Sports
Stephen Curry’s Trainer Says Warriors Star Has ‘A Lot Left’ in NBA Career
Jeff Chiu/Associated PressStephen Curry has officially logged more than a decade in the NBA, and those close to him see the three-time NBA champion and two-time MVP continuing his masterful run for quite a bit longer.While Curry has previously said he wants to pay at least 16 seasons—the same length as his father Dell Curry…
Jeff Chiu/Associated Press
Stephen Curry has officially logged more than a decade in the NBA, and those close to him see the three-time NBA champion and two-time MVP continuing his masterful run for quite a bit longer.
While Curry has previously said he wants to pay at least 16 seasons—the same length as his father Dell Curry spent in the league—his trainer, Brandon Payne, believes that may be setting the bar too low. During an interview with NBC Sports' Tom Haberstroh on The Habershow podcast last week, Payne said Curry's body hasn't reached its peak yet.
Warriors on NBCS @NBCSWarriors
“He's getting stronger than he's been in the past.”
Brandon Payne talked to @tomhaberstroh about how long he thinks Steph can play in the NBA. Listen to the pod here: https://t.co/qFMYBjZw8M https://t.co/RF6eYjsvrB
“He's a young 32,” Payne said (h/t NBC Sports Bay Area's Drew Shiller) “He's still gaining strength, he's still gaining power, he's still getting faster. Those aren't things you see out of guys that are 32 years old. He's still refining movement patterns, and all athletes develop at different speeds.”
Payne noted Curry has “got a lot left” and that he wasn't just saying that because he's his friend and trainer.
Even if there were a concern about years of high-level basketball stressing Curry's body, he only played five games this season because of hand injury in October.
During Curry's previous full season, the guard posted 27.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. The Warriors are hoping a healthy Curry and Klay Thompson can help extend their title window a bit longer. Payne has given no reason to doubt that assessment.
“If you saw him right now physically—and we don't put a whole lot out there on Instagram, there are reasons we don't—he's getting even more chiseled than he's been in the past,” Payne said. “He's getting stronger than he's been in the past, and he's moving with fluidity that we haven't seen from him. … it's way too early to be trying to see when the end is.”
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