Being a basketball fan is truly exciting right now. The game is transitioning smoothly from one era to the next. LeBron James has had an incredible two-decade career, and it’s time for King James to relinquish the crown. The luster of Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors’ decade-long success is beginning to fade.

The NBA is currently undergoing a rebranding, and it’s happening at an ideal time. TNT Sports’ 35-year television partnership with the NBA will conclude after the 2025 season. The league will begin its new 11-year, $76 billion media rights deal with ABC/ESPN, NBC/Peacock, and Amazon Prime starting in the 2025-26 season. Additionally, John Tesh’s iconic “Roundball Rock” theme music is making a return, introducing a new generation of basketball fans to its catchy tune. There couldn’t be a better way to kick off this rebranding than with some fresh headliners.

The 2025 NBA Finals features two burgeoning superstars in Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the newly crowned 2025 NBA MVP, and Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton. Shai and Tyrese are not superstar-level yet, but they are at the doorstep. They are spearheading this new wave of contemporary talent and ushering in the yet-to-be defined era.

“We’re witnessing the changing of the guard,” said former L.A. Clippers guard Lou Williams on the “Run It Back” podcast on FanDuel TV. “We are seeing the LeBrons and Kobes of our time. These young superstars are starting to make their mark on the game and define where it’s headed in the future. SGA is going to be one of those special players.”

Lou Will had a unique perspective on Shai’s development, having been his teammate during SGA’s rookie season with the Clippers. “This is my rook,” said Williams, who recognized Shai’s maturity from Day 1. He observed how Shai dedicated himself to improving at just 20 and is now seeing him emerge as one of the best players in the league at 26.

“[Shai] was always a responsible player who carried himself like a mature professional,” Williams noted. “He had big aspirations and was clear about his endgame. He knew his abilities.”

Lou Will’s praise for Shai’s work ethic underscores SGA’s character. The Clippers had a strong feeling that SGA could become an All-Star caliber player, but an NBA MVP? “Not in my wildest dreams,” Lou Will admitted. “I’m sure Shai had [MVP] on his vision board.”

SGA embodies the qualities of a throwback player who understands the importance of consistency and patience in achieving the ultimate goal of winning a championship.

The same holds true for Haliburton. The 25-year-old Pacers guard possesses an unorthodox shooting style but plays like a classic point guard with modern capabilities. He can dominate a game without scoring, pushing the pace like an ’80s playmaker while boasting an astonishing 5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. For context, a 3:1 ratio is considered well above average, while 4:1 is excellent. Haliburton is operating on an entirely different level in terms of minimizing turnovers.

Few players can match Haliburton’s killer mentality. He has made headlines by leading two historic comebacks with game-winning shots that thwarted the playoff hopes of the Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers. He also delivered a memorable choke sign celebration at Madison Square Garden after making a dagger shot that seemingly floated five feet in the air before swishing through the net. That shot and choke sign celebration will linger in the memories of Knicks fans for a long time.

The Pacers achieved remarkable comebacks, erasing a seven-point lead in 34.7 seconds to eliminate the Bucks in five games, then erasing another seven-point deficit in 46.7 seconds to take a 2-0 lead against the Cavaliers. In the Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks, they came back from a nine-point deficit in 52.5 seconds in Game 1, with Haliburton sinking critical shots during each comeback.

SGA and Haliburton — alongside Anthony Edwards (23), Jalen Brunson (28), Cade Cunningham (23) and Luka Doncic (26) — are entering their prime years. Five of the six made the 2025 All-NBA teams (Luka didn’t qualify because of games missed), and they represent the present and future of the Association. They represent the major shift in the NBA as we head into a new era.

HISTORY LESSON: BREAKING DOWN DIFFERENT ERAS IN THE NBA

How did we arrive at this point? Let’s pop the VHS tape into the VCR and press rewind. The first 75 years of the NBA can be divided into six distinct eras.

In the league’s formative years of the 1950s and 1960s, eight basketball pioneers — Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Elgin Baylor, Bob Cousy, George Mikan, Bob Pettit, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell — established the groundwork for greatness. Bill Russell and his Boston Celtics didn’t just participate; they dominated the era, clinching 11 championships in 13 seasons. This is an astonishing achievement that is unlikely to ever be matched.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dave Cowens, John Havlicek, Willis Reed, Wes Unseld, Rick Barry, George “Iceman” Gervin, and Julius Erving carried the torch through the colorful and turbulent era in the 1970s. This was a challenging time marked by the competition between the ABA and NBA, resulting in dwindling audiences.

