Stephen Curry is the greatest shooter of all time and there is no doubt about that. The Golden State Warriors superstar has changed the game for good, and whether we like it or not, the three-point shot is the most valuable weapon in the NBA. Steph is the most unselfish star ever for the fact that he is always willing to welcome in other elite players when it comes to winning championships. Offensively, Curry could be the best scorer at the point guard spot because he has a career 24.5 PPG average on 42.8% from three.
Meanwhile, Magic Johnson achieved great heights at the point guard position by winning 5 NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers. The legendary point guard was the first “big” point guard that was able to dominate the game due to a physical advantage. In many ways, Magic was just special because he is arguably the best leader to ever grace the NBA court and had a knack for making others around him better.
But does Stephen Curry have the skills, impact, and career to compete with Magic? Is the Golden State Warriors point guard the most impactful player to ever play his position? Or does Magic Johnson have the cache to have an edge in the player’s full comparison? It is widely regarded that Stephen Curry is the greatest Golden State Warrior ever, and we have already seen a full comparison between himself and another legendary Warriors star in Wilt Chamberlain. At the same time, Magic is considered the greatest player in the history of the Purple and Gold in terms of individual and team success. With both players competing at superstar levels throughout their careers and being only two of the seven point guards who ever won MVP awards, it is time to delve into the iconic full comparison between Stephen Curry and Magic Johnson.
Scoring – Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry is averaging 24.5 PPG on 47.3% shooting from the field, including 42.8% from three. Curry shoots 90.8% from the free-throw line over his career with the Warriors, and he certainly gets there a lot because he has elite quickness and an understanding of how to draw contact. Curry had an amazing ability to beat his defender off the dribble and gets his buckets at the rim when he isn’t nailing outside shots. But obviously, Curry is the best shooter ever and mainly scores from the perimeter. It is truly amazing how consistent the point guard has been over his career when it comes to draining outside shots.
Magic Johnson was always a capable scorer, although his primary goal was to create shots for his teammates. The superstar point guard averaged 19.5 PPG on 52.0% FG, 30.3% 3-PT FG, and 84.8% FT. Clearly, Magic shot a higher percentage from the field because most of his buckets came from inside. Otherwise, Curry is a far better three-point shooter and has more dribble moves leading to open shots. There is no comparison here when it comes to scoring, and Curry has a big advantage.
Athleticism – Magic Johnson
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At 6’2″ and 185 lbs, Stephen Curry is nowhere near a dominant athlete. Curry is relatively thin-framed compared to his peers and does not have much strength or explosiveness when it comes to playing above the rim. His speed, though, is one part of his athleticism that gets overlooked. Because of his incredible speed and agility, Steph can move across the floor whenever he wants. Curry is one of the quickest players when they have the ball, and he can sprint off screens indefinitely without getting tired. However, when it comes to athleticism, Magic has an advantage.
Magic was a 6’9” point guard with massive shoulders and a powerful frame. Johnson could back down most point guards in the post, get easy buckets, and even defend bigger players at times. Remember, Magic started at center in Game 6 of the NBA Finals in 1980, winning Finals MVP to close out the series. Magic’s basketball IQ was tremendous, but his athleticism allowed him to play out of position and still impact the court. Due to his height, strength, and power, Magic has the edge in athleticism.
Defense – Magic Johnson
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Stephen Curry is considered a below-average defensive player for a superstar of his status. Steph makes up for it with elite scoring ability, but defense is not the point guard’s strong suit. With the Warriors over his career, he has been all about offense and he has still been arguably a top-5 player in the game despite his average-level defense. Curry is averaging 1.6 SPG over his career, indicating that the Warriors star is exceptional at playing passing lanes and using his basketball IQ to cause turnovers at times. Curry also won the steals title in 2016 when he posted 2.1 SPG.
Magic Johnson was not a great defender either, but he was a better enforcer than Curry. Magic led the NBA in steals twice and had a career average of 1.9 SPG to go along with 0.4 BPG. Johnson averaged 3.4 SPG in his second season to win the steals title and 2.7 SPG in his third season to also win the steals title. At 6’9”, Magic could also defend multiple positions and was a better defender than Steph.
Leadership – Magic Johnson
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Due to Stephen Curry’s outstanding leadership qualities while a member of the Golden State Warriors, he has been able to place himself in a position to win four NBA championships and the 2022 Finals MVP award. No doubt, Stephen Curry is incredibly selfless, and his ability to lead must be reflected in his selflessness in recruiting other superstars to play with him. Thanks to Steph’s willingness to be an unselfish leader, Kevin Durant helped deliver two titles to the Warriors. At the same time, Curry’s work ethic and offensive impact sets the tone for any player on the Warriors.
At great as Steph is as a leader in his own method, Magic Johnson is on another level. The 6’9” point guard is the greatest leader of all time, making his teammates better on the court due to his passing and charisma. Johnson averages 11.2 APG over his career, and was known to be the type of player to uplift others and simply win championships. Johnson won five NBA titles as the star in Los Angeles, and his leadership was the primary reason why. The point guard is supposed to be the extension of the coach on the floor, but Magic was an actual coach and emotional leader throughout his career.
