Shaquille O’Neal isn’t ready to hear Stephen Curry’s name left out of the all-time conversation.
On the Stephen A. Smith Show, O’Neal made the case that Curry’s place in NBA history is already secure, even as the Golden State Warriors face a rough offseason and a future that doesn’t look much like a title chase. With LeBron James signing with the Philadelphia 76ers, the Warriors have been one of the biggest losers of the summer, and they haven’t added anything in free agency to push themselves back into contention.
For O’Neal, though, Curry’s résumé doesn’t need any more help.
“Steph Curry’s legacy is already complete,” O’Neal said. “… You know why it’s complete?
Because while everybody was talking about LeBron being No. 1 or No. 2, this little light-skinned kid dominated in LeBron’s era and he beat LeBron. And if I’m mistaken, doesn’t he have one more ring?
More than LeBron?”
Smith corrected him, noting that Curry and James both have four rings, but O’Neal didn’t back off his larger point.
The two stars met four straight times in the NBA Finals from 2015 through 2018, and Curry’s Warriors came out on top three times. Golden State won in six games in 2015, dropped the 2016 Finals after Cleveland erased a 3-1 deficit, then beat James’ Cavaliers in five games in 2017 and four games in 2018.
That said, the context matters. James’ side had Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love hurt in 2015, and the Warriors had Kevin Durant in 2017 and 2018, with Durant taking Finals MVP both years instead of Curry.
The rivalry didn’t resurface in the postseason again until 2023, when James was with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Warriors met the Lakers in the Western Conference Semifinals. Curry had just carried Golden State to the 2022 title, but the Lakers knocked the Warriors out in six games. Golden State has not come close to another championship since.
Even with that loss, Curry still owns the playoff head-to-head against James, 3-2. And with the Warriors in their current state, another postseason meeting between the two seems unlikely.
O’Neal still sees plenty to admire. He called Curry “this little kid,” added, “Cabbage patch doll, cute little kid that you could take home and babysit him.
Dude has four rings. He’s a great player.
It’s unfortunate that Bob Myers left and they’re not really operating like they used to operate. You asked a question where I thought LeBron would have went.
I actually thought he was going to go to Golden State, too.
“But listen Steph, he’s just going to keep shooting it out,” O’Neal added. “He’s probably going to pass me in scoring, and when it’s all said and done, one of the greatest shooters ever. But I’ve always said, how come you don’t put him in the GOAT category?”
That’s not a new stance from O’Neal. He has pushed for Curry to be included in the GOAT discussion before, even if he isn’t calling him the greatest player ever. He has also said Curry is his favorite NBA player, and he clearly remains stunned by how a 6’2″ guard has been able to hold his own against bigger stars for so long.
Curry’s production last season backed up the admiration. He averaged 26.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game in 2025-26.
But the Warriors have already admitted they are not in the title conversation, and Curry is not expected to ask out. That leaves the end of his career looking a lot less glamorous than the peak years - even if his legacy, in O’Neal’s eyes, is already locked in.
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Golden State never got past the price tag, and the conversations never moved beyond the exploratory stage. Browns path took a very different turn after that, with Boston sending him to Philadelphia for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks, a deal that later helped the 76ers land LeBron James. For Warriors fans, the frustrating part is obvious: the team had a chance to chase a premium wing, but the real question is whether the front office passed on the right player at the right time. [Read more 🡒]