The arrival of Magic Johnson in L.A. and Larry Bird in Boston revitalized basketball during the 1980s, often regarded as the league’s golden era. It was a period of glitz and grit. Showtime vs. Celtic Pride. East Cost vs. West Coast. This period also saw the emergence of the “Bad Boys” Detroit Pistons, along with three-time MVP Moses Malone’s move from Houston to Philadelphia. Moses teamed up with Julius “Dr. J” Erving in the 1982-83 season and co-authored one of the most dominant playoff runs, sweeping Magic’s Lakers in the ’83 Finals and capping off a 12-1 postseason record. Moses’ audacious move may be the first variant of a superstar player joining another superstar player to form a super team.

The Air Jordan era took flight in the 1990s. After grabbing the baton from Magic and Bird, Michael Jordan ruled the ’90s, winning six championships in eight years and denying peers Sir Charles Barkley, Karl “The Mailman” Malone, and Patrick Ewing from winning rings. Jordan’s Bulls was a perfect 6-0 in the NBA Finals and pulled off the three-peat twice.

Hakeem Olajuwon benefited from Jordan’s brief two-year retirement, leading the Houston Rockets to back-to-back titles in 1994 and 1995. David “The Admiral” Robinson teamed up with Tim “Big Fundamental” Duncan in San Antonio, winning titles in 1999 and 2003.

The immediate post-Jordan era was dominated by five players: Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, and Duncan. Kobe, Shaq, and Duncan combined to win 13 NBA titles, four regular season MVPs, and eight Finals MVPs from 1999 to 2010. For a decade, the road to the NBA Finals went through Kobe, Shaq, and Duncan. It was the dueling dynasties era. Shaq and Kobe led the Lakers to a three-peat — one of only five three-peats in NBA history. Mikan’s Minneapolis Lakers did it. Russell’s Celtics did it. Jordan’s Bulls did it twice. And Shaq and Kobe were the last to do it in 2002.

Nowitzki bridged the gap between the Kobe Bryant era and the LeBron James era. Nowitzki ended Kobe’s reign as the world’s best player when Dirk’s Dallas Mavericks squad knocked off Kobe’s Lakers in the 2011 playoffs. In the same playoff run, Nowitzki pumped the brakes on LeBron’s title run when his Mavs defeated LeBron’s Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.

LeBron’s appearance in the 2011 Finals started a run of eight consecutive trips. He put together a super team in Miami, winning two titles in 2012 and 2013, but lost to the Mavs in 2011 and Duncan’s Spurs in 2014. After a four-year run in South Beach, LeBron returned to Cleveland to fulfill his promise of bringing a championship to his hometown team. He delivered on the promise by winning a title in 2016, ending Cleveland’s 52-year professional title drought.

Dirk and KG revolutionized the game, ushering in a new era of big men. The Big Ticket made it possible for high schoolers to skip college and turn pro at 19. Nowitzki opened the door for European bigs who preferred to face the basket instead of having their back to it. Nowitzki and Garnett were instrumental in the game’s evolution, as more and more teams shifted away from traditional power forwards and opted for stretch-4s.

LeBron took the Cavs to four straight NBA Finals but could muster just one victory in four matchups against Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors. Curry led the Warriors to four championships in eight seasons — two of those championship banners were aided by the addition of Kevin Durant.

The Dubs Dynasty opened the portal to the “small ball” era and advanced metrics. Analytics experts preferred shooting 3s over 2s — it’s either a layup or dunk or a 3-ball — and the midrange shot was viewed as somewhat of a dinosaur idea. The modern NBA puts a premium on pace and space.

The Pacers and Thunder are extensions of the pace-and-space approach, with some added features. Much like today’s fast-paced, ever-changing world, the game continues to evolve. Sure, the traditional back-to-the-basket center may be extinct, but centers are more valuable than ever. Small ball is becoming out of style like skinny jeans. Big-boy basketball is back — with pace and space.

