Steve Nash Shares Humorous Story About Steph Curry and Retirement
Steve Nash recounted a funny experience that made him realize it was time to retire. The Suns legend, who spent his final two seasons with the Lakers, reflected on how 16 years in the league had worn him down.
Preseason Game Against the Warriors
Nash described a 2013 preseason matchup between the Lakers and Warriors, used as a test to see if he could still compete at a high level.
“We went to play these guys preseason in like Ontario, California, or somewhere,” Nash said on Mind the Game. “I think they put up like 50 in the first quarter. Maybe it was 45, but it felt like a 50-piece, right? I couldn’t have probably stopped him even if I were 100 percent.”
He recalled struggling to keep up as Steve Kerr kept sending him into every play. Nash looked to Kerr for relief, but Alvin Gentry encouraged him to continue.
“I’m looking over at Steve like c’mon Stevie. Alvin Gentry over there laughing at me like, ‘No, let’s see what you got.’ Man, literally like three, four more days of thinking on it, I was like ‘Yeah, I think it’s time [to retire]. I called Mitch Kupchak.”
Reflections on Retirement
Nash admitted that retirement was not an easy topic for him and that he deserved a dignified exit from professional basketball.
“You deserve a little bit of putting me out to pasture, a little bit of my retirement. It’s not something I like to talk about in public a lot.”
He also shared his feelings about his early days in the league, remembering a sense of being a "big brother" and having the upper hand, which changed over time.
“When he came into the league, I still felt like the big brother a little bit, I still feel like I’ve got the upper hand here.”
Author's Summary
Steve Nash humorously reveals how a tough preseason battle against Steph Curry helped him accept his retirement after a long NBA career.