Steven John Nash, (born February 7 , 1974) is a NBA Point Guard for the Phoenix Suns . He won back-to-back NBA Most Valuable Player Awards in 2005 and 2006.
Nash had an outstanding high school basketball career, but garnered no attention from US College recruiters as he was based in Canada. He was eventually picked up by Santa Clara University head coach Dick Davey, and he began his NBA career with the Phoenix Suns not long after, but his impact in the two years of his first stint was minimal. He was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in 1998, and 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 brought the Mavericks to the Finals the following season, which was the best achievement in the Mavericks' franchise history.
Nash became a free agent after the 2003-04 NBA season and signed for the Phoenix Suns. He was instrumental in dramatically transforming the fortunes of the Suns, leading them to an NBA-best 62-20 win-loss record as well as into the Western Conference Finals. For his efforts, he was named the league MVP and he repeated this feat in the 2005-06 NBA season. Now into his third season with the Suns, Nash continues to form the pivot of one of the league's most potent offensive teams.
Early LifeSteve Nash was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. His parents relocated to Canada, settling in Victoria, British Columbia, before he was two years old because they did not want to raise their children in an environment of apartheid.
His father John was a professional football (soccer) player in South Africa, while mother Jean was a member of the English national netball team. His brother Martin has made 30 appearances for the Canadian national soccer team. His sister Joann was the captain of the University of Victoria women's soccer team for three years. Nash attended , a private boarding school in Victoria, and was on the school basketball team. Nash had decided to focus on basketball in his early teens, but still played soccer through high school, and was named British Columbia player of the year in soccer as well as basketball in his senior year. Since his father is a native of Tottenham, Nash grew up rooting for Tottenham Hotspur and even trained with Spurs in North London as a teenager. Soccer continues to be an important part of Nash's life. In fact, when Dirk Nowitzki arrived in the NBA from Germany, he and Nash became close friends, in part because they enjoyed watching soccer together. In addition to soccer, Nash excelled at ice hockey as a child.
College NBA Career First Stint in Phoenix Dallas Second Stint in Phoenix: Nash's Career Transformed Most Valuable Player 2005 2005-06 Season Most Valuable Player 2006: Nash Wins Again Playoffs 2007 International Career Quick Facts External Links
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