Spurs 7-foot-6 center/forward/guard Victor Wembanyama is the type of player every team craves. Wemby is a big man with a handle who can shoot threes while being an anchor on defense. There’s only one Wemby, but teams will scour the Earth to find a similar player.

OKC found a Wemby-type unicorn in Chet Holmgren. Holmgren may not be as tall as Wemby but he can do all the things Wemby does. Holmgren has a decent handle for a 7-1 player, which allows him to get to his hot spots. Holmgren is also one of the best shot blockers in the NBA, which allows OKC defenders like Jalen Williams, Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, and Alex Caruso to press up and stay attached because they know Chet has their back.

The Thunder and Pacers both subscribe to the pace-and-space philosophy, but what allows them to consistently play at hyper-speed is depth. Indiana and OKC throw a wave of bodies at teams, saving their starters from having to play heavy minutes.

Today’s NBA is littered with 3&D wing players and big combo guards like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, and Cade Cunningham. What’s also becoming in vogue is skilled big men. Teams are looking for the next Nikola Jokic, a 5-man who can be the hub of an offense. We are deep in the era of positionless basketball where forwards can play center and centers can play guard.

Because the ball is in the hands of principal scorers, the traditional point guard is being phased out. What used to be the primary job of the point guard is now being distributed to other positions.
Haliburton might be one of the last of the Mohicans in terms of pure point guards, much like the gas-guzzling SUVs with V6 engines. It’s becoming harder and harder to find them. Suppressing point guards and centers isn’t healthy for the game. We need more of them, not less.

Shai, Cade, and Luka, on the other hand, are the archetypes of today’s point guard. They are big, heliocentric guards (6-6 and 6-7) built to play downhill, able to attack a compromised defense while coming off ball screens. They can score or draw fouls in the paint or draw multiple defenders and kick it out for open threes. It’s essentially an extension of what LeBron or James Harden have been doing for the past decade.

What separates SGA from Luka and Cade is his ability to do damage in the midrange area. The midrange (or the high post) is the area on the court that’s 4 to 5 feet below the 3-point line or roughly 15 to 20 feet away from the basket. It stretches from one side of the free throw line elbow to the next. Attack the mid-range is a core part of SGA’s game, and he’s proficient at it. During his 2024-25 MVP season when he averaged a league-leading 32.7 points per game, Shai made 57% of his mid-range attempts. The average NBA team’s midrange field goal percentage is around 42%.

There’s a fictitious narrative in basketball in terms of the mid-range shot. Many pundits and players jumped on the 3-point shot bandwagon and shoved the middie to the side of the road. But the middie never really went away. It is still the weapon of choice in the postseason, and it is still the best shot that’ll lead to a title. Outside of Steph Curry’s Warriors and Jayson Tatum’s Boston Celtics, the mid-range or the mid-post is where championship teams earn their money.

The adage of “what’s old is new again” seems fitting here because SGA is making the old mid-range shot the new viral trend.

As much as we’d like to see our sports heroes play forever, they can’t. Every now and then they might be able to summon a flicker of their greatness, but eventually the flame will go out.

We’ve been fortunate enough to watch all-time greats like LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant entertain us for years. However, Father Time is undefeated and the clock will eventually run out on LeBron (who turns 41 next season), Steph (36), and KD (36).

It’s time for a new generation of stars to entertain us. Embrace the changing of the guard and get excited. It’s going to be fantastic.

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastbreak.net. Follow and subscribe to his YouTube channel at @onemanfastbreak1.

Jerry West, who died at the age of 86 on June 12, 2024, was more than just great NBA player. He was arguably the most influential person in the game of basketball.

Few in the history of the game could match West’s accolades as a player and as an executive. He was a collegiate standout at West Virginia and led the Mountaineers to the NCAA final. He won an Olympic gold medal as co-captain of the U.S. squad at the Rome Olympics in 1960. He was a 12-time All-NBA selection and a 14-time All-Star in all 14 of his NBA seasons. He won a championship with the L.A. Lakers in 1972 after suffering through some painful Finals losses — six of them were at the hands of the hated Boston Celtics. West was named NBA Finals MVP in 1969 despite being on the losing squad.

