Tom Brady is the gold standard for longevity in professional sports, and now one NBA star is seeking to emulate him.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry told reporters this week that he is studying the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback’s secrets to durability.
“Absolutely. I’ve actually talked to him, personally, about this,” Curry said, per Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. “He’s at the point now where he can look back and talk about that with some authority and experience.
“But even he said, in the moment, when he was in his early-30s, mid-30s, late-30s, it was always, ‘I think I’ve still got two more years in me. Stay. Do everything I can to sustain yourself and stay physically and mentally sharp,'” added Curry about Brady. “‘And then you look up and you’re saying that again, saying it the next two years. And you’re saying it again.’”
Curry is now 33 and about to enter his 13th NBA season. He could certainly learn a thing or two from Brady, who just won his seventh Super Bowl at age 43 and is going into Year 22 in the NFL.
Working in Curry’s favor is the fact that he has never needed brute strength or jack-in-the-box athleticism to be elite. While he might lose some of the quickness that gets him separation from defenders as he gets older, Curry’s perimeter-oriented game figures to age well. The Warriors may be looking to help Curry in his quest for longevity too.
