Steve Nash

At 50 years old, Steve Nash has this physical status:

Stephen John Nash (born 7 February 1974) is a Canadian former professional basketball player.

Nash played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) where he was an eight-time NBA All-Star and a seven-time All-NBA selection.

Twice, Nash was named the NBA Most Valuable Player while playing for the Phoenix Suns.

He currently serves as senior advisor of the Canadian men's national team and as a player development consultant for the Golden State Warriors. After a successful high school basketball career in British Columbia, Nash earned a scholarship to Santa Clara University in California.

In his four seasons with the Broncos, the team made three NCAA Tournament appearances, and he was twice named the West Coast Conference (WCC) Player of the Year.

Nash graduated from Santa Clara as the team's all-time leader in assists and was taken as the 15th pick in the 1996 NBA draft by the Phoenix Suns.

He made minimal impact and was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in 1998.

By his fourth season with the Mavericks, he was voted to his first NBA All-Star Game and had earned his first All-NBA selection.

Together with Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Finley, Nash led the Mavericks to the Western Conference Finals the following season.

He became a free agent after the 2003–04 season and returned to the Phoenix Suns. In the 2004–05 season, Nash led the Suns to the Western Conference Finals and was named the league's MVP.

He was named MVP again in the 2005–06 season and was runner-up for a third consecutive MVP to Nowitzki in 2006–07.

Named by ESPN in 2006 as the ninth-greatest point guard of all time, Nash led the league in assists and free-throw percentage at various points in his career.

He is also ranked as one of the top players in NBA league history in three-point shooting, free-throw shooting, total assists, and assists per game. Nash has been honoured for his contributions to various philanthropic causes.

In 2006, he was named by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

He was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2007 and invested to the order in 2016, and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of Victoria in 2008.

Nash has been a co-owner of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC of Major League Soccer (MLS) since the team entered the league in 2011.

From 2012 to 2019, he served as general manager of the Canadian men's national team, for whom he played from 1991 to 2003, making one Olympic appearance and being twice named FIBA AmeriCup MVP.

Early life

Nash was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, to a Welsh mother, Jean, and English father, John, on 7 February 1974. His family moved to Regina, Saskatchewan, when he was 18 months old, before settling in Victoria, British Columbia. He, therefore, holds British as well as Canadian citizenship. Before the family settled in Canada, his father played professional soccer in various parts of the world. Nash often played soccer and ice hockey with his younger brother Martin, and he did not start playing basketball until he was 12 or 13 years old. In grade eight, however, he told his mother that one day he would play in the NBA and become a star. He was a neighbour to future NHL stars Russ and Geoff Courtnall, who used to babysit him and played soccer coached by Nash's father.

Nash originally attended Mount Douglas Secondary School in Saanich, British Columbia, but after his grades began to drop, his parents decided to enroll him at St. Michaels University School, a private boarding school in Victoria. There, he starred in basketball, soccer, and rugby union. While playing basketball during his senior season, Nash averaged 21.3 points, 11.2 assists, and 9.1 rebounds per game. In the 1991–92 season, he led his team in his final year to the British Columbia AAA provincial championship title, and was named the province's Player of the Year.

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College career

Despite Nash's high school coach, Ian Hyde-Lay, sending letters of inquiry and highlight reels to over 30 American universities, Nash was not accepted by any university until Santa Clara coach Dick Davey requested a video clip of the young guard. Davey, who was watching Nash live, said he was "mad as hell just hoping that no one else would see him." It didn't take a Nobel Prize winner to figure out that this guy is actually pretty good. It was just a case of wishing that none of the big names came around." Davey, on the other hand, told Nash that he was "the worst defensive player" he had ever seen.

