Steve Nash facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Steve Nash
OC OBC

Nash in 2014
Personal information
Born	(1974-02-07) 7 February 1974 (age 51) Johannesburg, South Africa
Nationality	Canadian
High school	St. Michaels (Victoria, British Columbia)
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight	178 lb (81 kg)
Career information
College	Santa Clara (1992–1996)
NBA Draft	1996 / Round: 1 / Pick: 15th overall
Selected by the Phoenix Suns
Pro career	1996–2015
Coaching career	2020–2022
Career history
As player:
1996–1998	Phoenix Suns
1998–2004	Dallas Mavericks
2004–2012	Phoenix Suns
2012–2015	Los Angeles Lakers
As coach:
2020–2022	Brooklyn Nets
Career highlights and awards
2× NBA Most Valuable Player (2005, 2006) 8× NBA All-Star (2002, 2003, 2005–2008, 2010, 2012) 3× All-NBA First Team (2005–2007) 2× All-NBA Second Team (2008, 2010) 2× All-NBA Third Team (2002, 2003) 5× NBA assists leader (2005–2007, 2010, 2011) No. 13 retired by Phoenix Suns NBA 75th Anniversary Team 2× FIBA AmeriCup MVP (1999, 2003) Lou Marsh Trophy (2005) 3× Lionel Conacher Award (2002, 2005, 2006) 2× WCC Player of the Year (1995, 1996) 2× First-team All-WCC (1995, 1996) No. 11 retired by Santa Clara Broncos
Career statistics
Points	17,387 (14.3 ppg)
Rebounds	3,642 (3.0 rpg)
Assists	10,335 (8.5 apg)
Medals Representing  Canada FIBA AmeriCup Silver 1999 San Juan National team Bronze 2001 Neuquén National team Universiade Silver 1991 Sheffield National team Silver 1993 Buffalo National team

Stephen John Nash (born February 7, 1974) is a Canadian professional basketball coach and former player. He was most recently the head coach for the Brooklyn Nets in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nash played for 18 seasons in the NBA. He was an eight-time All-Star and won the NBA Most Valuable Player award twice. He is known as one of the best players in NBA history for his amazing three-point shooting, free throw shooting, and passing skills. In 2018, he was added to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Nash grew up playing many sports. After a great high school basketball career in British Columbia, he earned a scholarship to Santa Clara University in California. During his four years with the Broncos, his team played in three NCAA tournaments. He was also named the West Coast Conference (WCC) Player of the Year twice. Nash finished his college career as Santa Clara's all-time leader in assists.

He was chosen as the 15th pick in the 1996 NBA draft by the Phoenix Suns. He later played for the Dallas Mavericks and then returned to the Suns. Nash became a free agent after the 2003–04 season and signed with the Phoenix Suns again. In the 2004–05 season, Nash led the Suns to the Western Conference finals and was named the league's MVP. He won the MVP award again in the 2005–06 season. Nash often led the league in assists and free throw percentage during his career.

Nash has also been recognized for his work helping others. In 2006, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. He was given the Order of Canada in 2007, which is a high honor in Canada. Nash has been a co-owner of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC soccer team since 2011. From 2012 to 2019, he was the general manager for the Canadian men's national basketball team. He played for this team from 1991 to 2003, even playing in one Olympic game. In 2021, Nash was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, which honors the greatest players in NBA history.

Early Life and Sports Beginnings

Nash was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, on February 7, 1974. His mother, Jean, was Welsh, and his father, John, was English. His family moved to Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, when he was 18 months old. They later settled in Victoria, British Columbia. Steve has both British and Canadian citizenship. His father played professional soccer before the family moved to Canada.

Nash often played soccer and ice hockey with his younger brother, Martin. He didn't start playing basketball until he was 12 or 13 years old. He also played rugby and lacrosse. In eighth grade, he told his mother that he would one day play in the NBA and become a star.

Nash first went to Mount Douglas Secondary School. When his grades dropped, his parents sent him to St. Michaels University School, a private school in Victoria. There, he was a star in basketball, soccer, and rugby union. In his final year of high school basketball, he averaged 21.3 points, 11.2 assists, and 9.1 rebounds per game. In the 1991–92 season, he led his team to win the British Columbia AAA provincial championship and was named the province's Player of the Year.

