Steve Nash

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 216.18.38.241 (talk) at 19:14, 8 January 2008 (Corrected anti-war t-shirt quote.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Steve Nash
Phoenix Suns
PositionPoint guard
LeagueNBA
Personal information
Born (1974-02-07) February 7, 1974 (age 50)
Johannesburg, South Africa
NationalityCanadian
Listed height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight178 lb (81 kg)
Career information
CollegeSanta Clara
NBA draft1996: 15th overall
Selected by the Phoenix Suns
Playing career1996–present
Career highlights and awards
2005 NBA MVP
2006 NBA MVP
2006 TSN NBA co-MVP
Five-time All-Star
Five-time All-NBA selection
Stats Edit this at Wikidata at NBA.com
Stats Edit this at Wikidata at Basketball-Reference.com

Stephen John Nash, OC, OBC (born February 7 1974),[1][2][3] is a Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nash was brought up in a family of sportsmen and he excelled in a variety of sports. He enjoyed an outstanding high school basketball career, but garnered no attention from US college recruiters as he was based in Canada. He was eventually recruited by Santa Clara University head coach Dick Davey, and in Nash's four seasons with the Broncos, the team made three National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) appearances. Nash was twice named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year, and he left Santa Clara as the all-time leader in assists.

Nash entered the 1996 NBA Draft and was selected as the 15th pick by the Phoenix Suns. He made a minimal impact, and was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in 1998. By his third season with the Mavericks, he had established himself as one of the top point guards in the league. In 2001, he was voted into his first NBA All-Star Game and earned his first All-NBA selection. Together with Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Finley, Nash took the Mavericks to the Western Conference Finals the following season. Nash became a free agent after the 2003–04 season and returned to the Phoenix Suns who had offered him a contract that Dallas owner Mark Cuban refused to match.

Nash was instrumental in dramatically transforming the Suns into one of the top teams of the Western Conference. He led the Suns to an NBA-best 62–20 win-loss record and into the Western Conference Finals in the 2004–05 season, and was named the league's Most Valuable Player. He was named MVP again in the 2005–06 season, and under his leadership, the Suns continue to post one of the best win-loss records in the league.

Named by ESPN in 2006 as the ninth greatest point guard of all time, Nash is an adept ball-handler and an excellent shooter of the ball. He is also known for his tremendous work ethic and has led the league in assists and free throw percentage at various points in his career, although he has often been criticised for his poor defence. On the international scene, Nash has represented his country in various tournaments but has not enjoyed much success with the national team.

Off the court, the married Nash is heavily involved in charity and humanitarian work. He established the Steve Nash Foundation in 2001 and also founded the Jim Jennings Memorial Fund. Other causes which he supports include the Steve Nash Youth Basketball League and the GuluWalk. In 2006, Time magazine named Nash as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Early life

My heroes were Isiah Thomas, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson. I think they were just so competitive and creative. Especially Isiah, he was somebody that wasn't very tall. He had played the game mostly on the floor and it made me feel that I could find a way to do the same.

—Steve Nash[4]

Steve Nash was born in Johannesburg, South Africa to a Welsh mother and English father on February 7, 1974. His family moved to Regina, Saskatchewan, when Nash was 18 months old. Before long, the family moved to Vancouver before finally settling in Victoria, British Columbia.[5] Growing up in Victoria, Nash and his younger brother Martin excelled in soccer and ice hockey. Nash did not start playing basketball until he was 12 or 13, when a friend drew him into playing it.[4] Throughout his childhood, Nash had a keen determination in improving his athletic skills, and he was found practicing often.[6] In the eighth grade, he told his mother that one day he would play in the NBA and become a star.[5] His parents, who are former athletes themselves, were always supportive of their children, and produced superior athletes out of them. Nash's brother plays for the Vancouver Whitecaps and has made 30 appearances for the Canadian national soccer team.[3] His sister Joann was the captain of the University of Victoria women's soccer team for three years and was named one of the Canada West Universities Athletic Association All-Stars.[6][7]

