In a few months, Steve NashB次元官网网址檚 legacy to the game of basketball will live forever in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.
Raised in Victoria, B次元官网网址淗air CanadaB次元官网网址� became one of basketballB次元官网网址檚 most revered athletes of all time and one of the best athletes to ever emerge from Vancouver Island.
He sits third on the NBAB次元官网网址檚 all-time assists. The 50-40-90 club B次元官网网址� signifying shooters who hit 50 per cent of their two-point shots, 40 per cent of their three-point shots and 90 per cent of their foul shots over a single season B次元官网网址� has just seven members. Nash did it four times, falling short of a fifth time by just one foul shot. Only Nash and Larry Bird have done it in back-to-back seasons.
Ian Hyde-Lay, head coach at St. MichaelB次元官网网址檚 University, coached Nash for two years and said he probably felt like most Canadians basketball fans when they heard about NashB次元官网网址檚 induction.
B次元官网网址淰ery proud, itB次元官网网址檚 the ultimate honour for any basketball player,B次元官网网址� he said.
Hyde-Lay said he had no idea the heights Nash would reach in his career, but at each step, he saw Nash possess the ability to step his game up to any level and excel.
It was in NashB次元官网网址檚 sophomore year in college at Santa Clara University that Hyde-Lay thought Nash would make it to the NBA, and after two MVP awards that he thought he would be in the conversation for the Hall of Fame.
Hyde-Lay said NashB次元官网网址檚 greatest legacy is his combination of raw skill, competitive spirit and an unparalleled work ethic.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檇 be the first in the gym and the last to leave,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檇 be in first thing on a Sunday morning after winning MVP of a big tournament the night before.B次元官网网址�
NashB次元官网网址檚 second stint with the Phoenix Suns was the perfect concoction that showcased his abilities as a leader, scorer and teammate. Hyde-Lay said having a coach like Mike DB次元官网网址橝ntoni, who liked to push the tempo, and the introduction of rule changes in the NBA also worked to NashB次元官网网址檚 advantage.
The Suns were compared to the LakersB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淪howtimeB次元官网网址� era, high flying, with NashB次元官网网址檚 flashy, patented behind the back passes.
A modern-era Bob Cousy, Nash helped the Suns to the best record in the NBA in 2005 (62-20), and won his first MVP, and DB次元官网网址橝ntoni won coach of the year. That same year Nash received the Lou Marsh Trophy for Canadian athlete of the year and the Lionel Conacher Award for Canadian male athlete of the year.
Nash was instrumental in changing the way basketball is played today, B次元官网网址渘ow everybody plays the way Phoenix did 12 years ago,B次元官网网址� Hyde-Lay said.
In an interview with TSN, Nash said that Phoenix was forced to play an up-tempo game because they didnB次元官网网址檛 have a true post player, so they relied on movement on the floor. Phoenix played team basketball, with a point guard who could distribute the ball and be an offensive threat, similar to the Golden State Warriors today.
Nash won his second MVP in 2006, and arguably could have won it again in 2007, but his friend Dirk Nowitzki was honoured with the award.
An eight-time NBA All-Star, the only thing Nash had left to do in the sport was win an NBA championship as a player. He made that happen as part of the Warriors coaching staff when they won the world championship last year.
The B.C. Sports Hall of Fame inducted Nash into their Hall of Fame in 2016 for its 50th anniversary. The B.C. Sports Hall of Fame requires athletes to have been retired for three years before even being allowed a nomination ,or have won an Olympic gold medal or world championship, neither of which Nash had done by then.
Jason Beck, curator and facility director at the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame, said NashB次元官网网址檚 career more than warranted an immediate induction and that only in exceptional circumstances is the committee allowed to override the rules.
Nash is only the second person the hall of fame made the exception for, and the hall of fame thought the honour would pair nicely with the 50th anniversary.
Beck said the only other person the hall has made an exception for was Lui Passaglia, the former kicker and punter for the B.C. Lions.
B次元官网网址淗e [Nash] is one of B.C.B次元官网网址檚 best athletes of all time and CanadaB次元官网网址檚 best athletes of all time,B次元官网网址� Beck said.
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