College Basketball Journey

Even though Nash was a great high school player, many American universities didn't recruit him. His coach sent videos to over 30 schools, but only Santa Clara coach Dick Davey showed interest. After seeing Nash play in person, Davey was very impressed. He later said Nash was "the worst defensive player" he had ever seen, but he knew Nash was special.

Nash received a scholarship from Santa Clara for the 1992–93 season. He helped the Broncos win the WCC tournament title. They even upset the No. 2 seeded Arizona in the first round of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. Nash scored six straight free throws in the last 30 seconds of that game.

In the 1994–95 season, Nash was named Conference Player of the Year. The Broncos won the WCC again and returned to the NCAA tournament. After this season, Nash thought about becoming a professional player, but he decided to stay in college because he likely wouldn't be a first-round pick in the 1995 NBA draft.

In the 1995–96 season, Nash started getting attention from national media and professional scouts. He had spent the summer improving his skills by playing with the Canadian national team. Santa Clara won the WCC title again, and Nash was named Conference Player of the Year for the second year in a row. He led the Broncos to another upset win in the NCAA tournament against Maryland.

Nash finished his college career as Santa Clara's all-time leader in assists (510) and free throw percentage (.862). He is also third on the school's all-time scoring list (1,689 points). In September 2006, Santa Clara retired Nash's jersey number 11, making him the first student-athlete there to receive this honor.

Professional Basketball Career

Phoenix Suns: First Time Around (1996–1998)

After college, Nash was picked 15th overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 1996 NBA draft. Some Suns fans booed because they didn't know much about him. This was because Nash hadn't played in one of the bigger college conferences. An assistant coach for the Suns, Donnie Nelson, had known Nash since high school and helped the team choose him.

In his first two seasons, Nash played a smaller role behind other star point guards like Kevin Johnson and Jason Kidd. In his second season, Nash played more and was ranked 13th in the league for three-point shooting. However, his time with the Suns didn't last long. Donnie Nelson moved to the Dallas Mavericks and convinced his father, who was the general manager, to get Nash. After the 1998 NBA draft, Nash was traded from the Suns to the Mavericks.

Dallas Mavericks Years (1998–2004)

In Dallas, Nash became a top point guard. In his first year with the Mavericks (1998–99), he started all 40 games he played. The team didn't make the playoffs that year. In the 1999–2000 season, Nash missed 25 games due to an ankle injury. However, the team started to get much better with new owner Mark Cuban and rising stars like Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Finley.

In the 2000–01 season, Nash had a breakout year, averaging 15.6 points and 7.3 assists per game. With Nash leading the offense, the Mavericks made the playoffs for the first time in over ten years. They lost in the Western Conference Semifinals, but it was the start of a great run for Nash and the Mavericks. In the 2001–02 season, Nash set new career highs and was chosen for the NBA All-Star Game and the All-NBA Third Team. He was now a well-known All-Star.

Nash continued to play well in the 2002–03 season, earning All-Star and All-NBA Third Team honors again. Nash and Nowitzki led the Mavericks to the Western Conference finals, where they lost to the San Antonio Spurs. This was only the second time the Mavericks had reached the Conference finals. In the 2003–04 season, Nash's scoring went down, and he wasn't selected for the All-Star team, even though he had new career highs in assists per game (8.8) and free throw accuracy (91.6%). The Mavericks lost in the first round of the playoffs that year.

After the 2003–04 season, Nash became a free agent. The Phoenix Suns offered him a six-year contract worth $63 million. Nash signed with the Suns for the 2004–05 season. He would go on to win two MVP awards with Phoenix.

Return to Phoenix (2004–2012)

MVP Seasons and Playoff Runs

After Nash's return to Phoenix in 2004, they won 33 more games than they did the previous season.

Nash joined a Suns team with talented young players like Shawn Marion, Joe Johnson, and Amar'e Stoudemire. The season before Nash arrived, the Suns had a poor record of 29 wins and 53 losses. Coach Mike D'Antoni liked a fast-paced style of basketball, which fit Nash perfectly.

