It's a draw the last 10 years. Which IS a credit to Steph, because 11 years ago he wasn't on this kind of trajectory or radar. To become this out of seemingly nowhere, in a league LeBron singularly owned, is a testament to Steph's own magnetism...
In Y20 LeBron is still the most popular player in basketball, he's the leading fan vote getter for All-Star. Steph has been on a 10-year tear and that's the thing, he's never surpassed Bron's popularity or placement as face of The League. Because even though the specific question was "last 10 years", we all know we're comparing him to a guy whose been on a 20-year tear. There's too many arguments that can be made for or against either in the last decade...
LeBron's career, and his prime, didn't start in 2013. Steph's prime did start in 2013. We're comparing a decade of a player's entire run vs the back side of another guy's run. That's why it's a draw...
One of the poorest arguments for Steph in this topic are "more rings". He has two as a #1. The same as LeBron. In half the Finals appearances ('15, '16, '22) as LeBron in the same span of time ('14, '15, '16, '17, '18, '20), who was his team's best player every single time out. And all four years they met each other in The Finals there isn't a single series anyone felt, with any real conviction, that Steph was a better player than LeBron...
Steph's teams were better...
When it was just those two matched up together, they are 1-1. Some people feel like if Dray isn't suspended, Steph is 2-0. Some people feel like if Kyrie and Love aren't hurt, Bron is 2-0. They are 1-1 vs each other in The Finals when its just them at each other...
We don't have to go into the Durant part of this too deep. We all know that all titles aren't won the same. All four of his rings matter but Steph's '15 and '22 titles are HIS championships. We don't need to act like we don't know what this means to people...
Steph did change the way basketball is played. He's the face of a dynasty. He's the consummate teammate, consummate professional. Greatest shooter ever, Top 15 player ever. He's 3-1 in The Finals vs the greatest player ever, this 3-1 record matters to some people. He has twice as many total rings as Bron in the last decade, this matters to some people. It also matters to some people that Steph didn't "team hop"...
It's a draw, 2013-14 to 2022-23, past 10 years of basketball...