Although Nash focused on playing basketball in his early teens, he still played soccer throughout high school. During his two months at Mount Douglas Secondary School, his soccer team won the provincial championship and he was named British Columbia's Most Valuable Player.[3][8] As his team competed, Nash's grades in his classes dropped as he was absent numerous times.[6] His parents, who became worried about his studies, decided to enroll him at St. Michaels University School, a private boarding school.[6] At St. Michaels, he starred in basketball, soccer, and rugby union. While playing basketball during his senior season, Nash almost averaged a triple-double with 21.3 points, 11.2 assists, and 9.1 rebounds per game.[9] He led his team to the British Columbia AAA provincial championship title, and was named the province's player of the year. Nash graduated from St. Michaels in 1992.[10]

College career

Due to the limited attention afforded to the Canadian high school basketball circuit, Nash went completely unnoticed by the U.S. NCAA schools. His high school coach, Ian Hyde-Lay, sent letters of inquiry and highlight reels on Nash's behalf to over 30 American universities, to no avail.[5] Acting on a tip, Santa Clara University head coach Dick Davey requested 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."[6] As it turned out, there were no other American scouts in the stands for that game.[5] Davey did let Nash know of the main weakness in the latter's game however, calling him "the worst defensive player I’ve ever seen".[6]

Nash was awarded a scholarship by Santa Clara for the 1992–93 season. At that time, it had been five years since the Broncos had appeared in the NCAA tournament. That changed when Nash led the Broncos to a West Coast Conference (WCC) title and an upset win over the No. 2 seeded Arizona Wildcats in the first round of the 1993 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament;[5] Nash scored six straight free throws in the last 30 seconds of that game.[6] Although Santa Clara were defeated by Temple University in the next round, the 1992–93 campaign was considered a successful one. However, the Broncos failed to sustain the momentum the following season, and only managed a 5–7 record in the conference.[5] The team rebounded in 1994–95, with Nash being named Conference Player of the Year and the Broncos topping the WCC.[5] Featuring the league leader for scoring and assists in Nash, the Broncos returned to the NCAA tournament, but they were defeated by Mississippi State University.[5] After the season, Nash contemplated turning professional, but decided against it when he learned that he would probably not be considered a first round pick in the 1995 NBA Draft.[5]

In the 1995–96 season, Nash began attracting the attention of the national media and professional scouts. He had spent the summer before that honing his skills, playing with the national team and working out with the likes of established NBA players Jason Kidd and Gary Payton.[5] Santa Clara again captured the WCC title, and for the second consecutive year, Nash was named Conference Player of the Year, the first Bronco to do so since Kurt Rambis.[9] The Broncos were eliminated by Kansas University in the NCAA tournament, but Nash's performances ensured that he was named Honorable Mention All-America as a senior by The Associated Press and the USBWA. He also finished his career as Santa Clara's all-time leader in career assists (510), free throw percentage (.862), and three pointers, both made and attempted (263–656).[9] He remains third on the school's all-time scoring list (1,689), and holds Santa Clara's single-season free throw percentage record (.894).[9] In September 2006, Nash had his jersey (#11) retired, becoming the first Santa Clara student-athlete to receive that honour.[11]

NBA career

First stint in Phoenix

After graduating with a degree in sociology,[6] 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.[6] This was because despite his impressive college accomplishments, Nash had not played in one of the major college conferences. During his first two seasons in the NBA, Nash played a supporting role behind NBA star point guards Jason Kidd and Kevin Johnson, and later, Sam Cassell.[5] In his rookie season, he only managed 10.5 minutes a game,[12] but in his second season, his playing time increased significantly and he was even ranked 13th in the league for three point field goal percentage.[5] Nevertheless, the Canadian's tenure with the Suns was not to last. While at Santa Clara, Nash had met and befriended Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Donnie Nelson, who worked for the Golden State Warriors at that time. After moving to Dallas, Nelson was able to convince his father, Don Nelson, then the Mavericks coach and general manager, to acquire the under-utilised Nash.[5] Following the 1998 NBA Draft, 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.[5]

