Entering His 17th NBA Season, Steph Curry Reveals What Keeps Him Motivated

Don’t worry, basketball fans, Stephen Curry doesn’t intend on running off into the sunset just yet. Despite having four titles under his belt, the 17-year Golden State veteran remains as motivated as ever before to win more NBA championships.

Aside from his talent and accolades, Curry is in an exclusive group of players. Traditionally, once a player reaches 35 years of age, their contribution to the team begins to decline. Yet Curry, along with LeBron James and Kevin Durant, continues to dominate the competition.

The 6-foot-2 guard is 37 and coming off another successful individual season. In the 2024-25 season, Curry averaged 24.5 points, 6.0 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game. Unfortunately, the Warriors weren’t able to live up to their fullest potential after a calf injury he suffered in the playoffs.

As the new season beckons, Curry has now fully recovered and is ready to add to his legacy. But how does he remain motivated? The answer is quite simple.

“Winning,” Curry said on SportsCenter. It simply boils down to his unwavering competitive fire. However, Curry added that there is another key aspect which plays a huge part in his approach to the game.

“Knowing that eventually the ball will stop bouncing at some point. I’m trying to maximize everything I can get out of this game as possible,” Curry proclaimed.

The two-time MVP has become such an integral figure within the NBA that it is difficult to imagine that some day he will no longer be gracing the court with his barrage of three-pointers.

For the time being, however, he doesn’t have any plans to unlace his sneakers. In a recent appearance on 360 With Speedy, Curry provided some clarity on his plans for the future.

“I’m kind of just taking it in two-year chunks. I want to be in a position where I can say, ‘I’ve done everything I can to go get everything out of this game.’ I’m nowhere close to that, though,” Curry said.

For Warriors fans, that is as good as any music will ever sound. After all, in the 30-game sample size with Jimmy Butler, they already looked like true contenders. A full season with Curry and Butler together could wreak serious havoc on the league.

In the meantime, the 11-time All-Star is meticulously preparing for the upcoming season. The process isn’t as straightforward as it once was in his past.

“As you get older in this game, there’s less time off than you used to have back in the day. So, I didn’t take that much time off after the playoffs,” Curry said. “You want to spend as much family time as possible, but I’m getting my work in.”

A motivated Stephen Curry is a sight that no player or team wants to face in a seven-game series. He has proven in the past what he’s capable of when people doubt him. The sequel may be on the horizon this upcoming season.