Basketball I.Q. – Magic Johnson
When it comes to basketball I.Q., Stephen Curry is one of the best in his generation when it comes to the offensive end of the floor. Stephen Curry is a genius on offense and is a terrific playmaker as well. The point guard can affect a game single-handedly, and he often uses his exceptional offensive awareness to lead the game in scoring. Despite being only 6’2” and 185 lbs, Steph’s basketball IQ to read defenses and move off the ball allows the point guard to dominate year after year. His IQ is tremendous, which is why he is a superstar player.
Again, Magic Johnson gets the edge because he knew how to impact the game in more than one area. He could rebound at a superstar level, pass better than anyone else, score inside when needed, and uplift his teammates. Magic’s basketball IQ was elite as soon as he entered the NBA, as he won the NBA title and Finals MVP despite being a rookie in 1980. Magic had to step in at center for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and he closed out the series in arguably the greatest rookie campaign ever. If that isn’t a signal of basketball IQ, nothing is because Magic was ahead of his time.
Impact – Even
Anyone with eyes can see that Curry has a tremendous impact on the floor because he changed the game due to his unstoppable shooting ability. Steph can destroy teams in just a few possessions and has to gain the edge in impact. Some players might do more than Steph on the court, but Curry’s shooting is undeniably great – especially in the modern NBA game. Despite being only 6’2”, Steph has somehow changed the NBA and even helped change the rules because of the way teams focus on the offensive end of the court. With a career 3-point percentage of 42.8%, Steph’s ability to create from the three and knock-down shots makes him one of the most impactful superstars ever.
Magic Johnson could not shoot like Steph, but he was the greatest playmaker the league has ever seen. Johnson averaged 11.2 APG over his career and had 9 seasons posting at least 10 APG. Johnson’s impact was clear because he won three MVP awards in the regular season and also won five NBA titles and three Finals MVP awards in the postseason. Johnson was a Los Angeles Laker for life and changed the game as a 6’9” point guard, which set the tone for everyone else. Magic was the first of his kind in the 1980s, and Steph was the first in the 2010s. In that regard, this category is even.
1 On 1 Game – Stephen Curry
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We know Curry is a terrific shooter, but his ball-handling is often underrated. Stephen Curry has some of the best ball-handling skills we have ever seen, making him unstoppable in one-on-one matchups. When he has the ball past half-court, he terrorizes defenses because of what he adds to the offense singlehandedly. As soon as he steps inside the half-court line, Steph can make outside shots with ease. To prevent him from stepping back and launching rapid jumpers, he frequently needs to be double-teamed. Steph can create space with dribble moves and only needs half a second to release a jumper. This kind of one-on-one ability is truly spectacular.
Johnson was a team player, not a one-on-one player. He could score against a single defender if he wanted to because he could play in the post and also had a hook shot. But Magic could not shoot like Steph and had limited range before developing a set three-pointer as the years went by. In any one-on-one situation, Curry will be far more successful than Magic, who is better at making his teammates better. Just like in the scoring category, Curry has a significant advantage, and it isn’t really close.
Career – Magic Johnson
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Stephen Curry has achieved everything in the NBA game, making him one of the most accomplished players in his era. Firstly, Curry has made nine All-Star Teams, eight All-NBA Teams, and won the scoring title on two occasions. Curry has also won four NBA championships and has had a sensational record of making the playoffs and kickstarting the new era in the NBA. Steph has also won the MVP award on two occasions, captured a Finals MVP award, an All-Star Game MVP award, and even led the NBA in steals in 2016. Among all the players competing in the NBA right now, only LeBron James has had a better career.
Meanwhile, Magic made 12 All-Star Teams, ten All-NBA Team selections, and led the league in assists four times. The Lakers superstar won five NBA titles, capturing Finals MVP three times and the league MVP three times. Defensively, Magic lead the league in steals twice and won two All-Star Game MVPs. Out of all point guards, nobody had more success than Magic Johnson and that includes Stephen Curry. Steph won fewer championships, Finals MVPs, and MVP awards, along with fewer All-Star and All-NBA appearances. Magic even has an extra All-Star Game MVP award, making the winner of this category quite clear.
Final ScoreStephen Curry vs. Magic Johnson 2-5
In the end, Magic Johnson is the greater point guard in the full comparison, and there shouldn’t be any debate about that. Johnson has the career edge after winning five NBA titles and three Finals MVP awards to go along with his three MVP awards and four assist titles. Magic was the greatest winner at the point guard spot ever and was often the best player in each championship run. Is there any other point guard that could step in the NBA Finals in his rookie season to win Finals MVP?
Beyond their career achievements, Magic was a better all-around player because at 6’9”, he had the size to battle most players at his position and have an immediate advantage. Johnson was also a better leader, passer, rebounder, and defensive player. Magic was not a defensive stopper, but he had the size and IQ to make an impact on that end as much as he could.
Stephen Curry is the better scorer, without a doubt, because he is the single greatest shooter of all time and has a higher career scoring average of 24.5 PPG. Curry is a career 47.5% shooter from the field, 42.8% marksman from deep, and 90.9% shooter from the foul line. As a one-on-one offensive player, Curry has a significant edge. But there is only one winner in this full comparison, and Magic is the greatest point guard of all time with a massive edge to end the GOAT debate when it comes to the point guard position.
Source: fadeawayworld
