Steve Nash

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Steve Nash
Steve Nash with his second straight MVP trophy
Steve Nash with his second straight MVP trophy
Position Point guard
League NBA
Height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight 195 lb (89 kg)
Team Phoenix Suns
Nationality Flag of Canada Canada
Born February 7, 1974
South Africa Johannesburg, South Africa
College Santa Clara
Draft 15th overall, 1996
Phoenix Suns
Pro career 1996 – present
Awards 2005 NBA MVP
2006 NBA MVP
2006 TSN NBA co-MVP
Four-time All-Star
Four-time All-NBA Selection

Stephen John Nash, OBC (born February 7, 1974 in Johannesburg, South Africa) is a Canadian professional basketball player. He currently plays for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association as well as the Canadian National Team in international competition. He is the reigning back-to-back NBA Most Valuable Player.

Contents

[edit] Early years

Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Steve Nash's parents relocated to Canada, settling in Victoria, British Columbia before he was two years old. They did not want to raise their children in an environment of apartheid. As his mother Jean later said, "I didn't want our son to grow up in a place where one group of people was second-class citizens." [1]

Nash comes from an athletic family. His father John was a minor league professional soccer player in South Africa, while his mother Jean was a member of the English national netball team. His brother Martin has made 30 appearances for the Canadian national soccer team. His sister Joann was the captain of the University of Victoria women's soccer team for three years. Nash had decided to focus on basketball in his early teens, but still played soccer through high school, and was named British Columbia player of the year in soccer as well as basketball in his senior year. Since his father is a native of Tottenham, Nash grew up rooting for Tottenham Hotspur and even trained with Spurs in North London as a teenager. Soccer continues to be an important part of Nash's life. In fact, when Dirk Nowitzki arrived in the NBA from Germany, he and Nash became close friends, in part because they enjoyed watching soccer together. In addition to soccer, Nash excelled at hockey and lacrosse as a child.

Nash played high school basketball for Mount Douglas Secondary School and St. Michaels University School along with his younger brother Martin. In his senior season, he averaged nearly a triple-double per game—more than 21 points, 11 assists, and 9 rebounds—led his team to the BC AAA provincial championship title, and was named the province's player of the year. However, because of the limited attention afforded to the Canadian high school basketball circuit, Nash went completely unrecruited by the U.S. NCAA schools. His coach, Ian Hyde-Lay, sent letters of inquiry and highlight reels on Nash's behalf to over 30 American universities to no avail.

Acting on a tip, Santa Clara University head coach Dick Davey was intrigued enough however to twice request video footage of the young guard before finally making the trip up from Northern California to visit the recruit in person. After watching Nash dominate a game, Davey recalled later, "I was nervous as hell just hoping that no one else would see him. It didn't take a Nobel Prize winner to figure out this guy's pretty good. It was just a case of hoping that none of the big names came around." [2] Nash was awarded a scholarship by Santa Clara for the 1992-93 season. As a freshman, he helped lead the Broncos to West Coast Conference title and an upset win over No. 2 seeded Arizona Wildcats in the first round of the 1993 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.

[edit] NBA career

[edit] First stint in Phoenix

Nash was selected 15th overall by the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the 1996 NBA Draft. Upon hearing the draft announcement, Suns fans booed in disapproval of the relatively unknown player. [3] Despite his impressive college accomplishments, he had not played in one of the major college conferences. During his first two seasons in the NBA, he played a supporting role behind NBA star point guards Jason Kidd and Kevin Johnson.

[edit] Dallas

Nash had met and befriended Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Donnie Nelson when he was at Santa Clara and Nelson worked for the nearby Golden State Warriors. Following his spell in the Bay Area, Nelson took a job with the Suns, and it was he who convinced the team to select Nash with the 15th pick. After moving to Dallas, Nelson was able to convince his father, Don Nelson, who was then the Mavericks coach and GM, to acquire Nash. On Draft Day, June 25, 1998, Nash was traded from the Suns to the Mavericks in exchange for Martin Muursepp, Bubba Wells, the draft rights to Pat Garrity, and a first-round draft pick which was later used to select Shawn Marion.

During Nash's first year in Dallas, the lockout-shortened season of 1999, he notched the starting spot and averaged 7.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game. He missed the last 10 games of the season due to a lower back injury.

In the 1999-2000 season, the team's prospects improved considerably. Nash missed 25 mid-season games due to an ankle injury, but he came back to notch six double-doubles in the last month of play, finishing the season with averages of 8.6 points and 4.9 assists per game. More importantly for the team, second-year teammate and friend Dirk Nowitzki was blossoming into a superstar, veteran Michael Finley was having an All-Star-caliber year, and the team's new owner, billionaire Mark Cuban, was bringing new energy and excitement to the franchise. Nash now had a supportive environment in which he could thrive.

