A video of Stephen Curry getting out of a black Mercedes-Benz van in Beijing on September 9th has blown up, racking up an insane 6.3 million views on X. It showed the Warriors guard taking a few steps as if his knees had just locked up, a sight that immediately sent “sects of the digital world” into a full-blown panic. Curry was rocking some Li-Ning Croc-type slippers and carrying an obscenely large water bottle, but it was that few steps, that shuffle, that limp, that truly grabbed everyone’s attention. After all, the guy missed two months of the 2025-26 season with knee issues, and he’s admitted they’re his “new normal.”
Gary Payton II Saw the Limp, But He’s Not Panicking
You know 33-year-old teammate Gary Payton II saw that clip. He definitely did. When asked about it, Payton grinned and basically brushed it off. “When he had his little limp? He’s just having a hard day! Workout day. It’s nothing crazy.” His voice even cracked a bit when he added, “It’s just Steph.” But while Payton II might be playing it cool, the widespread term “runner’s knee” has been floating around since Curry’s absence last season. It’s vague enough to avoid immediate structural alarm bells, but also undefinable enough to keep those long-term concerns simmering, ready to erupt at any sign of weakness. And that limp? That was a serious sign of weakness for a lot of people.
Trainer Brandon Payne Just Called Curry “Old,” Seriously
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. One of the closest men to Curry, his trainer Brandon Payne, chuckled at the whole situation. He’s been working with Curry since 2011 when Curry was just 23, and to Payne, this video just shows a reality they’ve been prepping for all along. His words? “Curry is just old, now.” When a 25-year-old reporter asked Payne about the video this week, Payne shot back, “How old are you?” Then he delivered some hard truth: “Young man, enjoy it while you have it. Because in a few years, every morning you get out of bed, that’s how you’re going to look when you get out of bed, whether you like it or not.” Payne even challenged anyone over 30 to fly from San Francisco to China, ride around in a car, then get out and walk, betting they’d look “pretty similar.” It puts that 6.3 million-view video in a whole new light, doesn’t it?
Two weeks after that viral moment, Curry was at an Eat. Learn. Play foundation event at Oakland’s Madison Park Primary, ambled into a media scrum, and guess what? The limp was gone. He said the knee is “top of mind,” and “obviously, (it) should be.” He’s realistic about it, too, saying, “But anybody at this age, and amount of miles, you’re managing something. So, it’s kind of part of the longev.” He knows the grind, and he’s already managing it. You just know he’s going to be working double time to stay ready for the upcoming season, and we’ll all be watching to see how he manages this “new normal” on the court.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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