Stephen Curry Says He Is Trying to Top Michael Jordan as Greatest Player Ever

Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry has made a compelling case for being the best basketball player in the world of late, but the reigning NBA MVP is aiming even higher.

In an extensive interview with ESPN the Magazine's Sam Alipour, Curry spoke of eclipsing Michael Jordan as the best player of all time.   

"It's a high mountain to climb, but I'm pretty motivated to take on the challenge," said Curry of surpassing Jordan as the best ever. "Whatever that means, however you got on that mountain, why not try to climb it? And do it in your own way."

When Alipour asked Curry to confirm whether he's aiming to top Jordan, the Warriors floor general replied, "Yeah. Why else would I be playing? You want to be the best you can be. And if the best you can be is better than him, then why not? That's good motivation."

Comparisons between this season's 22-0 Warriors and the Jordan-led 1995-96 Chicago Bulls, who posted the best-ever NBA record of 72-10, have inevitably surfaced. Why not feed the fire to a debate that could become extremely heated in the years to come?

Curry may already be the best shooter ever, and as he hinted, he'd have to go about topping Jordan in his own way. The 27-year-old point guard plays a different position than Jordan, who was a shooting guard, but he is nevertheless perhaps the best long-distance shooter in NBA history.

There are also many years of elite production ahead if Curry is meant to match or surpass Jordan statistically. The Bulls legend ended an epic career with averages of 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.3 steals per contest.

Those figures are similar to Curry's current 2015-16 line of 32.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.2 steals. However, Curry needs to keep it up over the next 60 or so games and for years to come to approach Jordan's realm.

To use his own words, though, Curry is indeed doing it in his own way. He is scoring from the perimeter at an astonishing rate this season, averaging 11.2 three-point attempts per game and hitting those shots at a 47.2 percent clip compared to Jordan's career mark of 32.7 percent.

ESPN Sport Science host John Brenkus compared Curry to another Jordan in providing some context for the long-range prowess:

A stacked Golden State team may prevent Curry from reaching the heights Jordan did as an individual. Where Curry can really make his case as the greatest is by leading the Warriors on numerous postseason conquests, starting with a successful NBA title defense in the next playoffs.

Jordan has set a high standard with six championships and two runs of three straight titles on top of his personal on-court exploits. If Curry could eclipse the number of Larry O'Brien Trophies Jordan laid claim to, he could well be regarded as the greatest.