Nineteen year veteran Steve Nash announced his retirement from the NBA. The South African born NBA star played on the Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, and Los Angeles Lakers. Nash was named league MVP in 2005 and 2006. He is one of ten players in NBA history to be named MVP two consecutive years. He took to Twitter Saturday after the announcement:
I’m retiring from basketball. Thanks for all the love through the years. http://t.co/CMqDBSYIrr pic.twitter.com/iNTG6eap4D
— Steve Nash (@SteveNash) March 21, 2015
In an interview with Marc Stein, Nash said,
“It’s just a weird transition. Every athlete goes through it. A lot of people say an athlete dies twice and in some ways, without being salacious, that’ true. If you want to enjoy and be happy in life, you have in some ways to say goodbye to your former self. And that’s not easy, especially for guys. We’re not the most communicative of the species. So it’s hard to kind of put it all in perspective.”
Miami Heat point guard Goran Dragic took to Twitter to thank Steve Nash:
Huge day for my mentor and friend Steve!!Proud of what he’s meant to the game and to me. @SteveNash #BigBro #ThankYou pic.twitter.com/O1dRmckPer
— Goran Dragic (@Goran_Dragic) March 21, 2015
Steve Nash is going down as one of the best point guards and three point shooters of all time. Nash hit 42.8% of his three point shots which is currently the ninth best in NBA history. He will always be known as an assist machine tallying 10,335 career assists which is third best in NBA history behind John Stockton and Jason Kidd. Watch this pass against the Los Angeles Lakers:
Steve Nash was a wizard with the ball: https://t.co/VbHMYVJ2nP
— Basketball Society (@BBallSociety_) March 21, 2015
The one thing missing in Nash’s illustrious career is the deprivation of a NBA Championship. Nash is one of six NBA players to be an MVP without a NBA Championship. He is the only MVP to have never played in the NBA finals. Champion or not, Nash was a true professional that always worked his hardest. He will be missed.
