Back in 2019, NBA legend Michael Jordan was asked whether Curry deserved a place in the Hall of Fame. His response caused quite a stir. Here’s what he said.
When Michael Jordan Questioned Steph Curry’s Hall of Fame Status
In an exclusive interview with NBC Today’s Craig Melvin in 2019, the topic of basketball naturally came up. Melvin asked Jordan about his unbeatable pickup game lineup, which in 2013 featured Scottie Pippen, Hakeem Olajuwon, Magic Johnson, and James Worthy. When asked if he’d change that lineup six years later, Jordan stood by his original picks.
“So, Steph Curry shouldn’t be offended when he watches this,” Melvin pressed. “I hope not,” Jordan responded. “He’s still a great player. Not a Hall of Famer yet, though. He’s not.”
This comment quickly caused a stir on social media, even catching the attention of Magic Johnson.
“Everyone relax. We know Steph Curry is a future Hall of Famer. Michael Jordan couldn’t say it because he would get fined by the league,” Johnson tweeted.
It’s important to note that since then, Curry’s career has only soared. Despite the Warriors facing some challenges around 2020, Curry played a key role in their 2022 NBA title win, breaking records along the way. Stephen A. Smith even compared fan reactions to Michael Jordan and Steph Curry.
Curry has also earned a spot in the NBA All-Star lineup every year since 2021—a significant achievement.
While Stephen Curry might not have been in Jordan’s Hall of Fame back then, it’s safe to say he’s made a strong case for it in the years since.
When given the opportunity, Curry took the high road in responding to Jordan’s claim that he wasn’t a Hall of Famer “yet.”
In an interview with Sole Collector’s Matt Welty for Full Size Run, Curry addressed Jordan’s comments, saying, “I think I’m good, but then I’m never complacent.
“I know I have more to prove to myself. When you hear a guy like that who’s the greatest of all time, it’s kind of funny. Since we’ve been on this stage, we’ve heard a lot of retired guys chiming in on this generation of basketball players and evaluating talent and saying their generation was better and all that.”
He continued, “It’s a great conversation for the fans to get in on. I know I’m in good shape for that, but I still have a lot to prove to myself.”
In 2021, Curry even sat down with MJ, and apparently, the first thing he asked him was about that interview. “That was the first question, and they just edited it out,” Curry jokingly revealed on the ‘Hoops, Adjacent’ podcast with The Athletic’s David Aldridge and Marcus Thompson III. “He said ‘first ballot, Hall of Fame, no problem.’”
