm taking peak Shaq." – Kelly Iko [35:42]
• "Steph ... his ability to do it, like, he started winning championships in 2015, to come back after all the injuries, after getting older, after losing Kevin Durant, coming back with Andrew Wiggins as your third best player probably, and winning a title ..." – J. King [44:08]
• "Moses was incredible—just an incredible two-way force who never drew any attention to himself, but just busted your ass every single night." – John Krasinski [51:34]

Highlighted Timestamps

| Segment | Topic | Timestamp | |----------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------| | Intro & Hosts | Show introduction and rundown of ranked players | 02:31–03:08| | KD, Shaq, KG | Joy in covering/seeing certain players | 04:31–12:52| | Alternate Hist.| Hypotheticals: KG without ring/Duncan on Wolves | 12:52–19:52| | Old School Stars| Which old legends do you wish you covered? | 19:52–31:05| | Magic Debate | Too high? Kelly argues, Jay defends | 34:12–38:15| | Karl Malone/Joker | Who’s too high? Jokic’s case for the top 20 | 39:31–42:12| | Steph’s Ranking| Should Curry be higher? Finals MVP, era impact, team context | 43:39–48:58| | Moses & Duncan | Under-discussed legends, risk of them being forgotten | 49:26–53:13|

Conclusion

This episode provides a passionate, nuanced discussion about the fraught nature of all-time basketball rankings, the invisible influence of context, and the challenge of comparing eras and archetypes. The hosts deftly blend stats, memory, and hypothetical arguments—as well as personal anecdotes—making the conversation accessible for listeners who both revere and debate NBA history. The debate around Steph Curry — whether he should be in the Top 10 already — highlights how quickly legacy can change, and just how hard it is to appreciate greatness in the moment.