Steve Nash Revealed How Stephen Curry Shaped a Turning Point in His Career
In a recent episode of the Mind The Game podcast, Steve Nash opened up about a deeply personal experience involving Stephen Curry — an incident that, according to Nash, ultimately led him to retire from professional basketball.
A Preseason Moment of Realization
The former Canadian point guard recalled that the pivotal moment came during a preseason matchup against the Golden State Warriors. Assigned to guard the young Stephen Curry, Nash quickly recognized that he no longer possessed the physical edge needed to compete at the highest level.
“My nerves were shot, and I just couldn’t recover. I thought, ‘I have to figure this out.’ It had been a week since my last game. We were going to play them in the preseason, and I kept thinking, ‘I have to play through the injury. And if not, what’s the point?’”
Curry’s Reaction and the Turning Point
During the discussion — which also featured LeBron James and Stephen Curry — Curry laughed as he remembered that night in Ontario, California. Nash, meanwhile, described how facing Curry’s intensity and speed underscored the reality of his declining condition.
“We got on the court, and I was guarding Steph. I think they scored like 50 points in the first quarter — maybe 45, but it felt like 50. My back was shot, my body was done.”
Nash’s Reflection on the End of His Playing Days
Although that preseason game wasn’t officially recorded as a milestone, it became a personal one for Nash. The realization that he could no longer perform at the level required pushed him toward retirement, marking the end of a celebrated NBA career.
Author’s summary: Steve Nash’s candid story about facing Stephen Curry revealed how one preseason game made him realize his time as an NBA player was coming to a close.