In a surprising revelation, Steph Curry recently disclosed that he continues to face performance anxiety as he enters his 16th season in the NBA.
The renowned three-point shooter admitted that the weight of consistently performing at such an elite level can feel overwhelming, yet it also serves as a form of accountability for him.
“Oh, for sure I have anxiety,” Curry stated. “A lot of it is tied to the expectations I’ve placed on myself and the standard I strive to maintain. It’s about your own expectations and understanding what constitutes a good game. It’s a healthy insecurity that drives you to prove yourself every night, which is motivating. It keeps you pushing forward.”
This candid admission garnered attention from several observers, including ESPN’s Tim Keown, who found Curry’s openness about anxiety unexpected.
“Curry plays with a freedom, enthusiasm, and composure that can make it surprising to discover, as it did for me, that he grapples with performance anxiety, approaching each game with a lingering apprehension about what’s to come,” noted Keown. “When he’s scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter against the [Los Angeles] Lakers on Christmas Day, he appears utterly unbothered; the same goes for when he sinks eight 3-pointers against France in the Olympic gold medal game, as well as the numerous occasions he has confidently stepped up to lead his team from seemingly impossible ranges.”
As this season progresses, Curry finds himself in a challenging predicament; the Warriors are trying to manage his playing time while simultaneously struggling when he is off the court.
“I want to do this for as long as I can,” Curry remarked. “But the clock’s ticking. We all know that.”
Image Source: Steph Curry @ Instagram
