Fruits come in all different shapes, sizes, and flavors. All of them are essential and have large fan bases. If you crave something quick on the go, an apple, banana, or a handful of grapes does the trick. But, the best fruit to sit down and enjoy is the cantaloupe (this is my food hot take, deal with it).

Movies have a few different genres, all available to fit the mood of an audience. Action-packed thrillers might be your cup of tea. Modern comedies might be what gets you through a lazy weekend. That said, Forrest Gump, even on the hundredth time around, is still best cinematic viewing experience.

Variety is the spice of life. We need multiple variations of things we enjoy in order to satisfy our day-to-day desires. However, through the mixed bag of choices and flavors that appeal to us, there is always going to be one particular option that stands ahead of the pack in terms of quality.

The growing population of NBA superstars certainly follows this theme.

Due to the evolution of the game, star talent throughout the league is becoming deeper than any past generation. There’s a top-10 player with a skill-set, personality, and physical makeup for every fan. Still, majority of the NBA’s attention-grabbers and MVP candidates are the stars with aberrant athleticism, brawny physiques, and a combination of height and strength that make them unstoppable on the court by nature.

LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, and Anthony Davis are all at least 6'7" with exceptional God-given dominance that inherently makes them offensive forces. In a league that’s truly a melting pot among different playstyles, the pick of the litter is usually one of these players — a versatile forward or center that has the appearance more in line with what we’ve seen in historical “greatest player of the decade” conversations. Michael Jordan, a 6'6" guard with a strong frame during his era, is really the smallest player that’s universally in the top five to grace the court. Actually, if you just write down the 10 greatest legends in league history, Jordan is the smallest.

It’s just always how the NBA — and basketball as a whole — has operated.

Until about four years ago.

Stephen Curry is a very different breed of a superstar, especially when compared to his peers. Variety in the NBA is imperative when trying to broaden the popularity and viewership. Curry has given the basketball world a contrasting style to latch onto since his rookie season in 2009–10, but also started to mold into an upper-echelon force in 2014.

Now, production-wise and how he impacts a team, Curry is the best player in the sport.

It’s a statement that tends to make lifelong basketball fans a little uneasy. There’s a strange revolt against anyone with Curry’s size, attributes, or preferred style overtaking James as the “face of the league.” He stands 6'3", between 190–200 pounds, and is constantly targeted defensively in the pick-and-roll when bigger guards and forwards want to isolate.

Most people don’t feel comfortable handing the throne to a player without the same heavy-duty, “do it all” capabilities that James, Durant, Leonard, and Antetokounmpo possess. Two-way player is a term that became popular a few years ago, and three of those names above have perfectly fit the description. Durant (30), Leonard (27), and Antetokounmpo (24) are all exceptional and active defenders while also scoring in preposterous ways. While James (34) has dialed back his defensive concentration, he still expresses his versatility with the most meticulous scoring and playmaking combination we’ve ever seen.

Externally, Curry isn’t like those machines. Internally, though, his software is just as smooth and his brain processes the game the same way — with the exclusion of James, it’s even more advanced. Now after a decade in the league and three championship rings, Curry is a seasoned veteran that has faced (and desolated) any type of defense imaginable. You cannot have Curry’s level of success or mobile shooting accuracy without reading defensive coverages and making quick, expert decisions.

In his 10th year, the athleticism and speed will only be on a downward trajectory from here. Where the all-time greats improve as they hit their early thirties is mentally, and it’s exactly what we’re seeing with Curry becoming wiser and a more fastidious offensive player.

Golden State has this hilarious luxury: There’s a popular argument that Curry isn’t even the best on his own team. That sentiment, however, probably should’ve died once his absence was felt this season.