Steve Nash Admits Stephen Curry Running Rings Around Him Sped Up His Retirement Decision

Warriors star Stephen Curry used his constant shifts and three-pointers to revolutionize the way guards play in the NBA.

Steve Nash Admits Stephen Curry Running Rings Around Him Sped Up His Retirement Decision

Steve Nash and Stephen Curry (Image via FirstSportz)

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When Steve Nash signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, he wanted to join Kobe Bryant and gun for one last chance at winning a championship. To his shock, he didn’t realize that the game had changed with the likes of Stephen Curry changing how guards played.

Nash was the prototypical point guard of his era. He had an incredible vision, great shooting touch around the basket and from distance, and exemplary playmaking skills.

Those are the reasons why he was a 2-time league MVP. However, an NBA championship eluded him, and that is why he wanted to give it one last shot as he was approaching his 40s.

Nash still had the playmaking in his veins, which in those days could overcome physical limitations. However, he did not realize how Curry was about to make him realize his time was up.

We came out, I’m guarding Steph… He’s running everywhere. My like back is broke, everything is jacked. I couldn’t have stopped him if I was 100%, and now I’m like dragging around… I’m literally like three or four more days of thinking on it. I was like, ‘Yeah, uh I think it’s time.’ And that was it.

Steve Nash recalled while on Mind The Game Podcast

Steve Nash recalled how Golden State Warriors coaches were laughing at him for not being able to keep up with Stephen Curry. All that running around made him realize his body was not built to take on the strain.

LeBron James and Stephen Curry joke about Steve Nash joining the Warriors after retirement

While talking about his last years as a player in the NBA, Steve Nash recalled how his past injuries started to catch up when Stephen Curry ran rings around him. Then the Warriors guard said:

The next thing I know, you showed up at practice and was teaching us the pick and roll.

Stephen Curry said

To this, Steve Nash started the saying that is prevalent in sports, ‘If you can’t beat them,’ to which LeBron James added:

Join them.

LeBron James replied

As the Los Angeles Lakers superstar finished the sentence, the three broke out into a loud burst of laughter. They knew it was the running joke in the NBA and were amused by how their conversation diverged into that.

Stephen Curry reveals how he started shooting the many 3-pointers he is known for

While talking with LeBron James and Steve Nash, the latter started talking about how it is common nowadays for multiple players on the same roster to shoot 100s of three-pointers. To this, Stephen Curry said:

Stephen Curry revolutionized the 3-point game
Stephen Curry revolutionized the 3-point game (Image via NBA/X)

Shot quality is still, eh… jury’s still out on where the league is. Bob Myers was the first one who told me, ‘You should shoot 15 3s a game.’ I was like, ‘What?, really, you know how hard it is to get 12 good looks.’ He was like, ‘Why not? The math says 15 threes for you is great.’

Stephen Curry said

That encouragement from former Warriors GM Bob Myers sparked a career that saw Curry win 2 regular-season MVPs, 4 NBA championships, 1 Finals MVP, and the all-time record for most 3-point shots made.

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