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Stephen Curry excludes LeBron James from his all-time starting five

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James Foglio
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James Foglio Sports Editor

James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.

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Updated24 Jul 2023

Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry excludes LeBron James from his all-time starting five

Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors named his all-time starting five during a recent interview with Buzzfeed, and the nine-time All-Star excluded himself and future Hall of Famer LeBron James from his fantasy lineup.

Curry’s all-time starting five includes PG – Magic Johnson, SG – Michael Jordan, SF – Kobe Bryant, PF – Tim Duncan, and C – Shaquille O’Neal. Watch the YouTube video below at the 2:49 mark.

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“I would pick Shaquille O’Neal as my center, Tim Duncan as my power forward, Larry Bird as my small forward… Am I on the team?” Stephen Curry said. “Michael Jordan as my shooting guard.

“Late edition, I’m not taking Larry [Bird], I’m taking Kobe [Bryant] as my small forward, Jordan at my shooting guard, and Magic Johnson at point guard. I won’t be on the team.”

Stephen Curry snubs LeBron James from his all-time starting five, includes Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, and Shaquille O’Neal in fantasy lineup

Notable NBA Hall of Famers left off Curry’s all-time starting five include Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. At center, an argument can be made for O’Neal, Chamberlain, or Abdul-Jabbar. For any fantasy lineup, it can be difficult to handpick only the five best all-around players.

Curry’s starting five is the perfect blend of shooting, rebounding, and defensive dominance. But should the 14-year veteran swap Magic Johnson for LeBron James? Johnson retired as a five-time NBA champ, three-time MVP, and 10-time All-NBA member.

However, James is a 19-time All-Star, 19-time All-NBA member, four-time NBA champ, and he holds quite a few records. In addition to receiving six NBA All-Defensive selections, the Lakers star has averaged 27.2 points per game in his 20-year career. Johnson averaged 19.5 points per game in his 13-year career.

In 55 appearances in the 2022-23 season, James averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 35.5 minutes per game while shooting 50% from the field and 32.1% beyond the arc.

The four-time Finals MVP is set to become the sixth player in NBA history to play in his 21st season or beyond — joining Robert Parish, Kevin Willis, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, and Vince Carter, who has the all-time record with 22.

The future Hall of Famer turns 39 this December. James could become the first player in NBA history to receive a 20th All-Star selection and become a 20-time All-NBA member next season.

Meanwhile, Stephen Curry will enter his 15th NBA season in the fall.

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