Joe Lacob knows what’s coming. The Golden State Warriors built one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history, and Stephen Curry was the one leading the way. Somehow, at 37 years old, he’s still playing at a high level, and there’s no telling how much longer he can keep it up. Boldly, Lacob even compared Curry’s longevity to NFL legend Tom Brady.
“It’s going to be really, really hard to do this without a Steph Curry or someone like that in the future,” Lacob told the San Francisco Chronicle. “He’s not going to play forever, though I do think he may play longer than we all think. He might be the Tom Brady of the NBA.”
Curry is everything in Golden State and he hasn’t lost a step, but Lacob made it clear that he welcomes the challenge of life after Steph. He’s already thinking about how to build the next great team and prove the organization can win regardless of who’s wearing the jersey.
“I look forward to it in a way probably no one else can understand, because it will be a tremendous challenge to try to replicate what we’ve done in the first 15 years over the next 15,” he said. “But I’m looking forward to that, because it’s something we want to try to do, to prove we do a good job and it’s not just Steph Curry.”
Lacob wants to prove that the Warriors are more than Steph Curry, but as long as No. 30 is in uniform, the franchise will make it its mission to build around him.
Fortunately, he’s aging like fine wine in his craft, much like some other notable athletes both in and outside the NBA. Of course, there’s Brady, who played at a high level until he was 45 years old, after 23 seasons. He thrived until the very end of his career, maintaining his superstar standards and winning a Super Bowl at 43.
Currently, if there’s anyone in the NBA who compares to Brady in this regard, it’s LeBron James. At 40, he has set a new precedent in his sport for how long one person can dominate. It’s been over two decades now, and James continues to be one of the best players in the game.
For Curry, while his track record isn’t quite on par with LeBron’s or Brady’s, he still has plenty of time to enhance his legacy. With averages of 27.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game this season, he’s still playing elite-level basketball that gives the Warriors a fighting chance in the West.
After dropping 43 in the win against the Spurs last night, he reminded everyone what he can do, and that his days as a star are far from over. No matter how much longer he plays, Curry’s legacy is already set as the greatest shooter ever. Now, it’s just a matter of how many more accolades he can collect before it’s all said and done.
The Warriors are still Steph’s team, and as long as he’s on the floor, they’ll have a shot. Whether he plays another three seasons or stretches it to five or six, the organization is going to ride with him for as long as they can. After all, there may never be another player like him again.
