Steve Nash Tells Hilarious Story of Steph Curry Forcing His Retirement

Steve Nash Shares the Story Behind His Retirement Decision

Steve Nash revealed a humorous moment that made him realize it was time to retire from professional basketball. The Suns star finished his career after 16 seasons, spending his final two years with the Lakers.

The Preseason Game That Changed Everything

Nash recalled a 2013 preseason game between the Lakers and Warriors, where he tested whether he could still perform at a high level.

“We went to play these guys preseason in like Ontario, California, or somewhere. I think they put up like 50 in the first quarter. Maybe it was 45, but it felt like a 50-piece, right? I couldn’t have probably stopped him even if I were 100 percent. And now I’m like dragging around Steve Kerr putting me in every action. I’m looking over at Steve like c’mon Stevie. Alvin Gentry over there laughing at me like, ‘No, let’s see what you got.’”

The Moment of Realization

After those few days reflecting on the game, Nash felt it was time to step away from the sport.

“Man, literally like three, four more days of thinking on it, I was like ‘Yeah, I think it’s time [to retire]. I called Mitch Kupchak.”

Reflections on Retirement

Nash admitted that retiring was difficult to discuss publicly, but he accepted it as a deserved step after a long career.

“You deserve a little bit of putting me out to pasture, a little bit of my retirement. It’s not something I like to talk about in public a lot.”

On Steph Curry and His Place in the League

When Curry entered the league, Nash still felt a sense of seniority and experience.

“When he came into the league, I still felt like the big brother a little bit, I still feel like I’ve got the upper hand here.”

Author's summary: Steve Nash humorously recounts how facing Steph Curry’s dominance in a preseason game helped him accept that retirement was the right decision after 16 impactful seasons.

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