Steve Nash
Athletes Home / Sports Channel
There is a written stat that states that the odds of an American basketball star getting into the NBA are 7,600 to 1. For a Canadian, the chances are not even printable.
Being a Canadian NBA star is exactly what Steve Nash did, however, and he has the hardware to prove it. The back-to-back NBA M.V.P. didn’t grow up in a broken home, didn’t go to a prestige’s high school and certainly wasn’t recruited by any big named college programs.
Nash just got this way by practicing, and practicing, and practicing.
When he was young, Nash would go to a playground flying solo and assign himself workouts. 200 free throws, 500 jump shots; all to be completed before he could leave the park. Nash never has had out of this world talent, but he has always had determination, focus and discipline.
Drafted by the Phoenix Suns in 1996, Nash was booed by fans, because he was an unknown coming out of Santa Clara University. No other Canadian had ever been selected as high as Nash was at 15th overall in the first round, but he rotted for two years on the bench with Phoenix.
The Suns traded Nash on Draft Day June 25th, 1998 to the Dallas Mavericks. After the lock-shortened season in 1999, Nash blossomed along with rising star Dirk Nowitzki and then current star Michael Finley. Nash would become an All-Star in 2001-02 while posting career-highs of 17.9 PPG and 7.7 APG. He would also be selected to the All-NBA third team that very same year.
After failed contract talks with Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Nash signed with the Suns again. This time around, Nash would make history for the Phoenix franchise that once booed his presence.
Nash achieved his first M.V.P. award in 2005 and followed up that campaign with a second trophy in 2006. To date, Nash is a four time All-Star, a four-time All-NBA member and has also led the NBA in assists and assists per game (2005, 2006).
Not bad for a longhaired, skinny white boy from Canada, eh?
Our latest sports content can be found in the Sports category in our new magazine format. Archived sports content can be found in the Sports category in our blog.
NBA Career
NBA.com
Career highlights, year-by-year numbers and 2005-06 stats.
ESPN.com
Small bio, complete game-by-game stats and photos.
BballOne.com
Bio, stats, links to Nash websites, photos and an online store.
Jock Bio.com
Interesting facts and tidbits that people might not know about Steve Nash.
FOX Sports.com
Fantasy news, player profile and game stats.
The Steve Nash Foundation
The official web site for Steve Nash’s foundation for helping grow healthy kids.
News and Commentary
Steve Nash repeats as NBA M.V.P.
Steve Nash collected his second consecutive NBA M.V.P. hardware leading the Suns to the Western Conference Finals.
How Steve Nash Overcame Advantage
Interesting article that details how Steve Nash, the skinny white guy who grew up in an upper middle class family, rose to become a back-to-back M.V.P. winner.
Appreciating Steve Nash, basketball’s anti-war M.V.P.
This article is from 2005 when Nash one his first M.V.P. It goes into discussion of not only Nash’s M.V.P. performance that year, but also his opinions on war and politics.
Nash should join the other kids in the hall
At least one person, Stan McNeal from the Sporting News, thinks Steve Nash should be Hall of Fame bound after his career.
Steve Nash vs. Tony Parker
Steve Nash or Tony Parker? Unique look at which International point guard would win one-on-one.
Is Steve Nash deserving?
Despite better stats and arguably better talent overall, Steve Nash edges out LeBron James and Kobe Bryant for the 2006 M.V.P. award. Jayson Addcox discusses if Nash was the most deserving.