Steph Curry is getting all the attention after his team, the Golden State Warriors won the 2022 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics in what was their 4th championship with Curry and Stever Kerr as head coach.
The thing with Curry is that basketball experts are trying to find a way to get him into some of the top lists, especially the top 10 players of all time. But most are against Curry being part of the top ten for now.
It is beyond dispute that Steph Curry is a top notch player with a lot of accolades but that is not enough for him to be part of that exclusive list that includes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, among others.
Did Steph Curry displace Hakeem Olajuwon from the top 10 players of all time?
That’s unlikely and it’s because Hakeem Olajuwon was a much more complete player in all aspects, defense and offense, but Curry doesn’t have the dual talent that Olajuwon once had when he played with the Houston Rockets.
| Hakeem’shighlights and awards | Curry’s highlights and awards |
|---|---|
| 2× NBA champion (1994, 1995) | 4× NBA champion (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022) |
| 2× NBA Finals MVP (1994, 1995) | NBA Finals MVP (2022) |
| NBA Most Valuable Player (1994) | 2× NBA Most Valuable Player (2015, 2016) |
| 12× NBA All-Star (1985–1990, 1992–1997) | 8× NBA All-Star (2014–2019, 2021, 2022) |
| 6× All-NBA First Team (1987–1989, 1993, 1994, 1997) | NBA All-Star Game MVP (2022) |
| 3× All-NBA Second Team (1986, 1990, 1996) | 4× All-NBA First Team (2015, 2016, 2019, 2021) |
| 3× All-NBA Third Team (1991, 1995, 1999) | 3× All-NBA Second Team (2014, 2017, 2022) |
| 2× NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1993, 1994) | All-NBA Third Team (2018) |
| 5× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1987, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1994) | NBA Western Conference Finals MVP (2022) |
| 4× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1985, 1991, 1996, 1997) | 2× NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2015, 2021) |
| NBA All-Rookie First Team (1985) | 2× NBA scoring champion (2016, 2021) |
| IBM Award (1993) | NBA steals leader (2016) |
| 2× NBA rebounding leader (1989, 1990) | 50–40–90 club (2016) |
| 3× NBA blocks leader (1990, 1991, 1993) | NBA All-Rookie First Team (2010) |
| No. 34 retired by Houston Rockets | NBA 75th Anniversary Team |
| NBA anniversary team (50th, 75th) | Consensus first-team All-American (2009) |
| Consensus first-team All-American (1984) | Consensus second-team All-American (2008) |
| NCAA rebounding leader (1984) | NCAA season scoring leader (2009) |
| SWC Player of the Year (1984) | 2× SoCon Player of the Year (2008, 2009) |
| NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player (1983) | 3× First-team All-SoCon (2007–2009) |
| No. 34 retired by Houston Cougars |
Both players have a lot of accolades that are worthy of admiration, Curry with more championship rings than Hakeem but while Curry won a triple-crown MVP, Olajuwon was able to win FMVP, MVP, DPOY, All-Star MVP and named All NBA First Team and Defensive First Team in one single season… Andthat’s what keeps Olajuwon in the top 10 and Curry off that list for now.
Hakeem Olajuwon (left) and Steph Curry
