In the 15 years that he has been in the NBA, Stephen Curry has left a noticeable mark on the sport. His efforts in establishing the best era of the Golden State Warriors have earned him a spot amongst the best basketball players to have emerged from the NBA. However, does the same qualify him to be amongst the Pantheon of the greatest athletes, like Muhammad Ali, with a legendary 56-5 record?
Dan Devone, a popular sports commentator, compared the NBA player with the boxing legend. He stated that any player who manages to crack the ‘Top-10 All-Time’ list gets to be named amongst the other greatest athletes in their respective sports. Evan Giddings took this as the perfect opportunity to joke around with his co-host, stating, “Actually, I think that’s Ali’s agent. He’s calling to tell you to back the hell off this statement!”
However, he then pointed out a key difference between the two sportsmen, and it wasn’t about their skills on the court or the ring! “I don’t think that there has ever been a better guy, as far as doing it the right way, and not being disingenuous about it, than that of Stephen Curry, to ever play sports in my lifetime,” Devone said on 95.7 The Game.
“Huge statement, yeah, but I stand by it. I think because of what it is, how special he is off the court, on everything that he does.” This caused Giddings to finally agree, and further added, “If you are relitigating history, the reason why him (Curry) and Ali to me are incomparable is because, during his heyday, Ali was not liked. He was branded a draft dodger. People felt that he was Un-American. I think that’s why his impact is far greater and superior to that of a Curry.”
When discussing Stephen Curry’s off-court efforts, nothing stands out more than the ‘Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation’ was launched by the sharpshooter and his wife Ayesha in 2019. By raising and investing over $70 million, Curry has helped to provide over 25 million free meals, devote $6.4 million solely to literacy programs, and refurbish over 18 school playgrounds in the Oakland sector of the San Francisco Bay Area.
While he never directly credited him for the idea of the foundation, Stephen Curry indicated that Muhammad Ali may have given him the courage to pursue social issues that better help the community. “For the most part, as an athlete, you are somewhat of a role model, whether you like it or not. And being sensitive to certain situations and to the current events that are going on, you’ve got to have a certain stand” Curry said after Muhammad Ali died in 2016.
USA Today via Reuters
“Ali was ‘the example’ of how you use your platform and speak what you believe, no matter what people are saying. Look at him, there’s a sense of confidence in that regard, for sure.”
The debate on whether the 4-time NBA champion belongs in the Top-10 category in itself has been a topic of heated discussion. Back in February, ESPN reporter Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo made headlines after boldly stating that Stephen Curry certainly does not belong on the list, adding insult to injury by simply calling him a ‘nice shooter!’
However, it didn’t take long for Russo to get criticized. Furthermore, in a ranking released by ESPN in July 2024, Curry ranked #14 among the Top 100 athletes of the 21 century.
Therefore, while the public perception of the NBA legend and the boxer may not have been similar, they both rank high when compared with the greatest athletes of today and yesterday. Muhammad Ali is a figure that not only the Warriors star, but other members of the Curry family also seem to hold in high regard. Stephen Curry’s brother proved the same last year.
Stephen Curry’s brother, Seth, honors Muhammad Ali through his sneakers
Back in August 2023, Seth Curry, who was playing for the Dallas Mavericks, made waves after he was seen donning a unique pair of shoes from Under Armour. A version of his brother’s ‘Curry 1 Low PE’ line, it was in the red and yellow colorway, with one shoe being designed in a pattern of the bee. A picture of the shoes was soon highlighted on social media, with the fans seeking to know its inspiration.
Surprisingly, they received a reply from Seth himself, who stated that the design was inspired by Muhammad Ali. Curry highlighted the shoes on his Instagram story and included the boxer’s famous quote “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.”
This line was an absolute classic from The Rumble in the Jungle (1974), when the icon said, “Float like a butterfly sting like a bee—his hands can’t hit what his eyes can’t see,” and won the bout against George Foreman by KO in the 8th round in front of 60,000 people.
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