Dwyane Wade shuts down Stephen Curry’s pro golf ambitions, saying he’s no Tiger Woods or Cameron Smith: "Stop disrespecting the game"

Stephen Curry has cemented his legacy on the basketball court, but his passion for golf is hardly a secret. Having played since childhood, he’s a scratch golfer—a rare feat achieved by only a small percentage of players worldwide. His skills on the course have even sparked speculation about whether he could one day compete at the professional level.
But not everyone is on board with that idea. Dwyane Wade, for one, is calling for a reality check. During a recent discussion on his podcast, he made it clear that while Curry’s golf game is impressive, it doesn’t translate to pro status.

On a recent episode of ‘The Dwyane Wade Podcast’, a conversation between Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, and Bob Metelus turned to Stephen Curry’s golf potential. When Paul casually remarked, “So, Steph could be a pro golfer,” Metelus nodded in agreement. But Wade wasn’t having it.
“No, no, no, stop disrespecting golf,” Wade responded immediately. He then broke it down with an analogy. “Let’s take basketball. Steph Curry in LA Fitness, is incredible. Steph Curry in the NBA, next level. You can’t take a guy to LA Fitness and put him in the league and think because he dominates LA Fitness, he can dominate The League. Yeah, no doubt, so Steph Curry would be an amazing golfer. He could not be a pro.”

His message was clear: being an elite amateur is not the same as being a professional. Wade acknowledged Curry’s impressive skills, saying, “He would be an amazing golfer,” before adding, “He could not be a pro.”
His point holds weight. Players like Tiger Woods and Cameron Smith have dedicated decades to mastering the game. While Curry has trained with esteemed coach Butch Harmon, Wade argues that the gap between a skilled amateur and a seasoned pro is massive.
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While Wade and Curry may not see eye to eye on Curry’s golf future, there’s no denying his passion for the game. Curry’s talent on the course is unquestionable, and he’s repeatedly demonstrated his ability to compete at a high level. But as Wade pointed out, there’s a vast difference between excelling as an amateur and thriving in the professional ranks. The level of skill, dedication, and mental fortitude required to make it as a pro golfer is an entirely different challenge—one that even an athlete as gifted as Curry might find difficult to conquer.