The Metropolitan Museum of Art is not on the way to Cancun, but Steph Curry had to make a fashionable stop there. The 2026 Met Gala red carpet was once again an intersection of sports and high fashion, but for the Golden State Warriors superstar, the glamorous evening came with a bittersweet realization. While celebrating his second appearance at the prestigious event alongside his wife, Ayesha Curry, the four-time NBA champion offered a candid take on what it truly means for an elite athlete to be free on a Monday night in early May.

When asked about the increasing presence of athletes on the Met Gala carpet, Curry admitted his feelings were mixed. “I mean, on one hand, I love it. On the other hand, it means I’m not playing basketball right now,” Curry shared honestly.

He goes on to E! News’ Zuri Hall, “So I like to have a little bit of both,” but quickly corrected it’s not a ‘little bit.’ “No, no, no, no, not ‘little’ but it’s just fun to have, like you said, a different crew and a crowd and guys that I compete against showing themselves in the fashion world. So, it’s amazing.”

Curry had just returned from a runner’s knee for the Play-In Tournament while the Warriors were down multiple key players. The Phoenix Suns eliminated them in the second game of the tournament, ending the Warriors’ season early.

With enough free time on his hands, Steph and Ayesha arrived at the Met Gala matching in Balenciaga, outfitted to the ‘Fashion is Art’ theme for 2026. The point guard wore a hooded trench coat over a suit, while Ayesha carried a solid black bodysuit to embellish her sheer strapless dress.

Both were grateful to be invited a second time after their last appearance in 2021, you know, right before Steph’s fourth championship. But you can tell Steph’s heart was elsewhere.

While they were in New York for the Met, the Knicks were hosting the 76ers for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The second round of the playoffs is going on elsewhere, and Steph definitely wanted to be in it and not as a spectator.

Stephen Curry wasn’t the only NBA star at the Met Gala

At least Stephen Curry wasn’t alone. His teammate, Jimmy Butler, is one of the attendees tonight. He also matched the Currys with his all-black outfit custom-made by Alo.

We didn’t see enough of the Warriors’ teammates interacting, but Butler broke the Internet with his reunion with Miami and Chicago teammate Dwyane Wade at the Met Gala, his third. While Butler’s of course rehabbing in the offseason, D-Wade has NBA on Prime duties, which afford him breaks for events like this.

Another NBA star in the same venue was Russell Westbrook, who is also nursing the same postseason blues as Curry. But not all the hoopers in attendance were done for the season. WNBA stars A’ja Wilson, Paige Bueckers, and Angel Reese took a break from the preseason to dazzle at the Oscars of fashion.

Meanwhile, for Steph and even for Butler, the early start to an offseason brings a lot of uncertainty. Most prominently, whether Steve Kerr will return, they could also see Draymond Green and Al Horford opt out of their contracts and enter free agency. And if the trade rumor mill is to be believed, the Dubs front office is targeting big names to combine with Curry, including Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James.

Of course, this was not the kind of meetup with fellow NBA players that Curry was hoping for. But he’s making the most of the opportunity even though he wishes he were hitting threes in the playoffs.