“I wasn’t a point guard. I was a killer,” said Allen Iverson once and literally proved his words through his in-game skills. In an era when the NBA was dominated by towering giants, the 6-foot dynamo crossed over Michael Jordan stepped over Tyronn Lue, and carried an under-manned Philadelphia 76ers team to the 2001 NBA Finals. Now, former NBA player Matt Barnes has ignited a firestorm of controversy by ranking Stephen Curry ahead of him in the pantheon of NBA greats.

During an episode of the “All the Smoke” podcast, when rapper Gillie asked Barnes to choose between Curry and Iverson, Barnes didn’t hesitate to pick the Golden State Warriors’ sharpshooter. “Steph Curry,” said Barnes. This response from the former Los Angeles Lakers player raged the audience that was present during the live show and to cool down the atmosphere, co-host Stephen Jackson justified Barnes’ choice. “I love AI more as a brother but basketball-wise Steph has four f—-ing championships like get out y’all feelings… AI’s not gonna here you ay his name and be like thank you bro, appreciate. No dawg be real. Steph got four f—-ing championships like get out your feelings bro like it is, what it is,” said Jackson during the episode.

The choice itself might have sparked debate, but it might be Barnes’ previous comments about Allen Iverson that added fuel to the fire. During an episode of ‘Podcast P with Paul George’, Barnes had diminished Iverson’s physical stature by noting him as ‘little’. “The way to get to be there and see him and the way he played. I mean this dude was, he was little. But he would have these big bruises on his hips and burst the sack and If I’m not mistaken he said he started wearing the sleeves cause he would fall on his elbow so much they would start swelling up like tennis balls. So he was just beat up,” said Barnes during the video.

When comparing Allen Iverson and Stephen Curry’s career statistics, both players showcase remarkable but distinctly different strengths. Iverson’s career averages of 26.7 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game across 14 seasons demonstrate his explosive scoring ability and defensive tenacity. The Answer shot 42.5% from the field and 31.3% from three-point range, while becoming scoring champion four times (1999, 2001, 2002, 2005) and led steals three times in a row (2001-2003). And Steph Curry?

Curry, through his career so far, has averaged 24.7 points, 6.4 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game, but his shooting efficiency sets him apart—an impressive 47.3% from the field and 42.6% from beyond the arc.

If we look at the accolades as justified by Jackson, the only downside that Iverson has is that he has never won a championship, but Curry has won four times. The debate between Curry and Iverson ultimately represents a larger discussion about how we evaluate NBA legends. However, even though Barnes chose Curry over Allen Iverson there was a time when the former Lakers player fought over the place that Iverson deserved.

When Matt Barnes fought to get Allen Iverson his place

Barnes is indeed one of the most vocal retired players present in the NBA scene. He’s always known for his unfiltered comments from the time when he was a part of ESPN and now through his ‘All the Smoke’. Moreover, there was a time when he had once called out one fellow ESPN analyst.

The official page of First Take posted a photo on Instagram showing the players whom they consider to be the most influential NBA players. The photo was a collage of the players Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Bill Russell. However, Barnes couldn’t accept the absence of Iverson from the list. “Tuff list to make. But not to have AI on here 🤔 not only did he influence the game but his cultural impact was immeasurably,” commented Barnes on the post, which was a list made by Stephen A. Smith.

Iverson has indeed influenced the league like no one else. He became ‘The Answer’ by introducing tattoos and famous hip-hop clothing, challenging many of the league’s existing beliefs. This gesture showed that even though Barnes hasn’t selected Iverson now, he still has respect for the former 76er.