However, when Robert Horry was recently asked to choose between Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving and Tony Parker, he didn’t lean on his San Antonio Spurs brotherhood. Instead, Horry admitted that no matter the bond he shares with Parker, he couldn’t be blindsided by that and thus reflected on the obvious truth.
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Horry puts Parker behind Irving and Curry
Irving‘s defining moment of his career came in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals. The pressure was at its peak, but he not only rose to drop 26 points on 40 percent shooting from the three-point line but even knocked down the Cleveland Cavaliers’ championship-sealing three-pointer with less than a minute remaining.
On the other side of that matchup was Curry, who was also making his first (and now lone) Game 7 appearance in the NBA Finals for the Golden State Warriors. Under the spotlight, the two-time MVP faltered, managing 17 points on 4-of-14 shooting from beyond the arc while recording more turnovers (four) than assists (two).
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Parker, meanwhile, had two opportunities in a Game 7 setup. In the 2005 NBA Finals against the Detroit Pistons, he registered eight points, including just two in the second half. Then, in the 2013 NBA Finals, he logged 10 points against the Miami Heat, including going scoreless in the second half.
So, when Robert was asked on his podcast to choose between Kyrie, Steph and Tony in a Game 7 Finals scenario, he didn’t hesitate. Horry decided to start the most obvious choice in Curry, bench Irving, and cut Parker.
Interestingly, even though Horry has won two championships with Parker on the Spurs in the space of three years, he wholeheartedly recognized the French legend’s struggles when the pressure-lights were at their brightest.
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“Start Steph, Kyrie off the bench, Tony? Bye-bye. If you had to pick those three players to be on your team, even though I love Tony to death, but Kyrie? Better player. Steph? Better player,” Horry said on an episode of his “Bob Shot Bob” podcast. “So, it ain’t no disrespect to Tony. It’s just the truth. I keep it basic, I keep it real.”
The modern-day scenario doesn’t support Parker either
Horry’s admission makes a lot of sense, especially considering how the modern-day NBA leans heavily toward outside shooting. With the fast pace and open court favoring aggressive scorers, players like Curry and Irving thrive because of their ability to stroke it from deep. Parker, in contrast, wasn’t that type of player. His focus was more on driving to the rim, creating the right basketball play, setting up teammates and controlling tempo, rather than taking over as the team’s scorer in clutch moments.
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Nevertheless, kudos to the seven-time NBA champ, who, despite knowing that the Spurs fanbase might not like his pick, still chose to give an honest answer instead of letting his emotions drive him. While TP was a great player in his own regard, guys like Kai and Chef are simply on another level.
Related: Robert Horry on how Tony Parker became 2007 Finals MVP: “You have to thank two people”
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 6, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.