Steve Nash played 18 seasons in the NBA from 1996 to 2014. He spent his final two campaigns with the Los Angeles Lakers, coinciding with Stephen Curry’s rise to stardom. On the most recent episode of “Mind The Game,” Nash jokingly admitted why Curry forced him to realize it was time to hang up his jersey after the 2013-14 campaign.
How Did Stephen Curry “Force” Steve Nash Into Retirement?
Nash recalls a preseason game with the Lakers against the Golden State Warriors in 2013. He spent the offseason trying to recover from nerve injuries he had suffered throughout his career but did not feel 100%. The Hall of Famer decided to play in the contest against the Golden State to see if he could still be productive on the floor.
“I had a week since I’d last played … I have to find out, ‘can I play hurt?'” Nash said to himself. He got his answer quickly. The 39-year-old Nash guarded a 25-year-old Curry, and the results were not pretty. The Golden State star constantly moves, with or without the ball, hunting a three-point shot or a drive to the rim. This did not match well with Nash’s age and condition.
“You put me out!” 🤣
Steve Nash faced Steph Curry in the preseason and knew it was time to hang it up 😭 Watch @mindthegamepod on @PrimeVideo, YouTube and listen everywhere podcasts are available 🍿 pic.twitter.com/ixF9PDDVxm
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“I think they [Warriors] put up 50 in the first quarter,” recalled Nash. The production crew, LeBron James, Curry, and Nash broke out into laughter immediately. “He [Curry] is running everywhere, my back is broke, everything is jacked … Steve Kerr is putting me in every action,” joked Nash.
Nash and Kerr faced each other 14 times in their playing days. Kerr holds the upper hand with eight victories, but it seemed like he wanted an additional win. Curry remembers the Warriors’ head coach smiling on the sidelines.
The seventh pick in the 2009 NBA Draft does not stop running. In addition, his shifty on-ball skills made Nash realize it might be time. “Three or four more days of thinking about it … ‘Yeah, I think it’s time’, and that was it,” said Nash to James and Curry, who could not hold back from bursting into laughter.
Curry remembers Nash coming to a Warriors practice to offer pick-and-roll advice after his playing days. “If you can’t beat them, join them,” said James and Nash.
Despite Curry’s role in Nash’s retirement, the 15th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft ultimately holds the number that matters. He has a 9-4 lifetime record against him. The Warriors’ star guard turns 38 years old on March 14. He could experience a similar feeling to Nash as he nears the end of his career.