LeBron James has shaken up the NBA World with his new podcast. James teamed up with retired NBA star JJ Redick and dropped the first episode of Mind The Game podcast on Tuesday. During the episode, LeBron revealed who he thinks are the most influential NBA players since Michael Jordan. “Steph and Allen Iverson are the two biggest influential guys in our game since I’ve been watching.”
The Lakers superstar’s comments sparked a huge debate among former NBA stars Gilbert Arenas, Kenyon Martin, and Rashad McCants. In the latest episode of Gil’s Arena, the star-studded panel was divided over LeBron picking Stephen Curry and Allen Iverson as the most influential players since MJ. Rashad McCants disagreed with LeBron and named Kobe Bryant as the most influential in his opinion. “Kobe Bryant transcended a lot of things.” McCants reminded the panel about Kobe’s 5 Championships, loyalty to the Lakers, impact on Women’s basketball, and several other key aspects that made the Black Mamba great.
However, NBA legends Gilbert Arenas and Kenyon Martin sided with LeBron and picked Steph and AI because of their relatability. Martin said most people in the world are closer to Steph and AI’s stature, making them more relatable to young athletes. “More kids think they can be Steph Curry than LeBron James.” Martin said. He also revealed how AI taught him and a million others that “you don’t have to conform to this corporate way of doing it.”
Gilbert Arenas also agreed with LeBron and Kenyon and told McCants that the number of Championships does not factor into this discussion. It is more about which superstars changed the game and how people behave. And in his opinion, Stephen Curry and Allen Iverson were the best at it.
LeBron James might be right about Stephen Curry and Allen Iverson
Despite the heated debate, LeBron might be right about Steph and AI’s influence on basketball. When Allen Iverson entered the league in 1996, he instantly became a fan favorite. People loved AI because of his unapologetic nature, cool tattoos, and insane streetball moves on the court. Fans idolized Allen Iverson even though he did not win any Championships in his Hall of Fame career.
Meanwhile, Stephen Curry has changed the way basketball is played around the world. With his alienlike ability to shoot three-pointers, Steph gave the NBA a new formula for winning Championships. More importantly, fans believe they can be like Steph and AI due to their 6-foot frame. Steph and Iverson’s influence on basketball transcends their on-court accolades, and they could rightly be the most influential players since Michael Jordan.