Nash received a scholarship from Santa Clara for the 1992-93 season. It had been five years since the Broncos made the NCAA tournament for the first time at that time. The Broncos were led to a WCC tournament title and a dramatic victory over the No. 67. Arizona was seeded in the first round of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. In the last 30 seconds of the game, Nash scored six straight free throws in a row. Despite Temple's loss in the second round to Santa Clara, the 1992-93 campaign was still a success. The Broncos were unable to maintain the momentum the following season, and only managed a 5–7 record in the conference. The team recovered in the 1994-95 season, with Nash being named Conference Player of the Year and the Broncos winning the WCC. The Broncos returned to the NCAA tournament, but Mississippi State defeated them, with the league leader for scoring and assists in Nash. Nash considered turning pro but decided against it after learning that he would not be considered a first-round pick in the 1995 NBA draft.

Nash's interest in the national media and professional scouts began in the 1995–96 season. He had spent the previous summer honing his skills, playing with the Canadian national team, and hanging out with veteran NBA players Jason Kidd and Gary Payton. Santa Clara defeated the WCC for the second year in a row, and Nash was named Conference Player of the Year for the second year in a row, the first Bronco to repeat since Kurt Rambis. In leading the No. 5 he had 28 points in 28 points. The Broncos defeated No. ten in the first round of a tie in the first round. Maryland was seeded 7, but the Broncos were eliminated by Kansas later this year. By The Associated Press and the USBWA, Nash's appearances ensured that he was given an honorable mention All-America as a senior. He also served as Santa Clara's all-time leader in assists (510), free throw percentage (.862), and attempted three-pointers (263–656) throughout his career. He ranks third on the school's all-time scoring list (1,689) and holds Santa Clara's single-season free throw percentage record (0.84). Nash's jersey No. 10 appeared on September 6, 2006. 11 was released, becoming the first Santa Clara student-athlete to be lauded.

Professional career

Nash was ranked 15th overall by the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the 1996 NBA draft after graduating with a degree in sociology. Suns fans booed in disapproval of the relatively unknown celebrity upon learning the draft announcement. Despite his impressive college achievements, Nash did not participate in one of the top college conferences. Assistant coach Donnie Nelson, who attended Nash in high school and was mentored by Nelson's colleague Ken Shields, was a big influence on the player's selection and will eventually befriend the player as he played in Santa Clara. Nash played a supporting role behind NBA star point guards Kevin Johnson, Sam Cassell, and later, Jason Kidd. Both Johnson and Cassell had NBA Finals experience, while Kidd was the second overall pick in the 1994 NBA draft and already an All-Star when he arrived in Phoenix.

Nash's rookie season was only 10.5 minutes per game, but his playing time increased dramatically in his second season, finishing 13th in the league for three-point field goal percentage. Despite this, the Canucks' time with the Suns was short lived. Nelson had just taken over as assistant general manager of the Dallas Mavericks under his father, Don Nelson, and had persuaded him to purchase the underutilized Nash. Nash was traded from the Suns to the Mavericks in exchange for Martin Müürsepp, Bubba Wells' draft rights, Pat Garrity's first-round draft pick and future Phoenix teammate Shawn Marion.

Nash established himself as a solid point guard in Dallas, beginning a decade as one of the game's best players. He played in all 40 games he played in, with 7.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game during his first year as a Maverick (the lockout-shortened 1998-1999 season). The 19-31 Mavericks were unable to make the 1999 playoffs, but the team's prospects increased sharply in the 1999-2000 season. Nash played in 25 games due to an ankle injury, but the team recovered to record six double-doubles in the last month of play. He finished the season with 8.6 points and 4.9 assists per game. Michael Finley's second-year teammate and mentor Dirk Nowitzki was blossoming quickly into a top player, veteran Michael Finley was bringing new life and excitement to the team, and franchisee Mark Cuban was bringing new life and excitement to the team. Nash now had a safe environment in which he could flourish.

