Future Hall of Famer Steve Nash announced his retirement in an article he wrote for The Players Tribune over the weekend. Though most suspected his announcement was nearing, with less than a month left in the regular season, few thought it would come before the end of the season.
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On Sunday, Los Angeles Lakers head coach Byron Scott reflected on Nash’s career and how his success has impacted the NBA.
He’s just an unbelievable person, along with being an unbelievable basketball player… and one of the smartest point guards I’ve ever seen, too. He made the point guard position much more relevant at that size, than it was back in the 1980s. The league will miss Steve, because he was truly one of the better people that had been in this league in a long time.”
The Lakers had announced before the start of the 2014-15 season, that Nash had been ruled out for the season due to nerve root issues, and it was reported that Nash had held off announcing his retirement, as a favor to the franchise.
High hopes for Nash finishing out his career on top in Los Angeles, dwindled after Nash’s unexpected broken leg injury and the subsequent nerve issues which would ultimately end his career.
Like many do, Scott remembers Nash as a player who truly had more fun passing the ball, something that is hard to come by in the current NBA. Scott said he thought the player that most closely resembles Nash in the NBA today, would have to be Chris Paul, whom he coached in New Orleans. Scott said both would rather “give the glory” than take it themselves.
A few hours earlier, Paul told ESPN Deportes’ Gonzalo Aguirregomezcorta about his excitement the first time he knew he was going to play against Nash.
When I was in college I used to watch Steve all the time. I’ve got this picture on my phone of my first time playing against him in Baton Rouge. It was after Hurricane Katrina. The night before the game, I couldn’t sleep because I just wanted to play against him so bad to measure myself. It’s sad to see him retiring with what he did for the game, what he did for point guards and what he did for the league, changing it to this fast-paced type of game is unquestionable.”
Unfortunately for both Nash and the Lakers, he never achieved what he set out to do, when he came to Los Angeles, finish his career with an NBA championship. But, Nash will forever be remembered as one of the best point guards the NBA has ever seen.
[divide]WATCH: Steve Nash’s Final Media Day