Mike Bianchi: Steph Curry, not LeBron James, is the G.O.A.T of today’s NBA

It is the consensus opinion among NBA experts that LeBron James is the greatest all-time active player, but isn’t it time we started to change this robotic, uncreative, pre-programmed groupthink?

Not only is there a discussion and debate to be had, but I’ll even take it a step further and tell you today that I believe Steph Curry should go down as the greatest player in today’s NBA.

This statement is not meant to denigrate LeBron’s status, but to decorate Steph’s. In fact, before I make my case that Steph is actually greater than LeBron, let us pause for a moment to appreciate and acknowledge; to relish and revere these two NBA icons going head to head in the conference semifinals.

They have been amazing athletes and incredible role models who have not only provided us with unbelievable entertainment on the floor, but philanthropic charity and civic service in the community. They have donated millions to the alleviation of poverty and educational opportunities for disadvantaged kids. They have not been afraid to speak out and stand up for what they believe in.

No other American sport — not even the rich and powerful NFL — has two iconic superstars of this magnitude. The matchup between LeBron’s L.A. Lakers and Steph’s Golden State Warriors, which began Tuesday night in the Bay Area, speaks to the health and vitality of today’s NBA. For the first time since the league moved to a 16-team playoff format in 1983-84, all eight seeds are represented in the conference semifinals as well as four of the nation’s top six television markets.

But of all the great matchups, the one all of us NBA fans will be watching closest is LeBron vs. Steph with both players in hot pursuit of their fifth NBA championship. Although they have the same number of rings, their championships aren’t equal in my mind.

There are two main reasons I believe Steph should go down as a greater player than LeBron, and the first one is because LeBron chased his four championships while Steph let the championships come to him.

LeBron left Cleveland and formed a super team in Miami to win two of his championships, went back to Cleveland and paired up with Kyrie Irving to win a third and then bolted to L.A. and teamed up with Anthony Davis to win a fourth.

In contrast, Steph has won all four of his titles in Golden State for the team that drafted him. The Warriors were nothing before Curry came to town, but have won four championships and played for two others in the last eight years. Curry didn’t just put Golden State on the map; he drew the damn map.

Is it just coincidence that almost all of the greatest NBA players of all time — Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan — won their championships while playing for the same team? I don’t think so. I believe creating championships from scratch over a period of years is a greater accomplishment than microwaving them over a period of months.

Asked last season by ESPN’s Malika Andrews why he chose to stay in Golden State even after Kevin Durant bolted for Brooklyn and teammate Klay Thompson suffered two devastating injuries, Curry replied: “It’s the faith in what we’ve built. There’s a confidence in our culture. … It’s like everything that we’ve done and built and the way that we do things, I feel like my fingerprints are all over that.”

The other major reason I believe Steph is greater than LeBron is because of his impact on the game. Don’t get me wrong, LeBron is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, but has he really changed the way the game is played?

Think of it in terms of two legendary rock and roll bands. LeBron is the Rolling Stones, whose power and energy made them arguably the greatest concert band of all time. Steph is the Beatles in that he revolutionized the music industry and changed youth culture across the globe.

At 6-foot-8, 250 pounds, LeBron is an athletic marvel who has been able to outrun, outjump and outmuscle and, yes, outwork his rivals. He is energy and power. But you don’t see kids on the playground trying to play like LeBron, but they do try to shoot like Steph.

Curry is the greatest shooter we have ever seen and his 3-point acumen has changed the face of basketball from the youth level up to the NBA. By deftly draining treys from the logo with defenders helplessly and hopelessly unable to stop him, he has made the 3-pointer an integral part of the game and inspired everyone — even big men — to improve their shooting beyond the arc. As a result, it has also changed the way teams align their defenses in an attempt to take away the 3-point shot.

For better or worse, Steph has revolutionized the game and in many ways turned it into a bombs-away 3-point shootout.

And he’s done it with a fun, frolicsome attitude and that trademark mouthpiece dangling from his lips. Unlike so many of today’s macho superstars, he doesn’t menacingly glare into the TV cameras after he makes a spectacular shot, he joyfully smiles at them.

LeBron, for various reasons, still has his detractors, but everybody adores Steph.

Sorry, King James, but you have been dethroned.

Steph Curry is not only the greatest all-time player in today’s NBA; he’s the most beloved as well.