In a breakout season, Nash averaged 15.6 points and 7.3 assists per game in the 2000-2001 season. The Mavericks won a playoff spot for the first time in more than a decade, with Nash directing the team's offense, Nowitzki and Finley playing at their best, and with the signing of All-Star Juwan Howard complementing the high-scoring trio. Dallas lost in the Western Conference Semifinals four games to one to the San Antonio Spurs, but it was the start of a memorable season for Nash and the Mavericks. Nash played career-bests of 17.9 points and 7.7 assists per game in 2001–2002, earning a spot in the NBA All-Star Game and the All-NBA Third Team. He was now an All-Star, appearing in television commercials, and with Finley and Nowitzki, a member of the Dallas Mavericks "Big Three." Dallas earned another trip to the playoffs, but lost in the Semifinals to the Sacramento Kings from one.

Nash closely resembled his previous season's results in the 2002-2003 season, averaging 17.7 points and 7.3 assists per game, earning All-Star and All-NBA Third Team accolades. The Mavericks went from a 14-game winning streak to open the season all the way to the Western Conference Finals, where they lost to the eventual NBA champions, the San Antonio Spurs went from two games to two. This was only the second appearance in the conference finals in the franchise's history. The 2003–04 season saw an offensively boosted Mavericks roster (with the acquisitions of Antoine Walker and Antawn Jamison), but there was a drop in Nash's scoring contributions. As a result, he was not chosen for the All-Star and All-NBA team rosters, despite his career highs in assists per game (8.8) and free throw accuracy (91.6%). Dallas' fifth-seeded Dallas struggled to make progress in the 2004 playoffs, losing four games to one.

Nash became a free agent following the 2003–04 season. He tried to find a long-term solution with Cuban, who was paying Walker, Finley, Nowitzki, and Jamison almost $50 million in total wages that season. Cuban wanted to develop his brand around the younger Nowitzki brothers but didn't want to risk committing the 30-year-old Nash to a long-term contract, so Nash gave Nash a four-year contract worth about $9 million per year, with a fifth year partially guaranteed. On the other hand, the Phoenix Suns secured the point guard for six years and $63 million. Nash was hesitant to leave Dallas and returned to Cuba to see if he would match the contract; Cuban did not, and Nash signed with the Suns in 2004-05. On a 14 June 2006 appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman, the Canadian will go on to win two league MVP awards with Phoenix, and Cuban wondered out loud, "You know Steve is a wonderful guy and I adore him to death," says Cuban, "why doesn't he play like an MVP for us?"

Nash was a member of the Shawn Marion, Joe Johnson, and Amar'e Stoudemire, among other young players. The Suns had set a 29–53 win-loss record before Nash arrived, and they were predicted to have another bad season. Head coach Mike D'Antoni favoured a more tempo basketball style; this needed smaller and more athletic players with the ability to outrun and outshoot their opponents. Nash beat the Los Angeles Clippers 122–111 on Monday, with 22 points, 18 assists, and 4 steals. Nash's familiarity with this style, as well as his teammates' athleticism, led to an NBA-best 62–20 record and a points-per-game average of 110.4, the highest level in a decade. Nash's game catalyst during his revival, he averaged 11.5 assists per game, while still achieving 52.2 percent of his field goals and 43.1% of his three-pointers in the regular season. He defeated Shaquille O'Neal in the 2005 NBA MVP award, becoming the first Canadian to be named MVP as well as the third best point guard ever to be named MVP, along with Magic Johnson and Bob Cousy. Phoenix swept the Memphis Grizzlies in four games before meeting the Dallas Mavericks in the second round in the 2005 playoffs. Nash led the Suns to a 4–2 series victory, and the Suns reached the Western Conference finals for the first time since 1993, but the San Antonio Spurs defeated the eventual NBA Champions and arch rival, the San Antonio Spurs, in five games.