Then, after West retired as a player, he became the greatest basketball general manager. He helped build the Lakers’ Showtime dynasty in the 1980s and was the architect of the Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant-led Lakers three-peat in the early 2000s.

West signed O’Neal to a then whopping seven-year, $120 million contract in the summer of 1996. A month earlier, West orchestrated a draft-day deal (or steal) with the Charlotte Hornets that sent high schooler Kobe Bryant to the Lakers.

West famously told the story about the pre-draft process when he brought Kobe in for a workout and stopped the workout 10 minutes in after the teenager torched former defensive player of the year Michael Cooper in 1-on-1 drills. West told the late Lakers owner Jerry Buss that the Lakers “we got the best player in the draft.”

Shaq penned a touching tribute to his former general manager in an Instagram post.

There are certain people that you come across, and from the moment you meet them, you know that your life is changed. That is what happened the moment that I met you. And, looking back on it, it all seems so obvious now. You were deliberate and purposeful. You were kind and thoughtful. And your insights into what was going to happen to a Lakers franchise that you loved were spot on.

When we first met in Atlanta the hotel at 3:30 am to discuss the possibility of me becoming a member of the Lakers, first thing you said after i signed the contract was were about to do great things. You talked about a young 17 year old that you had just traded for, and that together, Kobe and I would win several championships. I have learned in my life that in order to accomplish great things, everyone has to believe that it can happen. I learned that from listening to you that day. You were so confident that we were about to be a dynasty. It made it easier for me to believe.

Your insights were hard earned. You did not have it easy as a child. But from the moment that you could stand out as a young man, you did. And you never looked back. You took your home-state West Virginia Mountaineers to the national championship game, and although you didn’t prevail, you were still named the MVP of the tournament. You came to the Lakers and played for them for 14 years. You won a championship with the team, and you even won the MVP of the Finals in a year that your team did not win the title! You then oversaw eight titles for the Lakers franchise! And you did all of it with kindness and class. You made everyone around you better, and you did all of it with such humility.

You deserve to be The Logo, but to all of us who had the honor of knowing you, you were so much more. With all of your nicknames — Mr. Clutch, Mr. Outside, or even Zeke from Cabin Creek — they still don’t capture the man that you were. But, I have a final label for you. And I am so proud that I got to call you this. Friend.

I will miss you. Much love to your entire family.

Shaq

As an adviser with the Golden State Warriors, he was credited with blocking a potential trade that would have sent Klay Thompson to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kevin Love. The Warriors followed West’s advice and kept Klay, and the rest was history and another dynasty was born.

Even though it was widely known that the inspiration behind the silhouette on the NBA logo was West, he was reluctant to embrace the idea that he was some sort of basketball paragon. But West was much more to the league than the logo he inspired. His fingerprints are felt across the game, and his contributions and decisions changed the course of basketball history.

West once told the Associated Press in a 2021 interview that he was “just part of the game.”

“I never wanted to be any more than that,” West said. “I’m extremely fortunate to have had the life that I’ve had, and that’s enough for me.”

He certainly lived a great life.

Anthony Davis celebrates after draining a playoff buzzer-beater. (Getty Images)

Anthony Davis yelled “Kobe” after hitting the biggest shot of his young NBA career. He sprinted down the sideline and jumped into a swarm of teammates who were eager to mob him.

Davis’ special shoutout was an obvious homage to the late great Kobe Bryant — the legendary Los Angeles Laker who had a habit of sinking game-winning shots throughout his Hall of Fame basketball career.

“That’s a shot Kobe Bryant would hit,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said of Davis’ 3-point shot from the wing in front of the Denver Nuggets bench to beat the clock. It lifted the Los Angeles Lakers to a 105-103 victory over the Nuggets in Game 2 of the 2020 Western Conference finals inside the NBA bubble at Disney World.

“To me, AD just flying through the wing like that, catch and shoot with the game on the line in the biggest moment of our season, nothing but net, that’s a Mamba shot,” Vogel said.

It was fitting the Lakers wore the special Black Mamba Nike jerseys in their dramatic win over Denver. Davis, who has only been a Laker for one season, said it’s no coincidence the 2020 Lakers play with more “swag” while wearing the Black Mamba uniforms.

