Stephen Curry’s ranking among the NBA’s best players has started another debate after The Ringer’s NBA Rankings. This time, his longtime Warriors teammate Draymond Green questioned whether the ranking truly shows Curry’s impact.

Speaking on The Draymond Green Show, Green said Curry’s limited games last season may have affected his ranking. However, he still questioned whether five players in the NBA can impact a game’s result like Curry can.

“But I don't know that there's five guys that can impact an outcome of a game like Steph Curry can,” Green said. “I still don't know that. But Steph only played 47 games last year. Maybe he's getting penalized for that.”

Before making this point, Green praised The Ringer’s list but explained why he still found Curry’s ranking difficult to understand.

On his YouTube show The Draymond Green Show, Green’s main point is that Steph Curry has a special ability to change the outcome of a game.

At the same time, he understands that availability can affect a player’s ranking. However, Curry played fewer games than the number Green mentioned.

According to StatMuse, Curry played 43 regular-season games. He averaged 26.6 points, 4.7 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per game. He also shot 39.3% from three-point range and played 30.9 minutes per game.

Curry’s limited availability may help explain why he did not make the top five in The Ringer’s rankings. Still, Green believes Curry’s ability to change games makes his ranking hard to understand.

Why Curry’s ranking still stands out

As per The Ringer’s NBA Rankings, The Ringer’s top five players were Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs, Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers, and Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks.

Curry is at No. 9 in the list. This list gives more context to Green’s comments. Curry is being compared with players who currently sit at the top of The Ringer’s rankings. His absence from the top five became the main point of the debate.

However, Green made it clear that he was not against the full ranking. While talking about Curry’s position, he praised The Ringer’s list.

“But again, you know, I'm not mad at that list at all. I think that's a damn good list,” Green said. 

Green’s comments show that his issue is mainly with Curry’s position, not with the entire ranking. His argument also highlights the difference between a player’s availability and their overall impact.

Curry’s 43-game season and strong numbers give both sides some support. Still, Green believes Curry can change a game as very few players can. That is why Curry’s place among the NBA’s best remains an interesting debate.

Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Kapil Manghnani brings over 4.5 years of experience in sports journalism, covering a wide range of sports, including Soccer, NHL, Tennis, Gymnastics, NASCAR, Swimming, and more. He has written for leading sports platforms, producing everything from breaking news and features to in-depth analysis, opinion pieces, long-form stories, and short-form content. Beyond articles, he has also scripted long-form storytelling videos for YouTube channels. His work focuses on delivering well-researched, engaging, and reader-first sports content across multiple formats.

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