A big discussion circulating the sports news is whether Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (formally known as Wardell Stephen Curry) is better than Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James. Both athletes have received a plethora of attention in the media due to their incredible performances during their NBA seasons. But the real question is, who is the better athlete?

        Coming from Akron, Ohio, King James went straight to the league from high school in 2003. He was the first round pick and the first overall choice to the Cavs. LeBron, so far, has played 12 years pro, won his team two rings, made 11 appearances in the All-Star Games, won a total of six MVP awards (both Finals and season) as well as earning many other accolades. This current NBA season, Bron-Bron averages 25.3 points per game, 7.3 rebounds and six assists. On any given night, the Cavs can assure that LeBron will put up big numbers since he has been doing so consistently throughout his career.

        Now onto the Chef. Curry is one of the most undersized players in the NBA, but that does not seem to be a handicap for him. Coming out of high school, only one small Division 1 college was interested, Davidson in North Carolina. Wearing his father’s number 30, Curry was quickly recognized as a key player. Curry had a career high of 40 points in the first round of the NCAA tournament against Gonzaga. He scored 30 of his 40 in the second half and hit 8 for 10 three-pointers. Coming out of college, Curry was drafted 7th overall to the Golden State Warriors which is where he quickly rose to fame. So far this season, Chef Curry averages 30.1 points per game, 5.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists. Curry is highly respected for his incredible jump shot and quick handles which are huge aspects of his game.

        In a recent episode of Sports Science, genius scientists compared the two athletes. LeBron is five inches taller, three years older and 60 pounds heavier than Curry. Even with that, they calculated LeBron reaching a top speed of 20.4 mph in the open court, while Curry’s top speed was around 19.6 mph. But Curry’s game is not about size and being the fastest player. The release time of Curry’s shot is .4 seconds compared to LeBron’s at .56. This means that by the time Curry’s shot is in the air, LeBron has not even begun to flick his wrist yet. Because of Curry’s height, he has to shoot the ball at a steeper trajectory in order to shoot over taller players. He shoots at around a 55 degree angle compared to LeBron’s 45 degree angle. This higher angle increases the chances of Curry’s shot going in by about 19 percent. Curry also has a quicker crossover. His crossover is coined at around 10 percent faster than LeBron’s. But one thing that Curry lacks in comparison to LeBron is his vertical. LeBron has a vertical of around 40 inches. Because of this, LeBron has a range of around 3,800 cubed feet, whereas Curry’s is only 2,800.

        While both athletes have proved their own in the league, there will always be discussion over who is the better athlete. Comparing the two is difficult because of the size difference and the positions they play. Both have different roles on their team, but both players have the ability to drop unbelievable statistics on any given night. Whether you are a fan of King James, or Chef Curry, both athletes have attributes that NBA fans will worship for years to come