He really was just so much more efficient at shooting from beyond the 3 point line it changed the landscape of the game.

If you look at 3pt attempts over time and 3% percentages over time there's a massive spike after Steph. The introduction of analytics plays a small role as well, a lot of shots used to be taken 2'-4' before the 3 pt line it which has largely died (just take a step back and take the 3 for an extra point)

Steph really just showed what's truly possible when shooting from deep and the entire game changes. Growing up playing in Highschool 3s were considered "bad" shots for a lot of players. Nowadays most highschool players are taking 3s and relatively efficiently as well.

Made the 3 point shot a regular thing. In the previous generation, the 3 point shot was generally reserved for specialist shooters on the team as it was deemed a low percentage shot. Today, everyone is shooting 3s at a high clip, and almost all players on the floor take those shots regularly.

Asking for a top 10 is fixing for a fight, but mostly it’s a matter of perspective. A lot of guys who watched 00s ball will say Kobe because of how electric he was, 90s Jordan, 80s Bird. Each era has their guys, and it’s hard to be objective. I’m not the guy you asked but for me:

1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
2. Michael Jordan
3. Lebron James
4. Bill Russell
5. Wilt Chamberlain
6. Hakeem Olajuwon
7. Magic Johnson
8. Larry Bird
9. Shaquille O’Neal
10. Steph Curry, Elgin Baylor, Dr. J, Tim Duncan, Kobe, Dirk, Big O

I have my reasons, but Kareem was a men among boys and changed the game so much, on and off the court. He, and others, pushed for black rights while still being the best in the court and dealing with the push back from the side who didn’t want that change. He’ll always have my respect. Amazing person, I think if you can’t put him as a number one for his on court he has to be up there for his off court contributions too.

Wilt Chamberlain

A decently long break

Michael Jordan

Kareem Abdul Jabbar

Kobe Bryant

Larry Bird

LeBron James

Shaquille oneal

Steph Curry

Giannis ant..eto..koun...mpo

Nikola jokic

I think the last two break the mold that today's greats wouldn't stand a chance in previous decades leagues, Steph may not have survived, but giannis and Nikola would've wrecked 90s basketball.

And #11 goes to dirk nowitzki, because my grandma was in Sacramento for a doctor's visit when the Mavericks were in town, and she got in an elevator with him (she had no idea), and she hit him with "you're so tall, do you play basketball?" (She was like 85 at the time) and he was apparently super sweet to her, we had to look up who was in town that night and gave her a lineup of faces, yup, she picked out one of the taller people in the NBA! I bet he was a mountain compared to her!