Dallas

It was at Dallas where Nash established himself as one of the best point guards in the NBA. During his first year as a Maverick (the lockout-shortened 1998–99 season) he started in all 40 games he played in and averaged 7.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game.[12] The Mavericks failed to make the playoffs but in the 1999–2000 season, the team's prospects improved considerably. Nash missed 25 mid-season games due to an ankle injury, but came back to record six double-doubles in the last month of play.[9] He finished the season with averages of 8.6 points and 4.9 assists per game.[12] More importantly for the team, second-year teammate and friend Dirk Nowitzki was blossoming quickly into a top player, veteran Michael Finley was having an All-Star-calibre 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 15.6 points and 7.3 assists per game in a breakout season.[12] With Nash directing the offence, 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 Western Conference Semifinals 1–4 to the San Antonio Spurs, but it marked the beginning of a memorable run for Nash and the Mavericks.[13] In the 2001–02 season, Nash posted career-highs of 17.9 points and 7.7 assists per game[12] and earned a spot in the NBA All-Star Game and on the All-NBA Third Team.[14][15] He was now an All-Star, increasingly appearing in television commercials and, with Finley and Nowitzki, part of the Dallas Mavericks "Big Three." Dallas earned another trip to the playoffs but lost again in the Semifinals to the Sacramento Kings four games to one.[16]

Nash closely replicated his previous season's performance in 2002–03, averaging 17.7 points and 7.3 assists per game,[12] again earning All-Star and All-NBA Third Team honours.[14][17] Nowitzki and Nash led the Mavericks 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 four games to two.[18] It was only the second Conference Finals appearance in the franchise's history. The 2003–04 season saw an offensively-boosted Mavericks roster but a dip in Nash's scoring contributions. As a result he was not selected for the All-Star and All-NBA team rosters even though he achieved new career highs in assists per game (8.8) and free throw accuracy (91.6%).[12] In the playoffs, the fifth-seeded Dallas failed to make progress yet again as the Sacramento Kings saw them off four games to one.[19]

After the 2003–04 season, Nash became a free agent and attempted to negotiate a long-term contract with Cuban. Cuban wanted to build his franchise around the younger Nowitzki and did not want to risk signing the aging Nash to a long-term deal, and offered Nash a four-year deal worth about $9 million annually, with a fifth year partially guaranteed. The Phoenix Suns on the other hand offered the point guard a six-year, $63 million contract. Nash was reluctant to leave Dallas and returned to Cuban to see if he would match the deal; Cuban did not, and Nash signed for the Suns for 2004–05 season. The Canadian would go on to win two League MVP awards with Phoenix, and 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?"[20]

Return to Phoenix

Nash joined a Suns team which had emerging young players in Shawn Marion, Joe Johnson and Amare Stoudemire. In the season before Nash arrived, the Suns had recorded a 29–53 win-loss record,[5] and they were projected to have another poor season. Head coach Mike D'Antoni favoured an up-tempo style of basketball, that required smaller and more athletic players with the capability to outrun and out-shoot their opponents. Nash's familiarity with this style combined with the athleticism of his teammates produced an NBA-best 62–20 record and a points per game average of 110.4, the highest in a decade.[21] The catalyst of this turnaround, Nash averaged 11.5 assists per game while making 50.2% of his field goals and 43.1% of his three-pointers in the regular season.[12] He edged Shaquille O'Neal to win the 2004–05 NBA MVP award,[22] becoming the first Canadian to earn the honour, as well as the third point guard ever to be named MVP, along with Magic Johnson and Bob Cousy.[9] In the playoffs, Phoenix swept the Memphis Grizzlies in four games before meeting the Dallas Mavericks in the second round.[23] Nash led the Suns to a 4–2 series win,[23] and the Suns reached the Western Conference finals for the first time since 1993, but lost to the eventual NBA Champions San Antonio Spurs in five games.[23]

