Stephen Curry voted best American player in ESPN poll as Golden State Warriors enter 2025–26 season | NBA News
With the NBA gearing up for the start of the 2025–26 season in late October, the Golden State Warriors are ready to kick off their journey with a core group they know well, after a pretty low-key offseason. The team has retained key contributors such as Stephen Curry and the recently acquired Jimmy Butler, and they would be prepared to go up against a strong Western Conference.
ESPN survey reveals insider opinions on players and teams before the 2025–26 NBA season
The survey, put together by Tim Bontemps, a senior NBA writer for ESPN, collected feedback from 20 coaches, scouts, and executives throughout the league to understand their thoughts on different subjects before the upcoming season.This anonymous poll touched on topics like MVP predictions, team rankings, and player assessments, offering a glimpse into how insiders perceive the league’s dynamics. One standout question that was posed was “Who is the best American player right now?”.The poll’s inclusion of this question was directly influenced by Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum’s absence from the upcoming season. Tatum suffered a torn Achilles tendon during the 2024–25 Eastern Conference playoffs, an injury that occurred while the Celtics were on their way to winning the NBA championship.Medical updates indicate that Tatum is progressing in his rehabilitation, having moved out of a boot and engaging in tedious daily rehab six days a week, but the consensus is that he will miss the entirety of the 2025–26 season.Some reports indicate that a comeback could happen as soon as March 2026, but the Celtics are being careful to minimize any risks.Tim Bontemps mentioned in the survey article that before Tatum got injured, this question wouldn’t have even come up, since Tatum had been named First-Team All-NBA for four consecutive seasons and had guided his team to a championship.
Stephen Curry tops the poll as best American player
In the poll results, Stephen Curry from the Golden State Warriors got 11 votes as the top American player in the NBA right now. Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards was right behind him with 8 votes, and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell picked up 1 vote. Bontemps pointed out Curry’s accomplishment, mentioning that “with Tatum out of the mix, the honor instead was given to Curry, despite him being 37 years old and entering his 17th NBA season.”Another point made was about how Curry remains a significant threat during games, “He’s still the guy who scares me most.” Curry, who has won the NBA championship four times and been named MVP twice, is still a key player for the Warriors, able to deliver top-notch performances when he’s fit.
Golden State Warriors still view Stephen Curry as one of the league’s best point guards today
As Stephen Curry kicks off his 17th season at 37, Curry might not be as consistently dominant as he was during his MVP days in the mid-2010s, but he’s still seen as one of the best point guards in the league. His knack for stepping up in key moments is still a big plus, although the injury concerns that showed up in last season’s playoffs bring some unpredictability.In the wider survey, Curry didn’t get any MVP votes, with Nikola Jokic taking the lead at 7, followed by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with 5 and a few others. Looking forward, the poll about the best American player in five years has turned towards younger talents like Edwards, who got 11 votes, while Curry is missing from the predictions.For the Warriors, the Western Conference is no joke, as the survey indicates that the Oklahoma City Thunder are favored to win both the West and the NBA title (18 votes each), leaving teams like the Denver Nuggets in the dust.Also Read: Tyrese Haliburton proves his love for wrestling runs just as deep as basketball after his message to John CenaThe roster of the Warriors includes some big names like Curry, Butler, and Green, but they need to tackle the issue of their supporting cast, particularly the lack of depth at center, to stay competitive. However, Curry’s recognition in polls highlights his appeal, keeping Golden State’s games on everyone’s must-see list.