“We just feel like we play a little different,” the 27-year-old first-team All-NBA forward-center said. “Our swag is a little different. Every time we put on those jerseys, obviously, we’re representing him. But especially in those jerseys. It was his jersey. The one that he created. Anytime we put it on we feel like we want to win.”

The significance of the game-winner wasn’t lost on Davis. He knew it will define his Lakers career. He also knew he put himself in rarefied air, joining a list of legendary Lakers who made unforgettable buzzer-beaters in the playoffs.

OneManFastBreak ranks the five best playoff buzzer-beaters in Lakers history.

5-Anthony Davis’ Mamba moment vs. Nuggets (2020)

The Lakers were down 103-102 with 2.1 seconds in the game. The play was drawn up for LeBron James to catch the ball at the elbow. But Rajon Rondo saw Davis break free from Mason Plumlee, who inexplicably decided to call switch at the last second instead of fighting over the top of the screen. Rondo fired a perfect bounce pass to AD, who caught the ball in perfect shooting position and launched a high-arching shot over the outstretched arms of 7-footer Nikola Jokic and swished it with no time left. AD called his walkoff 3-pointer the biggest shot of his career. He wasn’t afforded many opportunities when he was with the New Orleans Pelicans. Being with the L.A. Lakers has allowed AD to be on center stage. He now has the mic, and he’s not about to let it go.

4-Kobe Bryant sets Staples ablaze vs. Suns (2006)

Kobe was no stranger to clutch shots. He was at his absolute best when his best was needed. The Lakers entered their 2006 playoff series against Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns as underdogs. The Lakers were two years removed from the Shaq-Kobe era. This was Kobe’s team. He carried the franchise on his back during a season in which he averaged a league-leading 35.4 points per game and scored a mind-boggling 81 points against the Toronto Raptors. The Suns were championship contenders, but Kobe’s individual greatness pushed the Lakers to a 3-1 series before eventually losing in seven games. Few NBA fans remember the Suns’ comeback. Many remember Kobe’s heroics against the Suns in Game 4.

3-Derek Fisher beats the clock vs. Spurs (2004)

Can you attempt a shot with 0.4 seconds left? Derek Fisher proved you can. In the 2004 conference semifinals between the Lakers and San Antonio Spurs, Tim Duncan gave the Spurs a 73-72 lead after hitting an 0ff-balance fallaway shot at the top of the key. The Spurs fans thought the game was over and home team was poised to take a 3-2 series lead. San Antonio’s dreams were dashed with one improbable fling — a Fisher Fling. Before Gary Payton inbounded the ball, the Spurs double teamed Kobe Bryant to deny him the ball. Payton had to look elsewhere. Fisher flashed in front of him and received the pass. In one motion, Fisher turned to his left and fired a shot that barely left his left hand as the red light turned on. D-Fish tallied just eight points in the game, but none bigger than the last shot he swished with 0.4 seconds left. The Lakers went on to knock out the Spurs and advance to the conference finals.

2-Jerry West sinks 60-foot heave vs. Knicks (1970)

For many millennials and centennials, the name Jerry West doesn’t ring a bell. In the era of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, West’s name surfaces mostly as an NBA executive and special adviser on the Golden State Warriors. It might be time for generation Y and Z to learn some basketball history and see how West played a huge part in creating what the NBA is today. Google him, folks. West, known as Mr. Clutch for much of his career, made a shot during the 1970 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks that may never be duplicated. Dave DeBusschere’s short jumper gave the Knicks a two-point lead with three seconds left. L.A. had no timeouts, so Wilt Chamberlain quickly inbounded the ball to West, who took three dribbles before launching a desperation heave from the backcourt that somehow went through the hoop sending the game into overtime. Because the 3-point shot didn’t exist in 1970, it only counted as two points. Had West’ shot happen in 2020, it would have been an obvious game-winner. The Lakers went on to lose the game and the series, but the legend of Jerry West grew.