The next season saw Stoudemire suffer a serious knee injury and Johnson and Quentin Richardson being traded away.[24] The Suns were not expected to repeat their successful 2005 season, but with Nash directing the same high-tempo offence, the team compiled a respectable 54–28 record and won the division title.[24] The Suns were again the highest scoring team in the league with seven players averaging double figures in points per game,[24] and Nash was voted as a first-time starter for the 2006 Western All-Star team.[25] Having recorded career highs in points (18.8), rebounds (4.2), field goal percentage (.512) and free throw percentage (a league-leading .921), and leading the league with 10.5 assists per game,[9] Nash was named the league MVP for the second year in a row.[26] In the first round of the playoffs, Phoenix overcame a 1–3 deficit against the Los Angeles Lakers and won the series 4–3.[24] The Los Angeles Clippers were their Conference Semifinals opponents, and the Suns again needed seven games to clinch the series.[24] For the second year in a row however, the Suns bowed out in the Conference Finals, this time to Nash's former team, Dallas.[24] In December 2006, Nash was awarded the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canadian athlete of the year for his outstanding NBA career.[27]

In the 2006–07 season, Nash had another stellar campaign, averaging 18.6 points and a career-high 11.6 assists per game while becoming the first person since Magic Johnson (1990–91) to average 18 points and 11 assists per game during the regular season.[28] Nash received the most votes for first team All-NBA and was joined by teammate Stoudemire; the two were the first teammates to make the first team since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal in 2003–04.[28] Nash received 129 first-place votes and 645 total points from the panel of 129 media members.[28] He narrowly missed being MVP a third consecutive time, coming in second with 44 first place votes to 83 for Dirk Nowitzki.[29] In the playoffs, the Suns eliminated the Lakers in five games, but was unable to overcome the Spurs in the Conference Semifinals, losing the series 4–2.[30]

International career

In 1993, while in college, Nash played for the national team and competed in the Canada Games and World University Games. He won a bronze medal at the Canada Games and won a silver medal at the World University Games, losing to Team USA, which included players such as Michael Finley and Damon Stoudamire.[5]

Nash captained Canada's men's basketball team at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.[31] He led Canada to win their round robin group with a stunning 83–75 win over favoured Yugoslavia, scoring 26 points with eight rebounds and eight assists. Canada was eliminated with a loss to France and Nash left the court in tears. Nash expressed disappointment with the result, saying "It hurts a lot. I feel like I let everybody down. We could have been in the championship game. We were good enough."[32] Nevertheless, he did see a possible silver lining, saying "Hopefully kids [in Canada] will be inspired to play—that's what I really hope."[32]A victory in its final game of the tournament, a placement game against Russia, enabled Canada to salvage 7th place. Nash's Olympic performance propelled him to stardom in Canada and he finished fifth in voting for the 2000 Lionel Conacher Award, which is handed out to the Canadian male athlete of the year.[33]

Nash again led Team Canada during qualifying for the 2004 Summer Olympics at the Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was named tournament MVP,[34] but Canada finished fourth, missing out on the three Olympic spots available. That was the last time Nash played for Canada and his international career appears to be over. In December 2007, he stated: "in my mind right now, I'm not going to play for Canada any more."[35]

Player profile

A two-time NBA MVP, Nash is known for his playmaking, leading the league in assists for three years, averaging 11.5 assists per game in 2004–05, 10.5 in 2005–06 and 11.6 in 2006–07.[12] He is an adept ballhandler and won the 2005 NBA All-Star Skills Contest.[9] He has an 89.8% free throw shooting average, third-best in NBA history,[36] and a 42% career three-point shooting average, fifth-best in league history.[37] Nash is also effective playing the pick and roll, notably with former Dallas teammate Dirk Nowitzki and later with the Suns' Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion.[38]

