Gilbert Arenas isn’t putting Steph Curry in the same category as a “generational talent” as LeBron James and Victor Wembanyama. The former Washington Wizards star is defining the term by emphatically using a key ingredient in the description. For him, the “physical traits” have to be present for a player to even sniff that enviable recognition.

Curry is widely considered the greatest shooter to ever play in the NBA and perhaps in basketball history. The game has changed so much because of the way he can light up the scoreboard with his long-range bombs. Defenses have been forced to adjust as most players have followed the Golden State Warriors point guard’s lead and will launch 25-footers without hesitation.

For Gilbert Arenas, what Steph Curry is doing can’t put him on the “generational talent” level. Here’s what he had to say on his podcast about the who’s who in the NBA who should be having that kind of tag:

“Steph [Curry] is not a generational talent. … Wemby [Wembanyama] is a generational person. That is a generational talent. Generational means you can’t mimic it.

“Can you mimic Magic Johnson, a 6’9” guard with a vision? No! You can’t mimic Shaquille O’Neal’s body. You can’t mimic f**king LeBron James. You can’t mimic Wemby.”

Curry is a 6-foot-2 guard on his best day. If Gilbert Arenas’ description of a generational talent were to be followed, the two-time MVP is clearly out of the picture. “Agent 0” called him a great player but short of the said label many are using on the Dubs’ franchise cornerstone.

Arenas put Steph Curry on the same level as Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic. Like Curry, the podcaster called “The Joker” great, but outside of the LeBron James, Magic Johnson and Victor Wembanyama stratosphere.

Gilbert Arenas’ argument has some loopholes

Gilbert Arenas’ asserted that no one can mimic Magic Johnson, a 6-foot-9 player with incredible vision on the court. If he didn’t mention the Showtime Lakers star’s name, fans would have thought he was referring to LeBron James. Although “King James” is a nominal forward, everyone knows he plays point guard almost every time he plays.

There’s a reason why James is considered Johnson 2.0 by NBA observers and former players. Arenas himself, if he remembers it, claimed that the four-time MVP is the best point guard as he is “Johnson 2.0.”

If physical traits are to be part of the measuring stick in calling a player “generational,” then Steph Curry wouldn’t even sniff that description. The diminutive point guard isn’t the fastest and most athletic by any means. However, he is head and shoulders above everyone when it comes to one thing – shooting. He is inimitable in that regard.

Perhaps physical traits aren’t the defining cut that will put a player under the “generational talent” category. It may also have something to do with impact on the game and an attribute that might not be replicated with consistency. If that were to be considered by Gilbert Arenas, Steph Curry is right in the mix of that description.