1-Big Shot Bob saves Lakers vs. Kings (2002)

Robert Horry built his NBA resume around making big-time shots in May and June. Because of his uncanny ability to rise up in big moments, he earned the nickname Big Shot Bob. Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant were without a doubt the most valuable players during the Lakers’ three-peat. But the L.A. dynasty would have ended sooner without the heroics of Horry. You could make a strong argument the Lakers would not have beaten the Sacramento Kings in the 2002 conference finals without Horry. The Kings were seconds away from taking a 3-1 lead in the series when Horry bailed out the Lakers. Kobe and Shaq both had an opportunity to tie the game, but both missed. Kobe missed a driving shot in the paint while Shaq flubbed a point-blank shot in front of the rim that Vlade Divac ended up punching out instead of grabbing the ball. The loose ball bounced to the top of the key and fell into the hands of a guy with a reputation for making clutch shots. Without hesitation, Horry got his feet set and shot the ball over a rushing Chris Webber and drained it as the buzzer sounded for a 100-99 heart-pounding L.A. win. It was not only the greatest playoff buzzer-beater in Lakers history but one of the greatest playoff buzzer-beaters in NBA history.

Stephen Curry was the seventh-overall selection in the 2009 NBA draft. (GETTY IMAGES)

When it comes to basketball savants, few can compare to Jerry West. The “logo” won a championship as a player and executive, building two dynasties in Los Angeles.

The 77-year-old Hall-of-Famer is without peer in terms of player evaluations. It took him just 20 minutes in a pre-draft workout in L.A. to figure out that an 18-year-old kid from Lower Merion High School in Philadelphia named Kobe Bryant was the best player in the 1996 NBA draft.

These days, West is no longer in charge of day-to-day operations but he still commands plenty of respect around the NBA.

“The way the game has evolved people in the front office, the way they are building teams, they need to look at trend in this league. The 3-point shooting is here forever,” West, now an executive board member with the Golden State Warriors, told radio host Colin Cowherd.

The 3-point shot has become such a weapon that teams are building their game plans around them. The Warriors built their foundation on a 3-point shooter, Stephen Curry. Golden State selected the son of former NBA sharpshooter Dell Curry with the seventh overall pick in the 2009 draft. Six years later, Curry is the MVP of the NBA. He also ended the 40-year title drought in the Bay Area.

“I think Stephen Curry, for sure, is going to change what we see in players coming into this league,” West said.

“All those little kids would want to look like him [and] play like him,” West continued. “He doesn’t have a big body, he’s not the most incredible athlete we have, and he plays the game with finesse. We see a lot of players in this league that are big, strong guys that play with force. To me, so far, finesse has won out over force. It’s a game I like to watch. I love to watch him play.”

West is not the only one who loves to watch Curry play. He was the top vote-getter in the 2015 NBA All-Star Game and his highlights are viral hits on YouTube. Not bad for a guy who was thought of as an undersized shooting guard from tiny Davidson College in North Carolina.

“In the locker room, he’s the most unassuming kid,” West said. “I’ve always said humility is the greatest word in the world, and he’s beyond humble. He’s just a normal, incredible kid to be around.

“His parents have done a great job with the whole family. And he’s just an extension of his family. He’s beloved by the people who watch him play. He’s so much fun to watch. He’s got a routine and he’s an unbelievably hard-worker. Behind that little baby face is a real killer there, too.”

In Golden State’s historic run to the championship in 2015, Curry knocked off three of the five first-team All-NBA studs and then brought down King James in the NBA Finals.

Curry beat the man many consider as the best player in the world. It was an unofficial passing of the torch from one basketball ruler to the next. It wasn’t quite like Joffrey Baratheon relinquishing the iron throne to his brother, Tommen, but it was symbolic.

Steph’s Warriors have not slowed down since winning the ‘chip. Golden State is off to one of the best starts in NBA history, and Curry has a league-leading 33 points per game. He’s also making 5.1 3-pointers a game, which is two more than Portland’s Damian Lillard (second best) and three more than the next 10 guys on the list.

Former Warriors coach Mark Jackson explains what sets Curry apart from his peers.

“We haven’t seen anybody else with his ability to be a great shooter across the board,” Jackson told ESPN.com. “Meaning, stop and pop. Meaning, off motion. Meaning, pick-and-roll. Meaning, split the pick-and-roll and shoot off one leg. Meaning, step back and shoot over two guys trapping. Meaning, any way you can name how to shoot a basketball, Steph Curry is a great shooter. We have never seen anybody on that level. Steve Nash played at a high level, a two-time MVP and an incredible shooter — this is a different level. Reggie Miller, incredible shooter. Chris Mullin, incredible shooter. Guys I played with, Dale Ellis, Dell Curry, incredible shooters. But they didn’t have the total package. They aren’t coming off a trap and lifting from 30. This guy just has no limits.”