With Nash leading the way, the Suns had an amazing 62–20 record in the 2004–05 season, the best in the NBA. They scored 110.4 points per game, the highest in a decade. Nash averaged 11.5 assists per game and shot very well. He won the NBA MVP award, becoming the first Canadian to do so. In the 2005 playoffs, Phoenix reached the Western Conference finals but lost to the San Antonio Spurs.

In the 2005–06 season, Stoudemire was injured, and other key players were traded. Despite this, Nash led the team to a strong 54–28 record. He was voted to start for the 2006 Western All-Star team. Nash had career highs in points (18.8), rebounds (4.2), and shooting percentages. He led the league with 10.5 assists per game and won his second MVP award in a row. In the 2006 playoffs, Phoenix came back from a 3–1 deficit to beat the Los Angeles Lakers. They then beat the Los Angeles Clippers in seven games. However, for the second year in a row, the Suns lost in the conference finals, this time to his former team, Dallas.

In the 2006–07 season, Nash had another great year, averaging 18.6 points and a career-high 11.6 assists per game. He was almost MVP for a third time, finishing second to Dirk Nowitzki. In the 2007 playoffs, the Suns beat the Lakers but then lost to the Spurs in the conference semifinals.

Later Years in Phoenix

Nash with Shaquille O'Neal

Nash played in 81 games during the 2007–08 season. He led the Suns to 55 wins. His shooting remained excellent, as he continued to shoot over 50% from the field, 40% from three-point range, and 90% from the free throw line. He was named an All-Star for the sixth time. The Suns were defeated in the first round of the 2008 playoffs by the San Antonio Spurs. Nash was later named to the All-NBA Second Team.

Before the 2008–09 season, the Suns changed coaches, which led to a different style of play. The team struggled and missed the playoffs for the first time since Nash returned to Phoenix.

In the 2009–10 season, Nash and the Suns started strong. Nash had two games with 20 assists. He was named the starting point guard for the 2010 NBA All-Star Game. The Suns were the highest-scoring team in the league for the fifth year in a row. They made it to the Western Conference finals but lost to the defending champions, the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Suns made many changes to their team in the 2010–11 season. Key players left or were traded. The team struggled and missed the playoffs again. In February 2012, Nash was named to his eighth All-Star Game. He was leading the NBA in assists per game. On April 21, 2012, Nash passed Oscar Robertson for career assists. Despite his great play, the Suns missed the playoffs for the second year in a row.

Los Angeles Lakers (2012–2015)

Joining the Lakers

Nash with the Lakers

On July 11, 2012, the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Nash. He chose the Lakers because it felt like the best fit for him and his family. Nash changed his jersey number to 10 because his usual number 13 was retired by the Lakers in honor of Wilt Chamberlain. Nash, a big soccer fan, chose number 10 to honor famous soccer players who wore that number.

In his second game with the Lakers, Nash suffered a broken bone in his left leg. He was out for almost seven weeks. He reunited with his former coach, Mike D'Antoni, who became the Lakers' coach. On December 22, Nash returned to play. On January 8, 2013, Nash became the fifth player in NBA history to reach 10,000 career assists.

Nash struggled with injuries during the 2012–13 season, missing a career-high 32 games. He called it "the most frustrating" season of his career. The Lakers made the playoffs but were swept 4–0 by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round.

Final Seasons and Retirement

Nash with the Lakers in 2013

During the 2013–14 season, Nash continued to have nerve problems from his leg injury. He was sidelined for weeks at a time. On his 40th birthday, February 7, 2014, he scored a season-high 19 points. He was ruled out for the rest of the season in March but returned briefly due to other team injuries.

In July 2014, Nash announced that the 2014–15 season would be his last. However, during the preseason, he hurt his back again and was ruled out for the entire season. Nash said it was disappointing not to be able to play.

Nash officially announced his retirement from playing on March 21, 2015. He declined offers from other teams because of his health concerns and his wish to retire as a Laker.

Life After Playing Basketball

Consulting and Hall of Fame

On September 25, 2015, Nash became a part-time consultant for the Golden State Warriors. In his first season with the team, the Warriors had a record-breaking 73–9 season. The next season, the Warriors won the 2017 NBA Finals, giving Nash his first NBA championship, even though he was not playing.