In 2000-01, Nash averaged 15.3 points and 7.3 assists per game in a breakout season. With Nash directing the offense, Nowitzki and Finley playing at their best, and new acquisition, All-Star Juwan Howard, complementing the high-scoring trio, the Mavericks earned a playoff berth for the first time in more than a decade. Dallas lost in the second round, but it marked the beginning of a memorable title run for Nash and the Mavericks.

In the 2001-02 campaign, Nash posted career-highs of 17.9 PPG and 7.7 APG and earned a spot in the NBA All-Star Game and on the All-NBA Third Team. He was now an all-star, increasingly appearing in television commercials and, with Finley and Nowitzki, part of the Dallas Mavericks "Big Three." The trio even made a memorable cameo appearance together in the summer 2002 basketball flick Like Mike, starring Lil Bow Wow. Dallas earned another trip to the playoffs and again lost in the second round.

Nash closely replicated his previous season's performance in 2002-03, averaging 17.7 points and 7.3 assists per game, again earning All-Star and All-NBA Third Team honors. Nowitzki and Nash led the Mavericks from an incredible 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. It was only the second Conference Final appearance in franchise history.

The 2003-04 season saw a drop-off in Nash's scoring contributions and he was left off the All-Star and All-NBA team rosters. Despite this, he achieved new career highs in assists per game (8.8) and free throw accuracy (91.6%). Dallas suffered defeat in the first round of the playoffs.

Now a free agent, Nash attempted to negotiate a long-term contract with Mark Cuban. Cuban did not want to lose Nash, but wanted to build his franchise around the younger Nowitzki and did not want to risk signing the aging Nash to a long-term deal. Instead he offered a four year deal worth about $9 million per year, with a 5th year partially guaranteed. Cuban wrote in his own blog that this is what he considered fair and if Nash could get a better offer from another team he should take it and Cuban would be happy for him. Nash continued looking for a better deal and found one in Phoenix, where he still had a home and ties to the local community. Unfazed by Nash's age (30), the Suns offered him a six-year, $63 million contract. He was reluctant to leave Dallas and returned to Cuban to see if he would match the deal, to no avail. Nash signed a long-term contract with the Phoenix Suns for the 2004-05 season.

On a June 14, 2006 appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, Cuban wondered out loud, ". . . you know Steve's a great guy and I love him to death, but why couldn't he play like an MVP for us?"

[edit] Second stint in Phoenix: Nash's career transformed

The Phoenix Suns had two young superstars in small forward Shawn Marion and forward-center Amare Stoudemire, the 2002-03 Rookie of the Year, but the season before Nash arrived, the Suns recorded a 29-53 win-loss record. Other than the additions of Nash and swingman Quentin Richardson, the line-up was essentially unchanged from the previous season, and most pundits projected them to have another poor season.

Head coach Mike D'Antoni, who had taken over midway through the previous season, favored the so-called "run and gun" style of basketball. This style requires smaller, more athletic players with the capability to outrun and out-shoot their opponents. Nash's familiarity with this style combined with the athleticism of teammates Stoudemire, Marion, and Joe Johnson to produce many highlight reels, an NBA-best 62-20 record (a 33-win improvement from the previous season) and a points per game average of 110.4, the highest in a decade.

As the Suns' starting point guard and a veteran among youngsters, Nash proved to be a threat in every aspect of the Suns' offense and was one of the catalysts for the team's dramatic turnaround. He averaged 11.5 assists per game (the highest mark in that category since 1995) while making 50.2% of his field goals and 43.1% of his 3-pointers.

In the playoffs, Phoenix swept the Memphis Grizzlies in four games before meeting Nash's former club, the Dallas Mavericks, in the second round. Leading the Suns to a 4-2 series win, Nash put up some of the best numbers of his career, averaging 30.3 points, 12.0 assists, and 6.5 rebounds per game, recording his first playoff triple-double, and scoring a 2005 playoff high 48 points in one game. The Suns played in the Western Conference finals for the first time since 1993, losing to the eventual NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs in 5 games. For the series, Nash averaged 23.2 points and 10.6 assists per game.

[edit] Most Valuable Player 2005

In 2005, Nash slightly edged Shaquille O'Neal of the Miami Heat to win the NBA MVP award. [4] Nash became the first Canadian and the second foreign-born player (after Hakeem Olajuwon) to earn the honor. He is the first MVP who did not lead his team in scoring since Dave Cowens in 1972-73. Nash is just the fourth point guard ever to be named MVP — along with Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson, and Bob Cousy — and only the sixth guard (Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson being the others).

