Stephen A. Smith Claims Steph Curry Is Surpassing LeBron's Influence

The "First Take" host believes Curry is overtaking LeBron as the face of this generation.

BYAlexander Cole
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LeBron James and Steph Curry have built a nice rivalry over the last half of a decade. As it stands, LeBron is the true icon of this generation, and while Steph has a ton of influence with his shooting, it is hard to deny the raw star power of LeBron James, who has pretty well dominated the NBA for 19 years.

While this may be the case, there are some people out there who believe that Curry is now the true face of this generation. Among them is none other than Stephen A. Smith, who made the case on First Take today that Curry is actually surpassing LeBron as the front and center figure of this generation of basketball.

“We’re not recognizing how [Steph Curry’s] transformed the game of basketball. … We talk about LeBron or Jordan, what about Jordan-Curry?!” Smith asked.


This take was then followed up with a rebuttal from JJ Redick, who has imposed his will on First Take over the last couple of weeks. Redick feels like LeBron is still the guy, especially since he has been lights out during the games he has actually played this year.

“When you talk about the face of a generation, you’re talking about a resume … [in] any statistical measure ... LeBron James is ahead of Steph!” he said.


Of course, this is one of those debates that is subjective. You're always going to go with who your favorite player is, and if you were watching First Take at home this morning, you probably felt very strongly about either take. 

Let us know who you think is the face of this generation, in the comments below.


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About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current Managing Editor of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. During this time, he has shown an expertise in Air Jordans, Yeezys, and all things that have to do with Nike. His favorite kicks are the Air Jordan 1 High OG, the Air Jordan 4, the Air Jordan 6, and the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 in the "Beluga 2.0" colorway. Although his collection might not be the biggest, he is always looking to add new styles to it. When it comes to sports, Alex has a particular interest in the NBA and the NFL. His favorite teams are anywhere LeBron goes, and the Kansas City Chiefs. As a Montrealer, the Montreal Canadiens hold a special place in his heart, even if they haven't won the Stanley Cup in his lifetime. Alex also works for the Concordia Stingers, where he provides play-by-play and color commentary for the football, hockey, and basketball teams His favorite hip-hop artists are Kendrick Lamar, Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, and Lil Uzi Vert.