Steve Nash Credits Steph Curry for Prompting His Retirement
On a recent episode of the “Mind the Game” podcast, co-host Steve Nash shared a story with LeBron James and guest Steph Curry about the moment he realized his playing days were over — and how Curry played a part in that realization.
The Turning Point: 2014 Preseason Game
The story goes back to the 2014-15 NBA preseason when Nash’s Los Angeles Lakers faced the Golden State Warriors in Ontario, California. The Warriors opened the game with an explosive first quarter, scoring 39 points and cruising to a 116–75 victory. Curry scored 12 points in just the first two and a half minutes, finishing with 25 points in 24 minutes.
Steve Nash’s Realization
Nash, who was already struggling with recurring back problems, quickly recognized the challenge of keeping up with Curry’s relentless movement and sharp shooting.
“I’m guarding Steph,” Nash said. “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.”
A few days later, the truth sank in for the veteran guard.
“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!”
The End of a Career
Nash had announced in July 2014 that the upcoming season would be his last. At 40 years old, he played only three preseason games before his back pain returned — including the one against the Warriors that sealed his decision. On October 23, 2014, just before the season opener, Nash was ruled out for the rest of the year and never played another NBA game.
Author’s Summary
In a candid podcast moment, Steve Nash humorously attributed his career’s end to Steph Curry’s on-court brilliance during a 2014 preseason matchup that confirmed his time had come.