Stephen John Nash (born 7 February 1974) is a Canadian former professional basketball player and coach. He played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), where he was an eight-time All-Star, a seven-time All-NBA selection, and a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player. He ranks as one of the top players in NBA history in career three-point shooting, free-throw shooting, total assists, and assists per game. In 2018, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Nash grew up playing several sports, and after a successful high school basketball career in British Columbia, earned a scholarship to Santa Clara University in California. In his four seasons with the Broncos, the team appeared in three NCAA tournaments, 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.
He was taken as the 15th pick in the 1996 NBA draft by the Phoenix Suns, but had little 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 earned his first All-NBA selection. The following season, Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, and Michael Finley led the Mavericks to the Western Conference Finals. He became a free agent after the and returned to the Phoenix Suns. In the , Nash led the Suns to the Western Conference finals and was named the league's MVP. He was named MVP again in the and was runner-up for a third consecutive MVP to Nowitzki in 2006–07. At various points in his career, Nash led the league in assists and free throw percentage.
Nash has been honoured for his contributions to various philanthropic causes. In 2006, Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Nash was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2007 and invested to the order in 2016, and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws from 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 basketball team, for whom he played from 1991 to 2003, making one Olympic appearance and being twice named FIBA AmeriCup MVP. In 2021, Nash was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
Early life Nash was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, to a Welsh mother, Jean, and English father, John, on 7 February 1974.Governor General Announces New Appointments to the Order of Canada, gg.ca. Retrieved 9 March 2008.Stephen John Nash , protocol.gov.bc.ca. Retrieved 9 March 2008.About Steve , stevenash.org. Retrieved 20 February 2008. His family moved to Regina, Saskatchewan, when he was 18 months old, before settling in Victoria, British Columbia.Steve Nash , jockbio.com. Retrieved 6 March 2008. He 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;My Amazing Journey: Steve Nash , National Basketball Association. Retrieved 15 March 2008. he also played rugby and lacrosse. In grade eight, 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 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.Steve Nash Bio Page , National Basketball Association. Retrieved 8 January 2008. 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.Hyde-Lay, Ian, Steve Nash – NBA MVP , smus.bc.ca. Retrieved 24 July 2007.
College career Although Nash's high school coach, Ian Hyde-Lay, sent letters of inquiry and highlight reels to more than 30 American universities, Nash was not recruited by any university, until Santa Clara coach Dick Davey requested video footage of the young guard. After watching Nash in person, Davey said he "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." However, Davey also told Nash he was "the worst defensive player" he had ever seen.
Nash received a scholarship by Santa Clara for the 1992–93 season. It had been five years since the Broncos made the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, but Nash led the Broncos to a WCC tournament title and an upset win over the 2-seeded Arizona in the first round of the 1993 tourney, sinking six straight free throws in the last 30 seconds. Santa Clara lost to Temple in the next round, but the season was considered successful. The next season, the Broncos managed only a 5–7 conference record. The team rebounded in the 1994–95 season, topping the WCC. Nash, who led the conference in scoring and assists, was named Conference Player of the Year. The Broncos returned to the NCAA tournament, but lost in the first round to Mississippi State. After the season, Nash contemplated turning professional and decided against it when he learned that he would probably not be considered as a first-round pick in the 1995 NBA draft.
In the 1995–96 season, Nash began attracting the attention of national media and professional scouts. He had spent the previous summer honing his skills, playing with the Canadian national team and working out with established NBA players Jason Kidd and Gary Payton. 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 repeat since Kurt Rambis. He scored 28 points in leading the No. 10 seed Broncos to a first-round upset win over No. 7 seed Maryland, but then the Broncos were eliminated by Kansas. Nash's performances ensured that he earned an honourable 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 assists (510), free throw percentage (.862), and made and attempted three-pointers (263–656). 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). In September 2006, Nash's jersey was retired, becoming the first Santa Clara student-athlete to receive that honour.
Professional career
Phoenix Suns (1996–1998) After graduating with a degree in sociology, 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. This was because despite his impressive college accomplishments, Nash had not played in one of the major college conferences. A major influence in Phoenix's choice was assistant coach Donnie Nelson, who met Nash back in high school as he was coached by Nelson's friend Ken Shields, and would eventually befriend the player as he played in Santa Clara. During his first two seasons in the NBA, 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 at Phoenix.
In his rookie season, Nash only managed 10.5 minutes a game, but in his second season, his playing time increased and he ranked 13th in the league in three-point field-goal percentage. Nelson, who had become assistant general manager of the Dallas Mavericks under his father, Don Nelson, convinced him to acquire the under-used Nash. After the 1998 NBA draft, Nash was traded from the Suns to the Mavericks in exchange for Martin Müürsepp, Bubba Wells, the draft rights to Pat Garrity, and a first-round draft pick (later used to draft future Phoenix teammate Shawn Marion).Basen (2007), p. 39
Dallas Mavericks (1998–2004) In Dallas, Nash established himself as a formidable point guard, beginning a decade as one of the game's top players. Prior to the start of the season, which had been pushed back due to the lockout, Nash signed a six-year, $33 million extension, which carried a player option following the fifth season. During his first year as a Maverick, he started in all 40 games he played in, and averaged 7.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game.Steve Nash Info Page – Career Stats and Totals , National Basketball Association. Retrieved 22 September 2007. The 19–31 Mavericks failed to make the 1999 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. He finished 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 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 the , Nash averaged 15.6 points and 7.3 assists per game in a breakout season. With Nash directing the team's offense, Nowitzki and Finley playing at their best, and the acquisition of 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 four games to one to the San Antonio Spurs, but it marked the beginning of a memorable run for Nash and the Mavericks.Associated Press. Say Hello to Hollywood , National Basketball Association, 14 May 2001. Retrieved 22 September 2007. In the , Nash posted career-highs of 17.9 points and 7.7 assists per game and earned a spot in the NBA All-Star Game and on the All-NBA Third Team.Steve Nash , basketball-reference.com. Retrieved 22 September 2007.Postseason Awards – 2001–02 , National Basketball Association/history. Retrieved 22 September 2007. He was now an All-Star, increasingly appearing in television commercials and, with Finley and Nowitzki, a part of the Dallas Mavericks "Big Three".2001–2002 Dallas Mavericks Big Three , allposters.com. Retrieved 12 January 2008. Dallas earned another trip to the playoffs but lost again in the Semifinals to the Sacramento Kings four games to one.Ticker. Sacramento Stampedes Into Conference finals , National Basketball Association, 13 May 2002. Retrieved 22 September 2007.