This is an unprecedented era of longevity in the NBA. Historically, once a player reaches their late 30s, they would be lucky to still be in the league, let alone contributing to success. That concept has completely shifted as showcased from the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry. Many people highlight James’ level of play at his age, but Curry is not that far behind. NBA analyst Shannon Sharpe hypothesizes that the Golden State Warriors star still has a lot left in the tank.
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There is no undermining LeBron’s greatness. It is unheard of to continue to be one of the best players in the league at 40 years. Nonetheless, there is a clear difference in the style of play between the two, which stands out in Curry’s case.
Curry runs all around the court at an average of 2.44 miles per game. For context, NBA players run an average of just under two miles per game. He is exuding a tremendous amount of stamina at the age of 37. Regardless, when he is healthy, he hasn’t looked a step slow in the slightest.
Until Curry’s untimely hamstring injury during the Warriors’ semifinals series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the four-time NBA champion was on pace to make another deep postseason run. Shannon Sharpe believes there are many more years for him to get it done.
Sharpe took to the Nightcap podcast to speak on Curry’s future in the NBA. He doesn’t view this injury to be a major setback, as he predicts a handful of years awaiting the NBA’s all-time leader in three-pointers.
“I can see him [Stephen Curry] play another four or five years,” Sharpe said. “I would not be surprised if he played into his 40s.”
Curry takes tremendous care of his body. It’s evident in the way he’s can survive his style of play. The midseason addition of Jimmy Butler alleviated a significant amount of the offensive burden on the two-time MVP, allowing him to return to playing off ball. A full season with a well-orchestrated roster could position the Warriors to be a dangerous team in the Western Conference.
James and Durant aren’t the only players alongside Curry in terms of longevity. James Harden and Kawhi Leonard are a few other names who have showcased incredible longevity. These players have set the standard extremely high for the next generation to follow.
