At 37 years old, Stephen Curry should be slowing down. That’s what logic and Father Time usually dictate. But if you ask his longtime trainer, Brandon Payne, the Golden State Warriors superstar is actually quicker and more explosive than he’s ever been. In an interview with Responsible Gaming’s Mark Medina:
“His first-step quickness and explosiveness is the fastest that it’s ever been, if not faster. But as players age, the one thing they can do is continue to work on processing information fast and make faster decisions to offset any gap that is created with losing a step.”
“That hasn’t happened with him yet. So when you combine the fact that physically he’s still at a peak and now he’s making decisions faster, we have a very quick player out there.”
Curry is entering his 17th NBA season, but the two-time MVP doesn’t look anywhere close to retirement. Last year, he averaged 24.5 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.4 rebounds on 44.8% shooting from the field and 39.7% from three. He played over 70 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2017, further proving his durability is back after years of lingering injuries.
That conditioning paid off during the Warriors’ postseason run. Alongside Jimmy Butler, Curry led Golden State to an upset over the second-seeded Houston Rockets.
But in the Western Conference Semifinals, disaster struck. Curry strained his hamstring in Game 1 against Minnesota, forcing him to miss the next four games. Without him, the Warriors dropped the series, exposing how crucial his presence remains.
Payne also revealed that Curry has bulked up significantly this offseason. Working with performance coach Carl Bergstrom, Curry added muscle to absorb more contact, especially when running off endless screens.
Fans got a glimpse of Curry’s new physique when images from Under Armour surfaced earlier this month, showing him noticeably more muscular heading into camp. At an age when most guards struggle to keep up with younger legs, Curry is preparing for the grind in advance.
Even at 37, Curry remains one of the league’s most dangerous weapons. His ability to combine elite conditioning, physical growth, and sharpened mental processing puts him in rare company. Payne believes Curry isn’t just maintaining his game but setting himself up for another historic season.
The Warriors were 22-5 when Curry and Butler shared the floor last season. If Curry’s explosiveness really is at its peak, Golden State may have one more deep playoff run left in the tank.
