Nick Young recently sparked controversy with a bold statement on X, where the former Warriors player claimed that Kyrie Irving is a better player than Stephen Curry, suggesting that people are “scared” to admit it. He likened this debate to the Michael Jordan versus Kobe Bryant comparison, arguing that Bryant was better but underappreciated.
Young’s post left many puzzled, though some top commentators on X offered clarifications. The Curry versus Irving debate gained traction back in 2016 after Irving outperformed Curry in their NBA Finals matchup. Across seven games, Irving had better averages in points (27.1 to 22.6), assists (3.9 to 3.7), and steals (2.1 to 0.9), along with higher shooting percentages from the field (.468 to .403) and three-point range (.405 to .400). Irving’s pivotal shot helped the Cavaliers overturn a 3-1 deficit to win the championship, even as Curry and the Warriors faltered at the end of their historic 73-9 season.
However, by 2024, Irving’s status pales in comparison to Curry’s. Curry boasts three more NBA championships, six more All-NBA selections, two more MVP awards, one more Finals MVP, one more All-Star appearance, over 6,000 more career points, and nearly 2,000 more career assists. Curry is widely regarded as one of the top two point guards of all time and frequently appears on all-time greats lists.
After securing his fourth NBA title in 2022, Reggie Miller noted that Curry had “kicked down the door” to earn his spot among the greatest players, even suggesting that Curry had surpassed legends like Hakeem Olajuwon, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, and Wilt Chamberlain. In contrast, Irving’s performance in the 2024 NBA Finals was underwhelming, averaging just 19.8 points with shooting percentages of .414 from the field and .276 from three-point range.