Steve Nash Shares Humorous Story About Steph Curry Influencing His Retirement
Steve Nash recounted a memorable story illustrating how Steph Curry helped him realize it was time to retire. Nash, a Suns legend, spent his final two NBA seasons with the Lakers, during which his long 16-season career began to show its effects.
Preseason Game That Changed Nash's Perspective
Nash described a preseason game in 2013 where the Lakers faced off against the Warriors. He played to test if he could still compete effectively. Nash recalled on Mind the Game:
“We went to play these guys preseason in like Ontario, California, or somewhere. 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. And now I’m like dragging around Steve Kerr putting me in every action. 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’."
Reflecting on that moment, Nash said it gave him the clarity he needed: “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.”
Acceptance of Retirement
“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.”
Nash also shared how, when Steph entered the league, he felt like the older brother with an upper hand, a feeling that faded as time passed.
Summary
Steve Nash's humorous reflection on facing the emerging talent of Steph Curry helped him accept the natural end of his athletic career.