Stoudemire sustained a serious knee injury in the next season, and Johnson and Quentin Richardson were traded away. The Suns were not intended to repeat their good 2005 season, but with Nash's leadership as the team's high-tempo offense, the team compiled a respectable 54-28 record and captured the division championship. Nash recorded 28 points, 5 rebounds, and 22 assists in a 140-133 triple overtime loss to the New York Knicks on January 2nd, 2006. With seven players scoring double figures in points per game, the Suns were still the highest-scoring team in the league, and Nash was voted for the first time in the 2006 Western All-Star team. Nash defeated the Trail Blazers 106-96 in their last game of the season. Nash was named league MVP for the second year in a row after a career high in points (18.8), rebounds (4.2), field goal percentage (.512), and free throw percentage (a league-leading.921). Phoenix overcame a 3–1 deficit against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the 2006 playoffs and claimed the series 4–3. The Los Angeles Clippers were their Conference Semifinals opponents, and the Suns then needed seven games to clinch the series. The Suns bowed out in the Conference Finals for the second year in a row, this time to Dallas' former Nash team.

Nash had another stellar season in 2006–07, scoring 18.6 points and a career-high 11.6 assists per game, winning the first time since Magic Johnson in 1990–91 to average 18 points and 11 assists per game during the regular season. Nash received the most votes for first-team All-NBA, was joined by teammate Stoudemire; the two were the first teammates to make the first team since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal were born in 2003–2004. The Nash panel of 129 media representatives received 129 first-place votes and 645 total points. He barely escaped being MVP for the third time in a row, polling in second place for Dirk Nowitzki's 44th in second place, down from 83 in second. The Suns beat the Lakers in five games in the 2007 playoffs before losing 4–2 to the Spurs in the Conference Semifinals.

Nash played in 81 regular season games between 2007 and 2008; in this season, the Western Conference was particularly competitive, with the Suns winning 55 games and the sixth seed for the 2008 playoffs. Despite a decrease in his regular season output, Nash's shooting stayed good; his shooting accuracy remained high with his 2005-06 MVP campaign (shooting at least 50% from the field, 40% from the three-point arc, and 90% from the free throw line). For the sixth time in his career, he earned his All-Star stripes on January 31, 2008. However, Nash's playoffs continued to be painful. Despite a late-season trade that brought Shawn Marion and Shaquille O'Neal to the team and brought four-time NBA champion Shaquille O'Neal to the team, the Suns were defeated by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the 2008 playoffs for the third time in four years. Nash was predicted to have suffered from "elimination-game jitters" and turned over the ball twice in the final two minutes of a close game. Despite this, Nash was later named to the All-NBA Second Team for the 2007-08 season.

Coach D'Antoni was fired by Terry Porter, who preferred a more defensive-oriented style of basketball, before the 2008-09 season began. The Suns had trouble adjusting to this new format, and even after a trade in December involving sending stalwarts Raja Bell and Boris Diaw to the Charlotte Bobcats for athletic swingman Jason Richardson, the team continued to fail. Porter was later fired by Alvin Gentry in February after a 28–23 record, but the Suns were unable to guarantee the final seed for the 2009 playoffs, resulting in Nash's exit from the playoffs for the first time since returning to Phoenix for his second stint.

Nash and the Suns began the 2009–10 season with a series of good results, going 8–1 in their first nine games (a franchise-best since 1980–81), with Nash releasing two 20-assists games. For the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, Nash was named as the starting point guard for the West on January 21, 2010. For the fifth season in a row, the Suns were the highest-scoring squad in the league and they were seeded third in the 2010 playoffs. The Suns defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 4–2 in the first round of the playoffs, beating the Spurs 4–0 in the second round, despite solid results from Richardson and veteran Grant Hill. In the Conference Finals, the Suns met the defending champions, Los Angeles Lakers. Phoenix ties the series after losing the first two games. In Game 5, Ron Artest's buzzer-beater moved the Lakers one game closer to the Finals, while Kobe Bryant's 37 points in Game 6 brought the Suns one game closer to the playoffs.

In the 2010–11 season, the Suns underwent two major roster moves. During the pre-season, Stoudemire left for New York, while Leandro Barbosa was traded to Hedo Türkolu. Josh Childress and Hakim Warrick were both recruited to play for the Suns. Not long after the season started, Türkolu, Richardson, and Earl Clark were moved to Orlando for Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat, and Mickal Piétrus, while rising star Goran Dragi was traded to the Houston Rockets for Aaron Brooks. The Suns had trouble being even a.500 squad, and the Suns lost the 2011 playoffs for the second time since Nash returned to Phoenix.

