Just recently it was announced that James Wiseman was cleared to play 5 on 5 during practice, as he has been out for multiple months with a meniscus injury. This brought up many conversations about what he would look like when he returns, if the Warriors made the right decision in drafting him number two overall, and what his ceiling as an NBA player will look like. When asked about how he stacked up against his draft class, Wiseman gave a veteran response to the question, telling reporters that “Comparison is the killer of all joy.”

The twenty-year-old center made a great point as many are quick to call him a bust, believing he is too injury prone. But look at what Curry has accomplished even with his ankle injuries early on in his career. Others are optimistic and think that Wiseman has a ceiling of becoming a guy like Joel Embiid or Karl Anthony Towns if he continues to develop and stay healthy. What is the problem with this? Well from a casual perspective nothing is wrong, there will always be standards that fans believe players should live up to. But those who really get the game will know that every player has their own unique style and craftiness that they bring to the game.

Take Stephen Curry for example. I found an article from Bleacher Report from 2009 before he was drafted by the Warriors. In it they write, “I have seen a lot of people comparing him to Mike Bibby so I will go with that.” And following up with, “His worst-case comparisons are Jannero Pargo, Steve Kerr, and JJ Redick.” Obviously, they didn’t have the ability to see into the future where we are now but comparing playstyles is a big aspect of breaking down a future player’s capabilities. It went on to say, “He probably is never going to end up being a star in the league because of a lack of explosiveness.” Fast forward to today and Steph Curry is a seven-time All-star, three-time NBA champion and a two-time MVP. Not bad for someone whose best comparison was Mike Bibby.

The point remains the same for heated NBA debates like, who is the greatest player of all time? Many people spend hours on end arguing over one side or another. But not many people take a step back and just appreciate how many great players there have been and how they have pathed the way for players today. Guys like Michael Jordan, Lebron James, and Kobe Bryant are frequently debated over who the best is, who would win in a one versus one, etc. But has anyone ever just looked at their historic careers and thought, there will never be another Jordan, Lebron, or whoever, and I appreciate that I was able to witness them play.

This brings us to the present day, where every draft prospect and top player in the league is compared to one another. Trae Young is the next Steph Curry, Ja Morant is the second coming of Russell Westbrook, Luka Doncic will be the next Larry Bird. Why can’t we as fans just let the young and upcoming stars become themselves? Let Trae play his game of ball, let Luka perfect his craft, and Ja become more explosive than ever. Let them play the game how they believe it is meant to be played and not try to follow in the shadow of someone else because it reminds fans of another player. The same applies to the Warriors’ seven-footer when he returns: Wiseman will be Wiseman and will become the best basketball player that he can become when healthy. This is also true of Kuminga as he starts to grow up in front of fans’ eyes day by day. Until we accept that players can play their own brand of basketball without having any legendary comparisons this will always be why comparison is the thief of joy in the NBA.

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