Steve Nash Credits Steph Curry for Prompting His Retirement
During the latest episode of the Mind the Game podcast, Steve Nash shared with LeBron James and guest Steph Curry the moment he realized his NBA career was coming to an end—and how Curry played a role in that realization.
The 2014-15 Preseason Game
This moment occurred in the 2014-15 preseason when Nash’s Los Angeles Lakers faced the Warriors in Ontario, California. The Warriors dominated early, scoring 39 points in the first quarter and ultimately winning 116–75.
Curry scored 12 points in the first two and a half minutes and finished with 25 points in just 24 minutes. Already struggling with back problems, Nash knew he couldn't keep pace with Curry’s agility and 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,” Nash recalled.
Realization and Retirement Decision
Within a few days of that game, Nash came to a clear decision about his future.
“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!”
By July 2014, Nash had already announced the upcoming season would be his last. He played only three preseason games before his back injury worsened. On October 23, 2014, less than a week before the regular season started, Nash was ruled out for the entire season and never played another NBA game.
Summary
Steve Nash humorously credits Steph Curry’s dominant performance in a 2014 preseason game as a key factor in pushing him toward retirement due to his lingering injuries and the physical demands of keeping up with younger players.