[edit] 2005-2006 season

After losing three key players in the off-season (Stoudemire to injury, Joe Johnson to free agency and Quentin Richardson to a trade) the Suns were not expected to repeat their successful 2005 season. However, due to Nash's leadership and the great play of teammates Marion and Boris Diaw (winner of the Most Improved Player award that season), the Suns remained one of the elite teams in the NBA. They again were the highest scoring team in the league with seven players averaging double figures in points per game. Nash was voted as a first-time starter for the 2006 Western All-Star team. On May 17 it was announced that Nash had been named to the All-NBA first team.

Nash was widely viewed as an MVP candidate as the regular season came to a close. He set career highs in points (18.8), rebounds (4.2), field goal percentage (.512) and free throw percentage (a league-leading .921). While he shot the ball more than the previous year, he averaged a league-leading 10.5 assists per game.

He also became the fourth player in NBA history to shoot better than 50% from the field, 40% from three-point range (43.9), and 90% from the line, joining Larry Bird, Reggie Miller and Mark Price. Along with Shawn Marion, Nash led the Suns to another Pacific Division title and 54 wins. He would later be awarded the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canadian athlete of the year.

[edit] Most Valuable Player 2006: Nash wins again

The MVP award was announced by the NBA on May 7, 2006 to be Steve Nash for the second year in a row [5]. The official announcement came only a day after the Phoenix Suns (playing against the Lakers) became the eighth team in NBA history to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win a best-of-seven playoff series.

Nash is only the second point guard, along with Magic Johnson, to win the MVP award multiple times. Nash joined eight other NBA players with back-to-back MVP awards: Magic Johnson, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Tim Duncan.

[edit] International career

Nash captained Canada men's national basketball team at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. He had been offered a place on the Great Britain basketball team, but he turned it down to play for Canada. At one point, with a successful round-robin record and a berth in the quarter-finals of the tournament, commentators regarded Canada as a contender for a medal. This was followed by a tough loss in the quarters to France, by 5 points. However, Canada won their final game of the tournament, a placement game against Russia, which enabled Canada to finish 7th overall. Nash expressed disappointment in the result, saying "It hurts a lot. I feel like I let everybody down." Nevertheless, he did see a possible silver lining, saying "Hopefully kids [in Canada] will be inspired to play -- that's what I really hope." [6]

Nash again led Team Canada during qualifying for the 2004 Summer Olympics. Canada would qualify for Athens 2004 if they finished in the top three. However, Canada lost the semi-final to the United States, and then the third place match to the home team Puerto Rico. Nash was named tournament MVP, but he admitted that he was disappointed since Canada did not qualify for the Olympics.

[edit] Player profile

Nash is the reigning winner of back-to-back MVP titles and seen as one of the premier point guards in the NBA. He led the league in assists in the last two consecutive seasons, averaging 11.5 assists per game in 2004-05 and 10.5 in the 2005-06 season. [7] [8] He is an astute ball handler, as evidenced by his victory in the 2005 NBA All-Star Skills Contest. During the 2005 season, Nash's assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.98 was 11th best in the league among guards, [9] He is a high percentage three-point shooter (42.1% lifetime average) and is an outstanding free throw shooter: his lifetime average of 89.6% is third in NBA history. [10] [11] Nash is also very effective playing the pick and roll as demonstrated with former Dallas teammate Dirk Nowitzki and later with the Suns' Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion. [12]

As a team mate, Nash is known for his leadership qualities. This is best shown by his current stint with the Suns, where his addition turned the Suns from a 29-53 record in 2003-04 into a 62-20 record in 2004-05, reaching the Conference Finals for the first time in 11 years and earning Nash his first MVP award. In the next season, Nash led a decimated Suns team into the Conference Finals, despite the injuries of all three big men Amare Stoudemire, Kurt Thomas and Brian Grant. For this feat, Nash was awarded his second MVP award.

On May 11, 2006, ESPN.com rated Nash as the 9th greatest point guard of all time. [13]

[edit] Off the court

Nash set up the Steve Nash Foundation in order to help underprivileged kids in all aspects of their lives. In one story recollected by his father, Nash was told to cut down on his philanthropy since he had already given half a million dollars to charity. Nash replied that "there was so much more he could do". [14] After he won the MVP award, numerous companies approached him to be the spokesperson for their products and appear in advertisements, including MDG Computers Canada[15] and TSN. He also went on a humanitarian trip to Central America. Nash also makes time meeting sick children in hospitals.

