A Behind the Scenes Look at Steve Nash, The NBA’s Most Valuable Player

A Behind the Scenes Look at Steve Nash, The NBA’s Most Valuable Player

Steve Nash has achieved more in his NBA career that most players can ever imagine. After two incredible seasons as league MVP, Nash now wants to be considered for his third consecutive award. This would make him the smallest player to achieve this feat. Only Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell are part of this elite group. Larry Bird is not included in that elite group. What is it that makes this Canadian hoopster tick. He produces career-type games every night. What is he aware of that the rest in the league don’t?

His Phoenix Suns are leading the way with a 44-14 (76%) record this season, edging out only the Dallas Mavericks. He contributes nightly 18.9 points, 11.8 assists and 3.3 rebounds for his fast-breaking team. He is the engine of this Western Conference scoring machine.

What is it that makes Steve Nash one of the most successful players in the NBA over the past two years? Here are some thoughts, quotes and opinions about what makes Steve Nash tick.

  • Eye coordination—Steve Nash’s hand-eye coordination, agility, and balance allow him to take shots from almost impossible angles. Nash, his brother and father were both professional soccer and hockey players as a child.
  • Athletic Bill Walton, TV analyst, calls Nash the NBA’s most “unathletic” player. How is it possible that Nash, a player in the highly-athletic NBA, could be ranked its best UNathletic player? Walton was a great player for me, but perhaps the 500 Grateful Dead concerts are taking their toll.
  • Drive—Some people are driven by poverty, with the NBA being their ticket to freedom. Nash’s determination and fierceness seem to be from a different source. His family is still not sure what drives him. “How can you explain where the drive comes from?” Sports Illustrated was told by Martin Nash, Martin’s brother. “You can’t.”
  • Anticipation—Nash was a high school basketball player at St. Michaels University School, Victoria, British Columbia. His high school coach said that he was always three steps ahead of the action on court. Nash said, “I kinda just think it’s how I am.” It’s a way to constantly be aware of the world around you. I believe some people are more aware than others. It’s possible to maintain a continuous dialogue about what’s going on around you, rather than having it fragmented or segmented.
  • Ball Handling-What makes Nash’s exceptional ball-handling skills so remarkable is a combination combining talent and a great work ethic. His vision and his relationships with teammates are also important.
  • My early athletic experiences I’ve always believed that soccer is a good way to explain who he was as a player of basketball,’ said Martin, a 29-year-old professional soccer player from Canada. “Soccer is not an sport where you can be yourself. He played the role of playmaker in soccer, which is basically the point guard. This role was also played in other sports, such as rugby, lacrosse, and hockey.
  • Vision—Nash is a great judge. Nash is a great judge and has incredible decision-making skills that allows him to decide whether to drive in the lane or pass.
  • Top Physical Condition—Nash has been in the best shape of all his professional careers. Rick Celebrini, a Vancouver physiotherapist, designed a program that teaches basketball moves and is what he credits. The two of them met six times per week for more than a month, five to six hours each day. Celebrini says, “I can honestly tell you that in the thirteen years that I have been doing this, which includes all the Olympic athletes that I’ve trained,”
  • Leadership I don’t mind taking on the responsibility for a loss but I don’t mind denying my team and myself the chance to win,” Nash stated. Sometimes you have to be vulnerable. It makes me feel better to go to bed at night when people point fingers at me for failing to do the job. I feel more content pointing the finger towards myself than pointing at them for not trying. This is the stuff that eats away at you.
  • Playmaker—He’s deceptively fast, resourceful and a great shooter. He is a master playmaker and a pinpoint passer.
  • Selfish There are scorers and passers. Steve Nash is more than a scorer, fellas. He’s also a scorer and passer, fellas.

With great interest, I will be watching the remainder of the NBA season as well as the playoffs. Steve Nash will strive to win the NBA title. It would be amazing to become the NBA’s top player for the third consecutive season.

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