For decades, American basketball dominance felt untouchable. But according to Stephen Curry, there’s a growing problem threatening that supremacy, and it’s not happening in the NBA. The Golden State Warriors superstar believes a troubling “epidemic” is spreading through youth basketball in the United States, where commercialization and a growing business-first mentality are beginning to shape how young players develop.

Recently, in a podcast with The Athletic, Stephen Curry raised concerns around America’s basketball future. “The ability to develop a baseline for like basketball IQ, and what does that mean? There’s an epidemic in that respect. I also feel like even just the ability to allow kids to play multiple sports and be kids for as long as they can before it turns into a kind of business mentality and mindset on the whole. I think the culture around it has kind of shifted in the wrong direction,” Curry shared, speaking about America’s basketball crisis.

The 38-year-old star guard highlighted that playing multiple sports until the age of 13 helped him develop hand-eye coordination and get along with different kinds of people.

Currently, the kids in America are not getting this opportunity, which brought Curry into prominence and shaped his formative years. “I played multiple sports until I was 13 and then figured out what I wanted to do and what I loved,” Curry added.

“And I think what I gained from playing multiple sports and the physical skillsets, the handy eye coordination, different footwork, you’re around different people, have different demands on your body, that’s only helped me in basketball. I think there are a lot of people trying to solve it, knowing we need as much, you know, homegrown talent as possible representing the highest levels of basketball.”

In recent years, the AAU and NCAA have been criticised for being overly focused on money and commercial gain rather than the holistic development of skills and basketball IQ.

The overall cultural shift in America’s basketball pyramid has hindered player development, treating players more as commodities than as individuals with unique talent and skill sets, which has led to America’s basketball problem.

Curry has played a major part in influencing America’s basketball future. Many players have modelled their game around the Warriors’ star. The 38-year-old is still going strong in his 17th season in the NBA, albeit with a few injury concerns.

Warriors cornerstone Stephen Curry shares assuring retirement plans

Stephen Curry has been in the Bay Arena since he got drafted in the first round of the 2009 draft. Since then, he has become one of the biggest icons to grace the game, thanks to his long-range shooting and overall scoring efficiency.

He has already won four Championships, two MVPs, and has been selected as an All-Star on 12 occasions. So overall, he has nothing more to prove as a player, yet he is still striving to help the Warriors win another Championship before calling time on his career.

The Warriors star is in his twilight, and his youthful exuberance is all but gone, yet the numbers suggest he could still make a difference for his franchise. In the recent podcast with The Athletic, he shared his thoughts on retirement. “I think your body is the first point of information,” Curry said. “When I’m out there on the court right now, I still get lost in the fun. It’s still my happy place. The competition, the camaraderie, the chasing something that matters, that still gets me going. And I don’t see that stopping anytime soon.”

This will be music to the ears for the Dub Nation as the team has struggled without his presence on the court. Even in his 17th season, Curry has averaged 27.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per game on 46.8% shooting and 39.1% shooting from three.

This season, he has only featured in 39 games due to injuries and is expected to return on March 21, 2026, as he is suffering from a lingering knee issue. He is the last beacon of hope for the Dubs to achieve anything this season.

Despite all his injury issues, the star guard is here to stay with the Warriors for at least two more years. With $120 million on his contract, he is locked with the franchise until 2027. Both the franchise and Curry are locked in, hoping for one last hurrah and another title together.

The team management will look to add a couple more pieces to the roster to provide the support he needs to land his fifth career Championship.