TITLE: Stephen Curry Credits Trae Young’s NBA Debut for Making Him Realize His League-Wide Impact
SLUG: stephen-curry-trae-young-influence-podcast
CONTENT:
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry said he first understood the scope of his influence on the modern NBA when Trae Young entered the league, according to remarks made during the “Mind the Game” podcast released on November 4, 2025.
Joined by podcast co-hosts LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Hall of Famer Steve Nash, Curry recalled hearing Young described as the “next” version of himself. “That might be the first time I thought about it or really realized what my impact was,” Curry told James and Nash after noting he had known Young since the guard’s high-school days.
James pressed the point, asking Curry when he recognized that his playing style was “transcending a whole generation.” The two-time MVP answered by pointing to Young’s 2018 arrival and the national surge of deep three-point attempts that mirrored his own approach.
The rise of long-range shooting
Curry also referenced former Warriors coach Mark Jackson’s 2015 on-air remark that the sharpshooter had “ruined the game” by inspiring youngsters to fire from distance. Laughing, James added, “Everyone shoots 3s now… It’s all Steph.”
Nash cited Curry’s jump from 646 three-point attempts in 2014-15 to 886 in 2015-16 as a turning point others soon followed, including Damian Lillard and Klay Thompson. Curry credited former Golden State general manager Bob Myers for encouraging him to take 15 threes per game, backing the strategy with analytics.
Revisiting 2016 NBA Finals Game 7
The episode opened with Nash sharing a preseason story about defending a young Curry—an encounter that convinced Nash his own career was nearing its end. The trio later reviewed film from Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals, highlighting sequences in which Curry and the Warriors challenged James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. A follow-up episode will shift the focus to James’ plays from the Cavaliers’ 93-89 victory, the hosts said.
Curry joked during the session, “This is the happiest I’ve ever been watching this game,” as Nash paused the footage on one of his made shots.
The second part of the conversation has not yet been given a release date.
Source: ESPN