Curry’s basketball journey is not your typical narrative. He wasn’t a big-time high school recruit. There were many questions about his ability to make the adjustment from college to the pros. And even after he had proven himself that he can hang in the NBA, he was thought of as an injury-plagued player who lacked the physical stature to compete at the highest level.

Curry not only proved the doubters wrong, but he is also reshaping what an NBA player should look like. Remember those old Michael Jordan Gatorade commercials with the cool “Be Like Mike” jingle? Well, we should update that slogan and tweak it to “Be Like Steph.”

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

The Golden State Warriors need a full season from point guard Stephen Curry. (GETTY IMAGES)

Bringing in Jerry West as an adviser, as well as minority owner, to the Golden State Warriors was a very smart decision. The legendary executive has helped remake the team in a short amount of time.

Golden State started the purge last year when they traded volume scorer Monta Ellis to the Milwaukee Bucks in return for oft-injured center Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson. Bogut is a legit 15-point and 10-rebound player, but he has averaged just 58 games in his seven-year career. It’s a good thing they have Andris Biedrins available to come off the bench.

But if Bogut can remain healthy, he is a solid upgrade over Biedrins at the center position. He is a better rebounder and defender. Plus, he can score more effectively in the low post. Biedrins has battled injuries the last three seasons and never come close to the potential he flashed in 2008-09 when he averaged 11.9 points and 11.2 rebounds.

In my opinion, Harrison Barnes was the most NBA-ready player in the draft. I was shocked the Cleveland Cavaliers passed on him and took Dion Waiters. Barnes is a solid player that should start for the Warriors from Day 1. He will give point guard Stephen Curry a player to dish the ball to on the wing.

David Lee is an efficient power forward and should help Bogut’s transition a little smoother.

Klay Thompson is a young 3-point shooter who should benefit from Bogut’s presence. Expect an even bigger year out of him with a better center getting him even better looks at the basket.

The Warriors upgraded the bench big time. One of the smarter decisions was adding veteran point guard Jarrett Jack. Curry is constantly battling injuries and Jack gives them insurance in case Curry keeps that history going. Jack played pretty well in a bad situation last year with the New Orleans Hornets. He averaged 15.6 points and 6.3 assists.

They also added Carl Landry, an undersized frontcourt player who should help the bench. His energy, rebounding and second-chance points are a nice addition to any team.

Brandon Rush gives them a nice backup to Thompson, and he could see some time at small forward as well if Richard Jefferson continues to decline.

Jeremy Tyler may be running out of time to show he can play with the big boys, but he’s going to be buried on the depth chart this season. He’ll need injuries to occur for him to see much playing time.

West has helped turn around a moribund franchise. He is hoping to help the team make a playoff appearance, something that has happened just twice since 1994. The only question is can they stay healthy enough to compete in a vastly improved Pacific Division?

Projected finish in Pacific Division: Third (fighting for a playoff spot, most likely the eighth seed)

Darren Jacks is a regular contributor to OneManFastBreak.net. Send him an email at: djroxalot@hotmail.com

The only thing standing in the way of Kobe Bryant and winning a fifth NBA championship is the Boston Celtics. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Kobe Bryant wanted to win another NBA title so bad it nearly cost him.

Despite shooting a pathetic 6-for-26 in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, Bryant was awarded the Finals MVP trophy as he celebrated his fifth NBA championship.

Is Bryant the greatest Laker of all time? That’s the unavoidable question that everyone seems to be throwing around now that Bryant has just as many championship rings as basketball Hall-of-Famers and Laker legends Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and four more than his idol Jerry West.

Few can argue Johnson’s status as GLE (Greatest Laker Ever). He owns five championship rings, six MVPs (three in the NBA Finals) and made arguably the greatest shot in Lakers history when he swished the junior skyhook against the Celtics in Game 4 of the 1987 Finals.

And, oh by the way, his bronze statue stands on Star Plaza at Staples Center.

Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O’Neal and Abdul-Jabbar are three of the best players in NBA history, but because they played for other teams longtime Laker fans – as well as Dr. Buss – consider them as hired guns.

For whatever reason, Kareem has always taken a backseat to Magic. Just look at their positions in the current Lakers hierarchy. Magic is part owner while Kareem is a special assistant. Fair? Probably not. Dr. Buss has always favored Magic over Kareem. Same goes with West over Wilt and Kobe over Shaq.

West and Johnson played their entire careers with the Lakers, and Bryant has a no-trade clause in his big, fat contract so he should finish his career wearing purple and gold.

West has told everyone who would listen that Bryant is, without a doubt, the best player to ever wear the Laker uniform. Kobe is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, the 2008 regular-season MVP, a two-time Finals MVP and a five-time world champion.

However, there is a dark side to Bryant that has kept him from becoming Mr. Laker. Often times, Bryant can be very pugnacious toward the media, which really hurts his Q rating.

Bryant is a polarizing figure. He is both loved and hated. He may go down in history as the most talented Laker of all time, but his off-the-court persona and his 2004 rape charge still haunt him.

If Bryant had Magic’s personality, he would easily be the most beloved celebrity in Southern California. Right now, he’s stuck somewhere between Vic “The Brick” Jacobs and Kim Kardashian in the likeability rating.

But all of this may soon change now that Bryant has filled one hand with championship rings, and has a very good shot at surpassing Michael Jordan – who many consider as the G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time). It’s all about the rings, and Kobe is far from done.

Bryant certainly solidified his Laker legacy with a Finals victory over the Boston Celtics, the same franchise that broke West’s heart seven times in the Finals and the same franchise that Johnson had to hurdle to cement his legacy.

When Bryant was asked if he needed to defeat the Celtics in order to be considered the greatest Laker of all time, Kobe said “no” at first but then came clean after the Lakers’ 83-79 victory in Game 7.

“I was just lying to you guys,” Bryant admitted. “When you’re in the moment you have to suppress them. Because if you get caught up in the hype of it all you don’t really play your best basketball. But I mean you guys know what a student I am. I know every series that the Lakers have played in. I’m a Laker nut. I know every Celtic series, I know every statistic so it meant the world to me. But I couldn’t focus on that. I had to focus on playing.”

He added, “It was the most physical one. They believed they could beat us, especially after what happened in ’08. Guys made big shots. It was tough. They weren’t going to beat themselves.”

Of course beating the Celtics meant the world to Bryant. This is a guy who can recite the NBA record book in his sleep and works himself to exhaustion to maintain his status as the No. 1 player in the world.

“It’s not in the front of his mind. It’s about his personality. It’s about winning,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said of Bryant’s alleged quest to surpass Magic Johnson or Michael Jordan. “I think in retrospect he’s going to see that at some point.”

When longtime L.A. sportscaster Jim Hill asked Bryant what a fifth ring meant to him personally, Bryant took a shot at a former teammate and a current rival. “I just got one more than Shaq. So you can take that to the bank,” Bryant said with a big smile on his face. “You know how I am. I don’t forget anything.”

A lot of times, Bryant’s comments drip with sarcasm. But his verbal shot at O’Neal was calculated and serious. It was a direct response to O’Neal’s disparaging remarks through a rap song two years ago after Bryant’s Lakers lost in the ’08 Finals. Like Bryant told the media, he never forgets anything – and he means it. Kobe had more chips on his shoulders than Phil Hellmuth.

Jackson said when he first became the Lakers coach, he received a call from West, the Lakers’ vice president and player personnel director at the time, and West told him that Bryant wished to bump up his scoring average close to 30 points – just like West and Elgin Baylor did for much of their Laker careers – but knew it would be difficult because O’Neal was the focal point of the offense.

“At that time of his career at 21, which was the age Kobe was at that time, he was very concerned about his mortality and how history is going to look at him as a basketball player,” Jackson said. “This time, I don’t think it’s in the back of his mind that he has to catch Magic or he has to catch Michael. He wants to win.”

If Bryant wins a sixth NBA title, it should not only vault him over Magic as the greatest Laker of all time but it should propel him into the Jordan conversation.