Stephen Curry once snubbed a former MVP when naming the top five players of his era

Stephen Curry names top five players of his era, includes LeBron James

Speaking on Episode 9 of his Audible series Heat Check with Stephen and Dell Curry, which came out last year, the Warriors star talked about how his career has bridged two generations of NBA talent.

“Interesting, because my era kind of split right on the changing of the guard,” Curry said. “Because you can say Kobe and Tim Duncan were in the first four years of my career. But I’m going to exclude them, and go from 2009 to 2023.”

Stephen Curry then named the five players he believes defined that era of basketball – LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and Stephen Curry himself.

“I got LeBron, KD (Kevin Durant), Kawhi (Leonard)… Every time you do this, you’re going to miss somebody…

“Obviously, myself. I’m making sure. It’s like a group of four that I’m picking from right now. It’s really hard. I’m going to say James (Harden)…”

Russell Westbrook left out of Curry’s top five

One name notably missing was Russell Westbrook — the 2017 MVP and one of the most prolific stat-sheet stuffers in NBA history.

Westbrook’s omission sparked instant debate among fans, given his three seasons averaging a triple-double and his heated rivalry with Curry during the height of the Warriors-Thunder matchups.

While Curry admitted it’s “impossible to include everyone,” Westbrook’s absence stood out as the only MVP from that period not mentioned.

For many, it highlighted how differently players define greatness — not just through stats, but through legacy and impact on winning.

Curry’s five choices ultimately reflect how one of basketball’s most influential players sees his generation — and how even among legends, there’s always room for debate.

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