Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry is recovering from a knee issue that has sidelined the superstar since late January and forced him to miss the past nine games.
ESPN's Anthony Slater offered a firsthand update Thursday on "The Hoop Collective" podcast regarding Curry’s future with Team USA after the guard secured his first gold medal at the 2024 Paris Games.
“Can I say one more thing because Kevin Durant mentioned it, like Steph Curry, I would be stunned if he plays,” Slater said. “He's already said he's highly doubtful. He's just, I think he checked that resume box, and he's not feeling quite the way that KD is.”
In August, Curry hinted at his elite capabilities during the gold-medal game, dropping 24 points on France. But Vince Goodwill, whom Slater joined on the podcast, suggests the end might be sooner than 2028.
“No, I think Stephen Curry is going to retire after next year,” Goodwill added. “That's a story for another day.”
Curry has battled injury setbacks before, reportedly pushing too hard recently in an attempt to race back to the court. For now, his availability for the 2028 Los Angeles Games remains unclear, but rumors of his interest persist.
“Steph Curry is still interested to make his second Olympic appearance,” Marc Spears said on ESPN’s "NBA Today." “He'll be 40 years old at the time. Hey, look, he's a shooter. He's the greatest shooter of all time. Why would you not want to have him on your roster? He's not out.”
Steph Curry in the Bay Area After Securing Gold in Paris
After securing a 98-87 victory over France in 2024 with a clutch performance reminiscent of a game-winning drive, Curry will evaluate his international retirement status during the 2025-26 season.
The Chef enters this evaluation period after cooking the French defense with four 3-pointers in the final 2 minutes, 47 seconds. While Curry weighs his physical durability, fellow superstar Kevin Durant expressed a strong desire to return for 2028, telling The Athletic, “Hell yeah, I want to play.”
Durant wants to prove he can still help the team win, not just ride on seniority.
Sources close to the Warriors indicate Curry’s conditioning program is comparable to the longevity-focused TB12 Method created by legendary NFL quarterback Tom Brady. Despite the knee setback, his Olympic stat line of 14.8 points per game and 47.8% from deep confirms his talent hasn't diminished. If he avoids the injured reserve, a 2028 appearance remains a statistical possibility.