Shams Charania has displayed endless ambition in his quest to become one of the top NBA insiders in the world, but he is tempering his expectations a bit before competing in Friday's All-Star Celebrity Game. While the ESPN reporter flirted with the idea of comparing himself to Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry, also known as the greatest shooter of all-time, he decided to stay on planet earth.
Charania believes his game resembles that of a fellow Chicago, Illinois native. “So I would say Steph Curry, but I'm not going to be that audacious,” he joked before the exhibition contest. “Jannero Pargo… he was a microwave scorer. Some nights he would ball out, {shoot} threes, could handle the ball a little bit, and I think I'm in that mold.”
“I would say Steph Curry but I won’t be that audacious. Jannero Pargo, used to play for the Lakers, used to play for the Bulls. He was a microwave scorer.”
Shams Charania on his NBA player comparison 😅
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 13, 2026
Pargo, an undrafted guard out of Arkansas, played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Hornets, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats during his 11-year NBA career. He averaged 6.4 points per game while shooting 39.1 percent from the field and 35.6 percent from 3-point range. Charania is obviously not going to be on the same level as a pro, but he at least made a rational comparison.
The 31-year-old has the luxury of sharing the floor with capable teammates like Jeremy Lin, Tacko Fall, Amon-Ra St. Brown and 2025 Celebrity All-Star Game MVP Rome Flynn. He may want to pick his spots and take advantage of the talent around him.
Unfortunately, Shams Charania will be at the mercy of someone he reported on ad nauseam leading up to the NBA trade deadline. Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is once again serving as a coach for the contest, and he might want to make the respected insider squirm a bit.
Charania will try to overcome whatever obstacles stand in his way and unleash his inner Jannero Pargo in Inglewood, California's Kia Forum.




