In 2018, Nash was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He was honored alongside former teammates Jason Kidd and Grant Hill, and other basketball legends. In October 2021, Nash was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, recognizing him as one of the greatest players of all time.

Coaching Career

On September 3, 2020, Nash was announced as the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets. In March 2021, he was named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month. Nash led the Nets to a 48–24 record in his first season as head coach.

On October 27, 2022, Nash was ejected from a game for arguing with referees. On November 1, Nash and the Nets decided to part ways.

Podcasting and Broadcasting

In 2025, Nash joined LeBron James as a co-host on the second season of the basketball podcast Mind the Game. Nash also joined Amazon Prime's NBA coverage, starting in the 2025–26 NBA season.

National Team Career

Nash played for the Canadian national team for many years. At age 17, he was the youngest member of Team Canada at the 1991 Summer Universiade, where they won a silver medal.

In 1999, Nash led Canada to a silver medal at the 1999 Tournament of the Americas, which helped the team qualify for the Olympics for the first time in 12 years. He was named the tournament's MVP. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Nash led Canada to win their group. They were eliminated in the quarterfinals by France. Nash was very disappointed but hoped his play would inspire kids in Canada to play basketball.

Nash played for Canada one last time in 2003, leading the FIBA Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament in assists and winning MVP again. However, Canada finished fourth and missed out on the Olympics. In December 2007, he said he would no longer play for Canada.

On May 8, 2012, Nash became the general manager of the Canadian senior national team. He later moved to a senior advisor role in 2019.

Player Skills and Style

Nash is known for his dribbling, passing, and shooting abilities.

Nash was highly praised for his playmaking, ball-handling, and shooting skills. He led the league in assists five times. He also won the NBA Skills Challenge in 2005 and 2010. Nash had a 90.4% career free throw shooting average, which is one of the best in NBA history. He also had a 42.8% career three-point shooting average, ranking him among the top players ever.

Nash is one of only three point guards to win the NBA MVP award multiple times. He is also one of only four guards in NBA history to win back-to-back MVP awards. Many experts consider him one of the best point guards of all time.

Nash takes a jump shot while with the Suns. He is considered one of the best shooters in NBA history.

Nash was especially good at the pick and roll play, working well with teammates like Dirk Nowitzki and Amar'e Stoudemire. When Nash returned to Phoenix in 2004, he helped the Suns improve from a 29-win team to a 62-win team, reaching the conference finals and earning his first MVP award. With Nash leading the offense, the Suns were often the best shooting team in the league.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

Playoffs

College

Head Coaching Record

Awards and Achievements

NBA

• 2× NBA Most Valuable Player: 2005, 2006
• 8× NBA All-Star: 2002, 2003, 2005–2008, 2010, 2012
• 7× All-NBA selection:
  • First team: 2005–2007
  • Second team: 2008, 2010
  • Third team: 2002, 2003
• 2× NBA Skills Challenge winner: 2005, 2010
• 5× NBA regular season leader for assists per game: 2005 (11.5), 2006 (10.5), 2007 (11.6), 2010 (11.0), 2011 (11.4)
• 6× NBA regular season leader for total assists: 2005 (861), 2006 (826), 2007 (884), 2010 (892), 2011 (855), 2012 (664)
• 2× NBA regular season leader for free throw percentage: 2006 (.921), 2010 (.938)
• 7× NBA regular season leader for assists per 48 minutes: 2004 (12.6), 2005 (16.1), 2006 (14.2), 2007 (15.8), 2008 (15.5), 2010 (16.1), 2011 (16.4)
• 4× member of 50–40–90 club: 2006, 2008–2010
  • Has more 50–40–90 seasons than any other player in NBA history
  • One of only ten players to have ever shot 50–40–90
  • One of only three players (the others being Larry Bird and Kevin Durant) to have shot 50–40–90 more than once
• J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award: 2007
• Second-highest career free throw percentage in NBA history (minimum 1,200 career attempts), 90.42 percent
• Phoenix Suns Ring of Honor
• NBA 75th Anniversary Team

Other

• Lou Marsh Trophy: 2005
• 3× Lionel Conacher Award: 2002, 2005, 2006
• Order of Sport, inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2020–21

Sports Team Ownership

Nash has also been involved in owning sports teams. He wanted to bring Major League Soccer (MLS) to Vancouver, and he succeeded. He joined the ownership group of the USL-1's Vancouver Whitecaps team in 2008. In 2009, Vancouver was officially named a future MLS expansion city, joining the league in 2011. Nash sometimes attends practices for his co-owned team, now called Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

Nash was also an investor in Women's Professional Soccer, a league that started in 2009. He supported the league because he wanted his twin daughters to have female role models in sports.