Nash was named to his eighth All-Star Game in February 2012. He was leading the NBA in assists per game at the time. Nash defeated the Denver Nuggets by Oscar Robertson on Monday for career assists. Despite his stellar play, the Suns missed the 2012 playoffs for the second time in a row. On 53.2 percent shooting from the field, he had averaging 12.5 points and 10.7 assists per game, tying his career high). Nash was named the winner of the PBWA's Magic Johnson Award at the end of the 2011–12 season.

The Los Angeles Lakers acquired Nash in a sign-and-trade agreement with Phoenix on July 11, 2012. Nash considered joining New York or Toronto, but he ultimately found that Los Angeles was the right option for him and his family. Nash changed his jersey number as his No. 1 was changed to his No. 1 in honour of his customary No. 6 (Japan). Wilt Chamberlain was honoured by Los Angeles in honor of 13. No. 11 was chosen by Nash, a lifelong soccer fan, who voted No. Ten people were honored to Glenn Hoddle, Zinedine Zidane, Lionel Messi, and other soccer players who wore the number. Nash had reservations about his defense and the stability of his back as he began his 17th NBA season.

Nash sustained a non-displaced fracture in his left leg in his second game of the 2012-2013 season, when he collided with Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers. He was supposed to miss at least one week, but he was out of the lineup for nearly seven weeks. After Mike Brown was dismissed after a 1–4 start, he was reunited with D'Antoni, who took over as Lakers coach after being fired. Nash returned to the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, 118-115, scoring 12 points with 9 assists in 41 minutes of play. Since Nash returned, the Lakers won three of the first four games. However, they lost their next four, beginning with a 125–112 loss to Houston on January 8, 2013, when Nash helped with an Antawn Jamison jumper to become the fifth NBA player to reach 10,000 career assists.

Kobe Bryant was sent to protect the opponent's primary ball handler, freeing Nash from unfavorable matchups. Nash also struggled with Dwight Howard to play the pick and roll, a move that D'Antoni had hoped would be a staple for the Lakers. D'Antoni dropped Nash off the field and made him more of a spot-up shooter, while Bryant became the primary offense's primary facilitator. Nash missed the last eight games of the season due to a right hip injury that also caused nerve damage in his right hamstring. The team qualified for the playoffs as the seventh seed, but San Antonio defeated them 4–0 in the first round. After suffering with his hip and hamstring pains, Nash skipped the last two games of the series. Nash's career-high 32 games in the regular season, as well as his fewest assists (6.7%) since 1999-2000, when he was a part-time starter with Dallas, but he had arguably his most frustrating season of his career.

Nash continued to have nerve pains as a result of his leg injury in the previous season, which began during the 2013–14 season. He was out for at least two weeks due to nerve root irritation in November 2013. Nash returned from school on February 4, 2014, shooting 3-for-6 for 7 points. In a victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on February 7, he scored a season-high 19 points on his 40th birthday. Nash was disqualified for the remainder of the season by D'Antoni on March 13th. He was suffering from a recurrence of nerve pains stemming from a previous injury to his left leg with Chicago's Kirk Hinrich, and the Lakers wanted to give Kendall Marshall and Jordan Farmar more playing time. However, Nash returned to Farmar on March 21 after undergoing a groin injury that had been expected to keep him sidelined for at least two weeks.

Nash revealed in July 2014 that the 2014–15 season would be his last. He suffered back pain in the preseason and aggravated his back when lifting luggage. He was ruled out for the season on October 23rd, less than a week before starting what would have been the 40-year-old Nash's 19th season in the NBA, due to a recurring back injury. Nash played in three preseason games before starting to feel more pain in his back. Nash spoke to wounding his back, saying: "Being on the court this season has been my highest priority, and it is disappointing that not to be able to do so right now." I work extremely hard to remain fit, but doing at full capacity is impossible. During this period of reposet, I will continue to help my team and will continue to do so until the end of life, and my primary concern will be on my long-term health."

