Even though he didn’t play a game for the Los Angeles Lakers this season, Steve Nash was still very important in the growth of rookie point guard Jordan Clarkson. Nash worked with Clarkson on a number of different occasions throughout the season as the rookie looked to improve as a pure point guard.
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In an interview with Mark Medina of the LA Daily News, Nash revealed some of the things he worked on with the rookie:
I tried to give him tips on creating space for himself,” Nash said of Clarkson. “If he creates space for himself, space will open up for him to pass the ball. Then the decisions will become clearer and easier to make.”
Clarkson wasn’t the only person Nash helped with as he also helped out rookie Julius Randle and second-year forward Ryan Kelly via Medina:
Nash advised Lakers rookie forward Julius Randle on tweaking his shooting mechanic. Nash also helped Lakers forward Ryan Kelly become more fluid with his movement after nursing overlapping hamstring injuries that kept him out last season for a combined 30 games.
Nash has always been one of the smartest players in the NBA and imparting that knowledge on the young Lakers players will only help them. The fact that he is willing to work with these guys in his spare time says a lot about his loyalty to the Lakers despite the disappointment surrounding his time in Los Angeles.
While he didn’t make the impact everyone hoped he would, Nash is still playing a major role in the future of the Lakers, which is definitely commendable.
[divide]2015 Lakers Exit Interviews: Jordan Clarkson