Like many NBA fans, Jay Williams had no interest in hearing Stephen A. Smith share the grievances of grumpy old players hiding behind anonymity. 

On Wednesday night, Curry registered 52 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists in a 134-125 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. The Golden State Warriors superstar added a dozen more three-pointers to his all-time leading tally.

The following morning, Smith used his vast First Take platform to share a quote from an unnamed ex-NBA star.

“I had a Hall of Famer come up to me and said to me, ‘Steph Curry would not have averaged more than 17 points a game,’” Smith claimed.

Smith added that he thought that person “should have been drug-tested,” but the player explained that they “would have hurt” Curry during his more physical era. It’s only unclear if a three-point line existed during this Hall of Famer’s time.

Responding to the segment on social media, Williams encouraged his ESPN colleague not to spend time on such wild takes unless the player is willing to take accountability for his opinion.

“You’re too smart to keep pushing barbershop hearsay like it’s fact,” Williams told Smith. “‘A Hall of Famer told me Steph wouldn’t average more than 17’? C’mon. Name names or don’t bring it to the table.”

Williams continued by noting that, yes, Curry is quite good at basketball.

BOSTON, MA – JUNE 14: Stephen A. Smith looks on during the game between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks during Game Four of the 2024 NBA Finals on June 14, 2024 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Jim Cowsert/NBAE via Getty Images)

Jim Cowsert/Getty Images

“Steph Curry broke basketball,” Williams said. “He didn’t just adapt to this era — he created it. So let’s stop using anonymous ghosts of the past to discredit the present.”

The old guard venting about modern basketball has become a cliche. Current stars are probably also tired of it, as LeBron James stirred the pot by playfully claiming that Giannis Antetokounmpo could have scored 250 points in a game if he played during the 1970s.

Meanwhile, Smith suggested that older players want the younger generation to appreciate the more physically demanding style of basketball they endured.

“If today’s players came out and said, ‘Man, I’m glad I wasn’t playing you in y’all era. Hell, I’d have got mugged. They would have beat the hell out of me.’ If they said something like that, that ends everything.”