When this generation of basketball has been this good for this long, it’s hard to accept that one day it will come to an end.
Basketball fans have already had to put up with the ever-approaching end to LeBron James’ all-time career, but Steph Curry’s finality hasn’t been given the same sort of exposure. The Warriors guard dished on his eventual end on Wednesday.
“It’s OK to accept and acknowledge that the end is near,” Curry told ESPN’s Malika Andrews. “But only because it allows you to enjoy what’s happening right now. I think the more you talk about it, the more you acknowledge it, it levels up the sense of urgency of the moment.”
Curry, 36, is in his 16th year in the NBA. Though he’s still the league’s pre-eminent sharpshooter, knocking down 40.3 per cent of his 10.1 attempts per game, his totals have taken a dip as he continues to age.
He’s averaging 21.8 points — his lowest mark since his injury-shortened 2019-20 season — 5.0 rebounds and 6.6 assists while shooting 43.5 per cent from the field.
Though his contract with the Warriors is set to expire after the 2025-26 season, it seems unlikely he will retire at the end of it as his play on the court, as evidenced by his incredible run with Team USA at the Summer Olympics, is still world class.
However, all good things must come to an end, and Curry is trying to reconcile with that fact as he and his Warriors attempt another run at an NBA Championship.
“It’s just a matter of acknowledging that me and Draymond [Green] aren’t in our prime. We’re in a situation where you have to think about the game a little differently,” Curry said to Andrews. “But if you’re not winning, the answer’s how do we make this happen. For me, I know I only have a certain number of years left and I want to win desperately.”
He already sits atop a short list of the greatest basketball players of all time, with four NBA titles, two MVPs, 10 all-NBA selections, a Finals MVP and an Olympic gold medal to his name. Moreover, his skill from beyond the arc has left an undeniable impact on the game as a whole.
Of course, the golden generation of hoops from the 2010s was never meant to last forever, but that’s the beauty of it — that everything sweet is fleeting.
The Warriors (15-13) are set to play host to LeBron James and the Lakers on Christmas Day. You can catch the old rivals go head-to-head on Sportsnet at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.