Nash helped the Suns improve from a 29–53 record in 2003–04 to 62–20 in 2004–05, reaching the Conference Finals for the first time in 11 years, earning him his first MVP award. In the next season, Nash led the Suns into the Conference Finals, despite the injuries of all three big men: Stoudemire, Kurt Thomas and Brian Grant. Nash helped seven of his teammates get career-highs in season scoring.[24]

On May 11, 2006, ESPN.com rated Nash as the 9th-best point guard of all time.[39] On 25 October 2007, in a survey by nba.com, Nash received 85% of the votes by the league's general managers as best point guard in the league.[40]

Nash is only the second point guard, along with Magic Johnson, to win the MVP award multiple times and also the third guard in NBA history to earn back-to-back MVPs joining Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan.[9] Only eight other NBA players have won back-to-back MVP awards: Magic Johnson, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Tim Duncan.[9] In the 2005–06 season, Nash 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).[24]

Former Boston Celtics center and Hall Of Famer Russell showed his admiration of Nash after criticism rained down on the two consecutive MVPs given to him and a potential third that would have vaulted him into legendary status. Russell stated: "I think, on the world stage, he's one of our great athletes in all sports," Russell said. "I'm a big fan. The two MVPs he got, he deserved. Part of the reason that he's so good and so effective is that the guys like playing with him. He creates an atmosphere where they win games."[41] However, on a dissenting note, analyst Bill Simmons of ESPN.com, stated "Steve Nash's back-to-back trophies transformed the award into what it is now: a popularity contest."[42]

NBA career statistics

Correct as of 30 December 2007[12]
Regular season Team GP MPG SPG BPG RPG APG PPG FG% 3P% FT%
1996–97 Phoenix 65 10.5 0.3 0.0 1.0 2.1 3.3 0.423 0.418 0.824
1997–98 Phoenix 76 21.9 0.8 0.0 2.1 3.4 9.1 0.459 0.415 0.860
1998–99 Dallas 40 31.7 0.9 0.0 2.9 5.5 7.9 0.363 0.374 0.826
1999–2000 Dallas 56 27.4 0.7 0.0 2.2 4.9 8.6 0.477 0.403 0.882
2000–01 Dallas 70 34.1 1.0 0.1 3.2 7.3 15.6 0.487 0.406 0.895
2001–02 Dallas 82 34.6 0.6 0.0 3.1 7.7 17.9 0.483 0.455 0.887
2002–03 Dallas 82 33.1 1.0 0.1 2.9 7.3 17.7 0.465 0.413 0.909
2003–04 Dallas 78 33.5 0.9 0.1 3.0 8.8 14.5 0.470 0.405 0.916
2004–05 Phoenix 75 34.3 1.0 0.1 3.3 11.5 15.5 0.502 0.431 0.887
2005–06 Phoenix 79 35.4 0.8 0.2 4.2 10.5 18.8 0.512 0.439 0.921
2006–07 Phoenix 76 35.3 0.8 0.1 3.5 11.6 18.6 0.532 0.455 0.899
2007–08 Phoenix 31 34.4 0.7 0.1 3.7 12.4 16.8 0.504 0.457 0.904
Career average 30.6 0.8 0.0 2.9 7.7 14.1 0.484 0.427 0.897
Career total 810 24,814 647 58 2368 6275 11,428 4127–8524 1132–2650 2042–2277
Playoffs Team GP MPG SPG BPG RPG APG PPG FG% 3P% FT%
1996–97 Phoenix 4 3.8 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 1.3 0.222 0.250 0.000
1997–98 Phoenix 4 12.8 0.5 0.0 2.5 1.8 5.5 0.444 0.200 0.625
2000–01 Dallas 10 37.0 0.6 0.1 3.2 6.4 13.6 0.417 0.410 0.882
2001–02 Dallas 8 40.4 0.5 0.0 4.0 8.8 19.5 0.432 0.444 0.971
2002–03 Dallas 20 36.5 0.8 0.0 3.5 7.3 16.1 0.447 0.487 0.873
2003–04 Dallas 5 39.4 0.8 0.0 5.2 9.0 13.6 0.386 0.375 0.889
2004–05 Phoenix 15 40.7 0.9 0.2 4.8 11.3 23.9 0.520 0.389 0.919
2005–06 Phoenix 20 39.9 0.4 0.2 3.7 10.2 20.4 0.502 0.368 0.912
2006–07 Phoenix 11 37.5 0.4 0.1 3.2 13.3 18.9 0.463 0.487 0.891
Career average 97 36.1 0.6 0.1 3.6 8.8 17.3 0.468 0.419 0.899

