Steve Nash Credits Steph Curry for His Retirement Decision
On a recent episode of the Mind the Game podcast, Steve Nash shared a humorous story with LeBron James and Steph Curry about the moment he realized his NBA career was coming to an end, partly because of Curry.
The 2014-15 Preseason Game
The turning point happened during the 2014-15 preseason when Nash and the Los Angeles Lakers faced the Warriors in Ontario, California. Golden State dominated early, scoring 39 points in the first quarter and winning 116–75 overall. Steph Curry scored 12 points in the first 2:30 and finished with 25 points in just 24 minutes.
“I’m guarding Steph,” Nash recalled. “They put up like 50 in the first quarter — maybe it was 45, but it felt like a 50-piece. I couldn’t have stopped him if I was 100 percent.”
Realization and Retirement
Nash was already struggling with back problems and knew he couldn't keep up with Curry. A few days after the game, the reality set in.
“Man, literally like three more, four more days of thinking on it, I was like… yeah. I think it’s time,” Nash joked to Curry. “You put me out!”
In fact, Nash had announced in July 2014 that the upcoming season would be his last. He played only three preseason games before his back condition worsened, including the game against the Warriors. On October 23, 2014, just days before the season opener, Nash was ruled out for the year and never returned to NBA play.
Summary
Steve Nash humorously credits Steph Curry for accelerating his retirement decision during the 2014 preseason, when his back issues and Curry’s performance made him realize it was time to step away from the NBA.