2020 Class of FIBA Hall of Fame: Steve Nash

MIES (Switzerland) - Steve Nash, a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player and Canada national team icon,  is being inducted into FIBA Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2020.

Nash and eight other players - Isabelle Fijalkowski (France), Mieczyslaw Lopatka (Poland), Agnes Nemeth (Hungary), Park Shin-ja (Korea), Modestas Paulauskas (Lithuania), Kenichi Sako (Japan), Alexander Volkov (Ukraine) and Jure Zdovc (Slovenia) - are being enshrined, as well as legendary coaches Ruben Magnano (Argentina), Svetislav Pesic (Serbia) and Tara Van Derveer (USA).

Where does one start with the incredible story about Nash, who at first in childhood played soccer and ice hockey but then discovered basketball and blossomed into the best player his country has ever known? He truly was spectacular, a 1.91m (6 ft 3 in) point guard that became one of the most dominant figures on the NBA hardwood.

First things, first. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Nash moved to Canada at 18 months old with his Welsh mother and English father, who played professional soccer. They arrived in Saskatchewan before relocating to Victoria in British Colombia.

Nash played at St. Michaels University School in Victoria, British Columbia 

He shone for St. Michaels University School, a private boarding school in Victoria, displaying plenty of skill with the ball in his hands. He also had a zeal to get better through hard work and played for Canada's Universiade team.

Though not a prized recruit coming out of St. Michaels, Nash turned into one of the best players in college hoops at Santa Clara University. Three times he led the Broncos into the NCAA Tournament. Santa Clara retired No. 11, the number on his jersey.

Santa Clara retired No. 11 in honor of Nash

While still a collegian, Nash played for Canada at the FIBA AmeriCup 1993 - then known as the Tournament of the Americas - and also the FIBA Basketball World Cup 1994, which was held in Toronto.

After his standout college career, Nash graduated to the NBA as the 15th pick overall by the Phoenix Suns, in 1996. It was the first time a Canadian had been selected that high in the first round since 1953, when former Washington Huskies star and Vancouver-born Bob Houbregs was taken second overall by the Milwaukee Hawks.

Nash played for the Phoenix in his first two seasons before being traded to Dallas and spending several seasons with the Mavericks.

Nash was in college when he played for hosts Canada at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 1994

During his time as a Mav, Nash dazzled for Canada's national team. At the FIBA AmeriCup 1999 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, he led the team to a runners-up finish and he was named tournament MVP.  Canada qualified for the 2000 Sydney Olympics with that result.

At the Summer Games In Australia, Nash and Canada were sensational at times, winning four of their five Preliminary Round games, yet they fell to France in the Quarter-Finals.

Nash left the court in tears, his dream of reaching the Olympic podium dashed. But he has since reflected on taking part in the Olympics, calling it "the best experience of my career..."

He spearheaded the charge at the FIBA AmeriCup the following year in Argentina and Canada finished third.  

Then at the FIBA AmeriCup 2003 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Nash was the best player in the tournament and scooped his second MVP award, yet Canada lost in a tough battle to the tournament hosts in the Third-Place Game and came up short of the 2004 Olympics.

Nash played for Canada at the Sydney Olympics in 2000

It was the last time he played for Canada, though Nash continued to win more and more fans to the sport in his country with his best years in the NBA just on the horizon.

He rejoined Phoenix as a free agent in 2004 and thrived under the uptempo style preferred by Suns coach Mike D'Antoni.

Having endured a 29–53 season right before Nash's return, the Suns turned things around dramatically with a high-octane offensive attack led by Nash and went 62–20, the best record in the NBA. Nash was named MVP after the season. It was the first time a player from Canada had claimed the league's top honor.

He earned his second MVP award the following year as Phoenix cemented their status as one of the best teams in the league. Nash would go on to have a legendary career with the Suns, with 2011-12 season in the desert his last with the team.

Nash was so popular in Canada that he was selected to light the Olympic flame during the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.

Canada's greatest ever hoops star finished as a player with the Los Angeles Lakers, his team from 2012-15.

During his magnificent NBA career, Nash led the league in assists in five seasons and he was an All-NBA First Team selection in 2005, 2006 and 2007. He was also an NBA All-Star on eight occasions.

Nash is still involved in the league. He is now the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets.

Name	Steve NASH
Category of Inductee	Player (Guard)
Date of birth	February 7, 1974
Place of birth	Johannesburg, South Africa
Nationality	Canadian
Height	1.91 m – 6ft 3in
Clubs	Phoenix Suns (1996 – 1998) Dallas Mavericks (1998 – 2004) Phoenix Suns (2004 – 2012) Los Angeles Lakers (2012 – 2015) [/unordered]
National Team highlights	FIBA AmeriCup silver medalist (1999) FIBA AmeriCup bronze medalist (2001) Two-time Summer Universiade silver medalist (1991, 1993) Played in one Olympic Games (2000) [/unordered]
Individual highlights	Two-time WCC Player of the Year (1995, 1996) Two-time FIBA AmeriCup MVP (1999, 2003) Two-time NBA MVP (2005, 2006) Eight-time NBA All-Star (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012) Two-time All-NBA Third Team (2002, 2003) Five-time NBA assists leader (2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011) Three-time All-NBA First Team (2005, 2006, 2007) J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award (2007) Two-time All-NBA Second Team (2008, 2010) Lou Marsh Trophy (2005) Three-time Lionel Conacher Award (2002, 2005, 2006) No. 11 retired by Santa Clara Broncos [/unordered]

FIBA