Curry, Durant ranked in top 15 of ESPN’s best NBA players of all time

Former Golden State Warriors Bernard King (No. 69), Robert Parish (No. 61) and Rick Barry (No. 43), made ESPN’s list of the top 74 NBA players of all time.

The sports media giant released its list of players that it has ranked between Nos. 11 and 40 and two players with ties to the Dubs are on it.

No. 14: Kevin Durant

I thought Durant would be higher on the list due to him being one of the best pure scorers in league history. KD made his mark with the Warriors when he signed with the team following the 2015-16 season.

The 31-year-old averaged 25.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game during his three years in the Bay Area, with the Dubs averaging 60 wins per season over that time.

Durant put up 29.9 points a game with the Warriors in the playoffs, and helped the team to three straight NBA Finals, winning two championships and back-to-back Finals MVPs in 2017 and 2018.

KD was money during his time with Golden State, he was unstoppable in isolation and shot 38% from the 3-point line. His addition to an already loaded team made the Warriors a juggernaut that is among the best teams in the NBA history.

No 13: Steph Curry

Curry being ahead of Durant caught me by surprise. I don’t think there is much separation between the two, but I do think Durant is slightly the better overall player. But, if we are talking impact on the game, Steph gets the nod because he basically reshaped how the game of basketball is played.

Here is what Nick Friedell had to say about Curry:

“The greatest shooter of all time. Curry’s ability to hit shots from all over the floor changed the way the game is played. He has led the Warriors to three NBA championships and earned two MVP awards, becoming the first unanimous MVP in league history in 2015-16. Curry’s influence on the game is seen on every level of basketball as younger generations shoot more than ever while trying to replicate his game.”

Golden State picked Curry seventh overall in the 2009 NBA Draft, and after some early career ankle issues, Steph has taken the league by storm. Curry’s averaged 23.5 points and 6.6 assists over his career, while shooting a ridiculous 43.5% from beyond-the-arc.

Some of the other players with connections to the Dubs include: Current player development consultant and former two-time MVP Steve Nash is 30th on the list, while former Warriors executive Jerry West comes in at No. 16.

This probably means that Klay Thompson and Nate Thurmond won’t be making the top 74, but former Dub Wilt Chamberlain should be a lock for the top 10.

What do you think of Curry and Durant’s placement on the list?