Off the court

Personal life

On October 14, 2004, Nash and longtime girlfriend Alejandra Amarilla became the parents of twin girls, Lola and Bella, who were born in Phoenix.[9] Amarilla is from Paraguay and she is a personal trainer. The couple met in the summer of 2001 in Manhattan. They married in June 2005. Dirk Nowitzki is the godfather of his children.

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 tries not to let his condition mar his performance on the hardwood. He tries to keep moving while on the court. When he is taking a rest, he does not sit on the bench, but rather lies supine on the end line to keep his muscles from stiffening.[43] On 28 December 2007 it was announced that Nash will receive Canada's highest civilian honour, the Order Of Canada.[44]

Charity

In 2001, Nash formed the Steve Nash Foundation. Through grants to public service and nonprofit entities, the Foundation aims to foster health in kids by funding projects that provide services to children affected by poverty, illness, abuse, or neglect, and create opportunity for education, play, and empowerment. The Foundation focuses its resources on communities in Phoenix, Arizona, and British Columbia, Canada. It was given charitable status in 2004.[3] Nash also founded the Jim Jennings Memorial Endowment Fund, established in honour of a volunteer staff member at Santa Clara University who served the Broncos basketball team for more than 20 years.[11]

Elsewhere, Nash is the sponsor of the Steve Nash Youth Basketball League in British Columbia that has grown over 10,000 participants.[9] He has also become involved with GuluWalk, a Canadian-operated charitable organization that raises awareness and funds for the war-affected children of northern Uganda. 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. He also went on a humanitarian trip to Central America. Nash also makes time meeting sick children in hospitals.

In May 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 basketball court, and being "just a nice guy" who had paid for a new pediatric cardiology ward in a Paraguayan hospital.[45]

Interests

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 has continued to have an interest in soccer, which played a large role in his early life. When Dirk Nowitzki arrived in the NBA from Germany, he and Nash became close friends, in part because they enjoyed watching soccer together. He is also personal friend of many soccer stars such as Alessandro Del Piero, Thierry Henry, Massimo Ambrosini and Steve McManaman.[46] Nash stated in a 2005 interview that he could have played professionally if he had focused on it.[47]

Nash and a Montreal-based partner, Leonard Schlemm, opened the first Steve Nash Sports Club in the spring of 2007 in downtown Vancouver, a high-end, $5-million, 38,500-square-foot facility that will mirror Nash's own fitness philosophy.[48]

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.[49] Nash was supported by teammate Nick Van Exel among others, though David Robinson, a former Naval officer and fellow NBA player, attacked Nash's stance. A number of other commentators praised Nash for having the guts to oppose a war that was widely popular at the time, though journalists Skip Bayless and John P. Lopez advised him to "just shut up and play".[50][51]

Career summary

  • First Team: 2005, 2006, 2007
  • Third Team: 2002, 2003
  • 3-time NBA regular season leader, assists per game: 2005 (11.5), 2006 (10.5), 2007 (11.6)[9]
  • 3-time NBA regular season leader, total assists: 2005 (861), 2006 (826), 2007 (884)[9]
  • NBA regular season leader, free throw percentage: 2006 (.921)[9]
  • NBA league leader in assists per 48 minutes: 2004 (12.6),[52] 2005 (16.1),[53] 2006 (14.2),[54] 2007 (15.8)[55]