In 2016, Nash became part of a group that bought a share in the Spanish soccer club Mallorca. This group also included Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver. In 2021, Nash, along with Wayne Gretzky and others, became owners in the National Lacrosse League's new Las Vegas team, the Las Vegas Desert Dogs.

Personal Life and Interests

Nash at the 2008 eTalk Festival Party, during the Toronto International Film Festival

In 2001, Nash met Alejandra Amarilla. They married in 2005 and had twin daughters and a son. They later separated. In 2016, Nash became engaged to Lilla Frederick, a former volleyball player. They married in September 2016 and have a son and a daughter together.

Nash's younger brother, Martin, played soccer for the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Canadian national soccer team. His younger sister, Joann, was the captain of the University of Victoria women's soccer team. She is married to former ice hockey player Manny Malhotra. Nash is also the godfather of Toronto Raptors star RJ Barrett.

Nash has a medical condition called spondylolisthesis, which causes muscle tightness and back pain. Because of this, he would often lie on his back instead of sitting on the bench during games to keep his muscles from getting stiff.

Charity Work

In 2001, Nash started the Steve Nash Foundation. This foundation helps kids by funding projects that support children affected by poverty, illness, or neglect. It also creates opportunities for education, play, and empowerment. The foundation focuses its work in Arizona and British Columbia.

Nash also supports the Steve Nash Youth Basketball League in British Columbia, which has over 10,000 participants. He has been involved with GuluWalk, a charity that helps children affected by war in northern Uganda. In 2007, Nash and Yao Ming played a charity basketball game in China that raised 2.5 million dollars for Chinese children in need.

In May 2006, Time magazine named Nash one of the 100 most influential people in the world. He was praised for his unselfishness and for being a "nice guy." He even paid for a new children's heart ward in a hospital in Paraguay. In 2007, Nash received Canada's highest civilian honor, the Order of Canada. In 2008, he received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame. He also received an honorary degree from the University of Victoria for his sports achievements and charity work.

Soccer Passion

Nash contemplated a soccer career before deciding to focus on basketball full-time.

Nash grew up playing soccer and still loves the sport. He once said he could have played professionally if he had focused on soccer. He is friends with many professional soccer players. During his off-season, he has trained with the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer.

Nash is a lifelong fan of the English soccer team Tottenham Hotspur. He has said he would be interested in owning a small part of the club after his basketball career. Nash is also a fan of Spain's Barcelona.

In 2008, Nash co-hosted "Showdown in Chinatown," a charity soccer game. He scored two goals in his team's victory. Famous players like Thierry Henry and Jason Kidd also participated. In 2013, Nash trained with the Italian soccer club Inter Milan. He also played in The Soccer Tournament in 2023.

Other Interests

Nash, Wayne Gretzky, Nancy Greene, and Catriona Le May Doan participate in the lighting of the Olympic cauldron at the 2010 Winter Olympics

Nash and a partner opened the first Steve Nash Sports Club in Vancouver in 2007. This high-end fitness facility reflects Nash's own ideas about staying fit.

In 2007, Nash wrote and produced a commercial for Nike called "Training Day," which became popular online. Nash also started a film production company with his cousin, Ezra Holland. They produced a commercial for Nike's eco-friendly Trash Talk shoe, which is made from recycled materials. Nash and Holland also co-directed the documentary Into the Wind, about Canadian athlete Terry Fox. In 2013, Nash appeared in a music video for the band Thirty Seconds to Mars.

At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Nash became the first NBA player to carry the torch and light the Olympic cauldron.

Nash has also spoken out about social issues. He wore a custom-made T-shirt to the 2003 NBA All Star Game that said: "No war – Shoot for peace." He has also spoken about issues like immigration and social justice.

Images for kids

• 

  Nash in 2009

See also

In Spanish: Steve Nash para niños