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Steph Curry Drops Surprising Name for NBA’s Smartest Player—You Won’t Believe Who Tops His List!

Steph Curry Drops Surprising Name for NBA’s Smartest Player—You Won’t Believe Who Tops His List!

“And CP’s the one that, every possession, knows what he’s trying to get out of it. At his peak, it was insane; he could get his bucket and get somebody a lob or drop-down pass; he knew what play; the timing was cool; all that type of stuff.”

Warriors superstar Steph Curry enters his 17th NBA season having played with and against some of the greatest basketball players of all time.

Green’s on-court smarts might be lesser known to NBA fans outside of Dub Nation. Curry knows how much of a genius his running mate is, though, which is all that matters.

“Between [Chris Paul] and [LeBron James] — those two,” Curry told Morman.

No shockers there.

So, who would he consider to be the hooper with the highest on-court IQ? The 37-year-old revealed his answer to Complex’s Speedy Morman on Thursday.

Paul and James have undoubtedly been hailed as two of the NBA’s brightest players throughout their combined 2,916 career regular-season games played. Each can facilitate offenses like no other and always has been an extension of their coaching staff.

Curry has a great perspective on each player. He has been a longtime rival of both with Golden State, having defeated their various teams en route to championships. He, too, has played on the Warriors with Paul and on Team USA Basketball with James.

“Those two are top of mind with the highest IQ,” Curry reiterated about Paul and James to Morman. “And obviously Draymond. That’s like the podium for me.”

Steph Curry is stepping into his 17th NBA season carrying the kind of experience few can match—battling alongside and against some of the game’s all-time greats. Naturally, when asked who boasts the sharpest basketball mind on the court, Curry didn’t hesitate to name the usual suspects: Chris Paul and LeBron James. These two aren’t just hall-of-famers in waiting; they’re maestros who command the flow of the game with precision that’s almost surgical. But Curry’s nod doesn’t stop there—he throws in a shoutout to his own teammate, Draymond Green, a cerebral force whose basketball IQ often flies under the radar. It’s a rare glimpse into how a true master of the craft evaluates brilliance—not just by stats, but by the art of control and orchestration that defines great basketball leadership. LEARN MORE

“It’s the way they play, obviously, but the way they talk, the way they can kind of orchestrate an offense [and] control it,” Curry told Morman. “Like, Bron is the one who can control the tempo the greatest.

But Curry mentioned one more name when finishing his answer to Morman — his longtime Golden State teammate and fellow future Hall of Famer, Draymond Green.

Curry has much respect for Paul and James. And one day, they will have spots in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame together, largely due to their unique basketball minds.

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