Another aspect of his life that has caused Nash to stand out more from other NBA players is his keen interest in art, politics, and the world around him. For one, he is a discerning reader, tackling the works of such authors as Immanuel Kant and Alexander Solzhenitsyn. Nash also has a passion for travel, saying that "Whenever I travel, I feel almost calm. I love people. I love the world." [16]

Nash's interest in politics led to controversy during the lead-up to the Iraq War when he chose to wear a custom-made t-shirt that stated "No war -- Shoot for peace" to the 2003 NBA All-Star Game. Nash explained his position by saying that the United States had provided insufficient evidence that Iraq was a threat and that the UN inspectors should be allowed to complete their mission. [17] Although Nash did get positive support from teammate Nick Van Exel among others, he drew criticism from David Robinson, a former Naval officer and fellow NBA player. Journalist Skip Bayless criticized Nash as being uninformed and advised him to "just shut up and play". [18]

On October 14, 2004, Nash and longtime girlfriend Alejandra Amarilla became the parents of twin girls, Lola and Bella, who were born in Phoenix. They married in June 2005. Dirk Nowitzki is the godfather of his children.

In May of 2006, Nash was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. In the accompanying write-up by Charles Barkley, Nash was lauded for his unselfishness on the court, and being "just a nice guy" who had paid for a new pediatric cardiology ward in a Paraguayan hospital. [19]

Nash is the subject of a book by Jeff Rud, Long Shot: Steve Nash's Journey to the NBA.

Nash has been named captain of the "All-NBA Interview Team" numerous times.

Nash suffers from a medical condition called spondylolisthesis, a forward movement of one of the vertebrae in the spine in relation to the one below it, causing muscle tightness and back pain. Nash does not let his condition mar his performance on the hardwood. He tries to keep moving when on the court and lies supine on the endline when not in the game in order to keep from stiffening. [20]

In Nelly Furtado's 2006 single "Promiscuous," she asks, "Is that the truth or are you talkin' trash, / Is your game MVP like Steve Nash?" Furtado also grew up in Victoria, British Columbia.

Rapper Cam'ron makes a reference to Nash in the song "Get 'em Daddy" featuring Hell Rell when he states "I got weed hash, When I breeze past, Breathe fast, Eat a**, On point like Steve Nash".

On Saturday, July 22, 2006, Nash hosted his second annual charity basketball game (previously held a year ago in the Air Canada Centre in Toronto) known as the Steve Nash Foundation Charity Classic, at the General Motors Place in Vancouver. At the classic, Nash sported a new hairstyle - he had shaved off his famous locks, and had a close-shaved crew cut. During the charity classic, Nash spoke to a group of youngsters, talking to them about how he achieved success in the NBA. While at the start of the fourth quarter he announced that the losing team would have to do 20 pushups infront of the 19 thousand present in the stands. Coincidentally his team (the West) lost by 5.

In August 2006, Nash trained with the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer as he is friends with Red Bull coach Bruce Arena. He was not allowed to participate in contact drills.

His College jersey (#11) was retired at Santa Clara, in September 2006.

[edit] Career summary

  • First Team: 2005, 2006
  • Third Team: 2002, 2003
  • 2-time NBA regular season leader, assists per game: 2005 (11.5), 2006 (10.5)
  • 2-time NBA regular season leader, assists: 2005 (861), 2006 (826)
  • 1-time winner of the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canadian athlete of the year
  • NBA regular season leader, free throw percentage: 2006 (.921)
  • NBA league leader in assists per 48 minutes: 2004 (12.6)[1], 2005 (16.1)[2], 2006 (14.2)[3]
  • Career stats: 13.5 ppg, 2.8 rbg, 7.1 apg, 0.07 bpg, 0.81 spg, .477 FG%, .421 3FG%, .896 FT%
  • GQ Best Dressed List (2005)

[edit] Career transactions

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/statistics?stat=nbaassists&qual=true&sort=asts&league=nba&split=0&season=2006&seasontype=2&avg=48&pos=all
  2. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/statistics?stat=nbaassists&qual=true&sort=asts&league=nba&split=0&season=2005&seasontype=2&avg=48&pos=all
  3. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/statistics?stat=nbaassists&qual=true&sort=asts&league=nba&split=0&season=2004&seasontype=2&avg=48&pos=all

[edit] External links

Phoenix Suns Current Roster


1 Stoudemire 2 Banks 3 Diaw 4 Marks 8 Rose 10 Barbosa 11 Burke 13 Nash 19 Bell 20 Ju. Jones 22 Ja. Jones 31 Marion 40 Thomas 52 Piatkowski Coach D'Antoni


Preceded by:
Kevin Garnett		 NBA Most Valuable Player
2004-05, 2005-06		 Succeeded by:
N/A
Preceded by:
Adam van Koeverden		 Lou Marsh Trophy winner
2005		 Succeeded by:
Cindy Klassen
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