On March 21, 2015, Nash announced that he would not play again. The Cleveland Cavaliers told Nash's agent that if Nash ordered for a buyout, they'd like to have him as a back-up for Kyrie Irving. Nash turned down due to health issues and his desire to retire as a Laker in gratitude for the club's hospitality. Nash was later approached by another former team of his, the Dallas Mavericks, to have one last season with them instead, but he declined due to health issues.

Nash would begin to perform part-time consulting for the Golden State Warriors on September 25, 2015. The Warriors' first season with the team, David Foster, recorded a record-breaking 73–9 record, but the team fell short in the 2016 NBA Finals to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Warriors will triumph in the 2017 NBA Finals against the defending champions, the Cleveland Cavaliers, giving Nash his first NBA championship in any capacity.

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced on December 19th that admission to the Hall of Fame had been reduced to three years after retirement, allowing Nash to be eligible to be enshrined in 2018. Nash, along with former teammates Jason Kidd and Grant Hill, as well as Ray Allen, Maurice Cheeks, and Charlie Scott, were inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018. Nash was officially inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame on September 7th, 2018. Nash was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in October 2021, making him one of the best players of all time.

Coaching career

Nash was announced as the Brooklyn Nets head coach on September 3, 2020.

Nash was named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for February on 3rd, becoming the first Nets head coach to earn the award after his former colleague Jason Kidd won it twice in 2014. Nash led the Nets to an Eastern Conference-best record of 9–4 during the month, including a conference-best 5–2 road record. In his first season as head coach, Nash led the Nets to a 48-24 record. Nash finished in sixth place in the NBA Coach of the Year polls for the 2020–21 season.

National team career

Nash was dropped from Canada's junior national team by head coach Ken Olynyk, the father of former NBA player Kelly Olynyk. He was the youngest member of Team Canada at the Summer Universiade, where the team received a silver medal at age 17.

He competed in the Canada Games (for the British Columbia team) and Summer Universiade in 1993 while attending college and participated in the Tournament of the Americas. He received a bronze medal at the Canada Games and won a silver medal at the Summer Universiade, losing to Team USA in a close final that featured players such as Michael Finley and Damon Stoudamire.

For the first time in ten years, Nash led Canada to the silver medal, qualifying the team for the Olympics for the first time in 12 years; he was named tournament MVP. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Nash captained Canada. With a victory over Spain and a 83-75 victory over favoured Yugoslavia in which he had 26 points and eight assists, he led Canada to win their round robin group. With a five-point defeat to France, Canada was disqualified in the quarterfinals, and Nash and the court were left in tears. Nash expressed disappointment with the result, saying, "It hurts a lot." I feel like I let everyone down. We may have been in the championship game. We were fine enough." Nevertheless, he did see a potential silver lining, saying, "Hopefully children [in Canada] will be inspired to play [in Canada]" as "I really hope." Canada won its seventh game of the tournament, a placement game against Russia, enabling the Canadians to regain seventh place. Nash's Olympic success propelled him to fame in Canada, and he finished fifth in the 2000 Lionel Conacher Award, which is given to the Canadian male athlete of the year.

At the 2004 Summer Olympics in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Nash led Team Canada again during qualifying for the 2004 Summer Olympics. He served as a tournament's leader and was named tournament MVP, but Canada came in fourth, out of three Olympic spots available. That was the last time Nash had played for Canada; he was reportedly furious about the dismissal of head coach Jay Triano in 2004. "I'm not going to play for Canada any more," he said in December 2007.

Nash became the general manager of the Canadian senior national team on May 8th. Triano was fired as head coach three months later.

Nash resigned as a senior advisor on March 5, 2019, replacing Rowan Barrett, his former national team colleague.

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