Further reading

  • Long Shot: Steve Nash's Journey to the NBA by Jeff Rud; 1996; ISBN 1-896095-16-X
  • Steve Nash: The Making of an MVP by Jeff Rud; 2007; ISBN 0-14-241014-4
  • Steve Nash by Jeff Savage; 2006; ISBN 0-8225-5956-0
  • Steve Nash by Assaff, Peter, Paul Arseneault; 2006; ISBN 1-894974-25-5
  • Steve Nash: Leader on and Off the Court by Ryan Basen; 2007; ISBN 0-7660-2868-2

Notes

  1. ^ Governor General Announces New Appointments to the Order of Canada, Governor General of Canada, accessed 7 January 2008.
  2. ^ Stephen John Nash, protocol.gov.bc.ca, accessed 7 January 2008.
  3. ^ a b c d About Steve, stevenash.org, accessed August 1 2007.
  4. ^ a b My Amazing Journey: Steve Nash, nba.com, accessed 14 October 2007.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Steve Nash, jockbio.com, accessed 14 September 2007.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i McPeek, Jeramie, "The Canadian Kid", nba.com/suns, accessed July 24 2007.
  7. ^ Ulmer, Mike, "Nash's roots extend to pub", canoe.ca, September 27 2000, accessed July 18 2007.
  8. ^ "Flashback Steve Nash: Kid Canada", risemag.com, March 20 2007, accessed April 1 2007.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Steve Nash Bio Page, nba.com, accessed 8 January 2008.
  10. ^ Hyde-Lay, Ian, Steve Nash - NBA MVP, smus.bc.ca, accessed July 24 2007.
  11. ^ a b Former SCU Basketball Star Steve Nash Honored by Alma Mater, scu.edu, 18 September 2006, accessed 16 October 2007.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Steve Nash Info Page - Career Stats and Totals, nba.com, accessed 22 September 2007.
  13. ^ Associated Press. Say Hello to Hollywood, nba.com, 14 May 2001, accessed 22 September 2007.
  14. ^ a b Steve Nash, basketball-reference.com, accessed 22 September 2007.
  15. ^ Postseason Awards - 2001-02, nba.com/history, accessed 22 September 2007.
  16. ^ Ticker. Sacramento Stampedes Into Conference Finals, nba.com, 13 May 2002, accessed 22 September 2007.
  17. ^ Postseason Awards - 2002-03, nba.com/history, accessed 22 September 2007.
  18. ^ Ticker. Kerr Spurs San Antonio to Finals, nba.com, 29 May 2003, accessed 22 September 2007.
  19. ^ Ticker. Kings Dismiss Mavericks, nba.com, 29 April 2004, accessed 22 September 2007.
  20. ^ Carlton, Chuck, "Cuban takes his act to Letterman", Dallas Morning News, 15 June 2006, accessed 22 September 2007.
  21. ^ Faye, Brad and Greene, Josh, "Back On The Right Track", nba.com/suns, accessed 10 December 2007.
  22. ^ Steve Nash Named 2004-05 NBA MVP, nba.com, 8 May 2005, accessed 26 September 2007.
  23. ^ a b c At a Glance, nba.com/playoffs2005, accessed 17 November 2007.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h Faye, Brad and Greene, Josh, "Another SUN-believable Season", nba.com/suns, accessed 10 December 2007.
  25. ^ 2006 NBA Western Conference All-Stars, nba.com, accessed 29 December 2007.
  26. ^ Suns’ Steve Nash Wins Second Consecutive MVP Award, nba.com, 7 May 2006, accessed 26 September 2007.
  27. ^ Steve Nash wins Toronto Star's Lou Marsh Trophy as top Canadian athlete, slam.canoe.ca, accessed 26 September 2007.
  28. ^ a b c Bryant, Nowitzki, Duncan also part of All-NBA team, sports.espn.go.com, 14 May 2007, accessed 16 October 2007.
