Steve Nash Credits Steph Curry for Pushing Him into Retirement
On the latest episode of the Mind the Game podcast, Steve Nash shared a story with LeBron James and guest Steph Curry about the moment he knew his NBA career was over—and how Curry played a role in that realization.
The 2014-15 Preseason Game
The turning point came during a preseason game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors in Ontario, California. The Warriors exploded with a 39-point first quarter and won comfortably, 116–75.
- Curry scored 12 points within the first 2:30 minutes and finished with 25 points in just 24 minutes.
- Nash, who was already dealing with back problems, struggled to keep up with Curry's speed.
“I’m guarding Steph. 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.”
The Moment of Realization
A few days after the game, Nash admits the decision became clear.
“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!”
Final Season and Retirement
In July 2014, Nash had already announced the upcoming season would be his last. He played only three preseason games before his back issues flared again. On October 23, 2014, just days before the regular season opener, Nash was ruled out for the entire season and never played another NBA game.
Author's summary: Steve Nash humorously recalls how Steph Curry's performance in a 2014 preseason game helped him accept it was time to retire from the NBA due to his physical limits.
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