Gilbert Arenas, a former NBA player, is renowned for his unconventional viewpoints, but his statements on Friday would astonish even the most audacious online provocateurs. Arenas hosts a podcast where he consistently offers unconventional, and at times, inaccurate opinions, particularly regarding select superstars from the Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets.

The three-time All-Star downplayed Steph Curry and Nikola Jokic’s greatness on Friday, via Gil’s Arena.

“Steph is not a generational talent,” Arenas asserted. “Wemby (Victor Wembanyama) is a generational person. That is a generational talent.”

While Wembanyama appears to be the standout player of his generation thus far, it’s undeniable that Curry has solidified his status as the greatest shooter of all time. If younger generations of basketball enthusiasts are emulating a player’s shooting technique, it speaks volumes.

“Generational means you can’t mimic it,” Arenas elaborated. “Can you mimic Magic Johnson? 6-foot-9 point guard with the vision…no. You can’t mimic Shaquille O’Neal’s body, you can’t mimic f**king LeBron James. You can’t mimic Wemby. Those are generational. It only comes once every (generation).”

Interestingly, Arenas places greater emphasis on physical attributes rather than statistical achievements when categorizing a player as generational.

“Physical traits,” he clarified. “Somebody like Giannis (Antetokounmpo) is tweaking (on the edge of being generational)…Jokic is not a generational talent, he’s just a great basketball player. Curry was a great basketball player…generational is something that happens once every 20 years.”

However, the crux of the matter lies in the term “generational talent,” not physique. It’s even more remarkable for players like Curry and Jokic to dominate the league despite not possessing Herculean builds.

Do Arenas’ assertions hold merit?

Curry and Jokic are undoubtedly the finest representatives of the Warriors and Nuggets franchises, and among the greatest players in NBA history.

Whenever a player achieves the status of being the greatest ever in a particular aspect of the game, they can be deemed generational. Curry’s remarkable shooting abilities during his tenure with the Warriors fundamentally transformed the NBA. Once he and Klay Thompson formed the “Splash Brothers,” the league transitioned into an era dominated by three-point shooting to keep pace with Golden State’s explosive offense.

On the other hand, Jokic has already established himself as the premier passing big man in basketball history. The Serbian center has consistently averaged at least 7.9 assists per game over the past four seasons, an exceptional feat for a player in his position. Renowned broadcaster Mike Breen has publicly hailed Jokic as the greatest passing big man he’s ever witnessed, emphasizing the difficulty and precision of his passes. Breen’s admiration for Jokic’s court vision and timing sets him apart from other legendary big men like Bill Walton.

Furthermore, both Curry and Jokic hold the distinction of being the greatest players to don the jerseys of the Warriors and Nuggets, respectively. When a player not only excels in a specific skill but also stands as the pinnacle of their franchise’s history, it solidifies their status as generational talents.