  29. ^ "Dirk Nowitzki Wins 2006-07 MVP Award", nba.com. accessed 16 October 2007.
  30. ^ At a Glance 2007, nba.com, accessed 29 December 2007.
  31. ^ Hoser makes hoops history, again, cbc.ca, 8 May 2006, accessed 26 September 2007.
  32. ^ a b Daniels, Craig, "Nash lays the groundwork", canoe.ca, 29 September 2000, accessed 30 September 2007.
  33. ^ Weir named Canadian male athlete of the year, cbc.ca, 28 December 2000, accessed 8 December 2007.
  34. ^ USA Basketball wins Olympic Qualifying gold, insidehoops.com, 1 September 2003, accessed 26 September 2007.
  35. ^ Arthur, Bruce, "Nash era at an end for Canada", nationalpost.com, 4 December 2007, accessed 11 December 2007.
  36. ^ NBA History - All Time Leaders: Free Throw Percentage, nba.com, accessed 26 September 2007.
  37. ^ NBA History - All Time Leaders: Three Point Field Goal Percentage, nba.com, accessed 25 September 2007.
  38. ^ Pelton, Kevin, "Every Play Counts: The Phoenix Pick-and-Roll", 82games.com, 5 December 2005, accessed 14 September 2007.
  39. ^ "10 greatest point guards ever", sports.espn.go.com, 11 May 2006, accessed 25 September 2007.
  40. ^ GMs tip Bargnani for big year, thestar.com, 25 October 2007, accessed 26 October 2007.
  41. ^ Russell on Nash, iht.com, 5 July 2007, accessed 16 October 2007.
  42. ^ Simmons, Bill, "The NBA from LVP to MVP, Part I", sports.espn.go.com, accessed 12 May 2007.
  43. ^ McCallum, Jack, Point Guard from Another Planet, sportsillustrated.cnn.com, accessed 26 September 2007.
  44. ^ Suns notebook: Nash receives Order of Canada, eastvalleytribune.com, accessed 30 December 2007.
  45. ^ Barkley, Charles, "Steve Nash", time.com, 30 April 2006, accessed 30 September 2007.
  46. ^ Yates, Enric, "Steve Nash, a two-time MVP in the NBA, has always had dual passions: basketball and soccer", signonsandiego.com, 16 May 2007, accessed 22 September 2007.
  47. ^ GQ’s Baller of the Year: Steve Nash, nba.com, accessed 10 December 2007.
  48. ^ "First Steve Nash Sports Club to Open in Vancouver", newswire.ca, accessed 13 February 2007.
  49. ^ Hollinger, John, "Steve speaks out", sportsillustrated.cnn.com, 7 February 2003, accessed 22 September 2007.
  50. ^ Alfano, Sean, "Sports Columnists, Athletes, and Dissent", poynteronline.org, 15 April 2003 accessed 25 September 2007.
  51. ^ O'Keefe, Derrick, "Appreciating Steve Nash, basketball's anti-war MVP", sevenoaksmag.com, 31 May 2005, accessed 22 September 2007.
  52. ^ NBA statistics for 2003-04 NBA season - Assists: Per 48 Minutes, sports.espn.go.com, accessed 19 April 2007.
  53. ^ NBA statistics for 2004-05 NBA season - Assists: Per 48 Minutes, sports.espn.go.com, accessed 19 April 2007.
  54. ^ NBA statistics for 2005-06 NBA season - Assists: Per 48 Minutes, sports.espn.go.com, accessed 19 April 2007.
  55. ^ NBA statistics for 2006-07 NBA season - Assists: Per 48 Minutes, sports.espn.go.com, accessed 19 April 2007.

External links

Awards
Preceded by NBA Most Valuable Player
2004-05, 2005-06 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Lou Marsh Trophy winner
2005 		Succeeded by

Template:Bb start

Template:Bb end

Template:Canada Squad 1994 FIBA World Championship Template:Persondata

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steve_Nash&oldid=183003981"