How an Undersized Soccer Player HUMILIATED the NBA Elite

[@nbarealtalker]

The idea Nash didn’t deserve those MVP’s is revisionist history. In the mid 2000s, you could turn on a Suns game and literally see how he was dramatically impacting the team. He revolutionized the way the game was played.

[@connoryork6631]

I went back to watch Shaqs dominance. . . He was missing from not only from free throw but 7 feet out. There's a reason nobody but Shaq talks about Shaq. Fouling him was how teams stopped him

[@commodoor6549]

In 2005, Tim Duncan led the Spurs to a championship. In 2006, Dwayne Wade led the Heat to a championship. Both these guys won the Finals MVP. Suggesting Nash made a bigger impact than either Duncan or Wade is preposterous. In 2005, Shaq dominated. In 2006, Kobe dominated, scoring about 35 ppg, and having a much weaker supporting cast than Nash. Nash has the lowest stats of virtually every other MVP winner of all time. The numbers just weren't there. And if Nash was so good, why couldn't he win a championship with Dirk? And the worst part of his stats? A bone fide MVP should at least be in the running for all defensive team for those year. Nash's defense was nonexistent. And for someone to win MVP twice and not walk away with an NBA championship is incomprehensible. And lastly, if you win an MVP twice, you should be one of the all time greats. Nash just doesn't have that ranking. In 2005 and 2006, Nash was the DEI MVP.

[@connoryork6631]

@commodoor6549 tell me you're black without telling me. . .

[@raimedmzn]

Yup who doesn't agree are just plain watching the stats and not the actual games or most probably, didn't see Nash play in his prime.

[@nbarealtalker]

@@commodoor6549 the stat was literally taking a bottom feeder team from worst to first in the western conference. And as far as winning no titles goes, Nash had two lacklustre exits with the Mavs but on the Suns they had a combo of horrible luck and juggernaut opponents in the stacked west. You could literally turn on a Suns game and see him impacting everything on the floor. Nobody who was watching at the time debated his first one at all. On the contrary, his MVP status was talked about consistently the whole season. Like I said, the idea he shouldn’t have gotten those MVPs is revisionist history. At the time, everyone was talking about his impact.

[@hksalsatom]

I remember one of Steve Nash's best moves was cutting into the paint, dribbling around the big man under the basket, coming back out to the free throw line, then turning around shooting a very high percentage mid-range jumper when the big man doesn't follow him out close enough. Most of the big man wouldn't want to follow him out because there were Amare and Shawn Marion waiting to get his pass and dunk. But giving Nash an inch of daylight, he just turns 180 and shoots it in your face, with a exceptionally high percentage at mid range. His soccer trained footwork definitely made him so hard to follow when he dribble around the big men in and out of the paint. That's one of the best unguardable offensive moves in the league history, alongside Dirk's one-foot fade-away jumper.

[@mariodobric1322]

i remember watching him back then. He was the very definition of "tough cookie", reminded me of stockton a lot

[@rp1891]

Did you just say shitty soccer player? Excuse me. I grew up playing sports with Steve Nash, he was a phenomenal soccer player. His little brother played in premier league. His soccer IQ was what made him a great basketball player, pure and simple.

[@magoodada]

Wow, no offense brother. Im on your side

[@AdrianDavis-k1x]

He did plug his shifty business immediately after that buzz word.

[@gozumrafael]

Of course he deserves those 2 MVPs. He was spectacular to watch and was at that time a revolutionary style that is a joy to behold

[@joemarshall4226]

The way Steve changed the trajectory of the teams he was traded to is what makes him special.

[@CarharttCowboy]

Very well said

[@EbonKim]

Watching Steve Nash play was just so much fun to watch.

[@Sorcerer_Lynx]

5:47 : Coach "he is too slow for the game" Steve Nash some years later : Leader of the 7sec or less team 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@nickkemp4979]

On defense. From what I remember he was pretty awful at defense. I'm just a casual fan of basketball though so I might be wrong.

[@Sorcerer_Lynx]

@nickkemp4979 You are right for defense but thats not the part i was talking about 😉

[@nickkemp4979]

@@Sorcerer_Lynx But the scouts were talking about defense. "an easy target for quick guards to blow by."

[@Sorcerer_Lynx]

@nickkemp4979 They said he is too slow, thats to this sentence i was referring to. The quick guards thing is more a skill thing that a speed thing. Because its more about the way he can defend it than if he can catch up. Catching up to someone fast is not the same thing as being effective to stop them. Thats what the scouts were talking about here

[@stewarts8597]

It's why the NBA is losing fans because they just don't have players like Nash anymore. He would drive to the net and make passes that were creative that it was awe inspiring. Basketball use to be fun to watch because of players like Nash but now everyone shoots 3s and thats it.

[@deathbyscope]

Teams all had different styles of play as well. Why do teams that have no real shooters still jack up 3s?

[@dieKreTzn]

8:23 Nash and Nowitzki look like the freakin Backstreet Boys :D

[@stardustring]

Lol, they did

[@GeenoGab]

Nash may not be the GOAT, but he's my favorite player of all time. He orchestrated (NOT IMPLEMENT OR FORMULATED) the Run N' Gun 7 seconds or less offense that catapulted the type of game that is being played today.

[@feelthabreez3571]

He made me a basketball fan and a Spurs and Lakers hater! (then)🤭

[@zymegaucillama8611]

Kidd was already on the Nets for a few years before Nash's 2nd run with the Suns. Your info about that around the 11 minute mark is a bit misleading implying Kidd is the reason for the Sun's struggles while in reality, he lead the Nets to 2 straight Finals appearances.

[@losfp]

I'm not a huge basketball guy (I follow the Sydney Kings in the Australian league), but two games I've been to stand out in my mind. Australia vs Canada in the Sydney 2000 olympics, and Mavericks vs Lakers at Staples in 2012. The guy who cut up the team I was supporting each time? Steve Nash. As I said, I don't really follow basketball that closely but each time I was like "who the heck is this guy??? he's killing it". I was surprised to find out that it was the same player.

[@MacPhuck]

The year before he gets there, Phoenix is 29 and 53. His first year, they finish with 62 and 20. He and Quentin Richardson were the only changes in the roster. Now, I actually like Q as a player, but that turnaround was not him, not even kinda. Steve Nash was far and away the most valuable single player in the league that year. The next year, maybe not. Although you could make a solid argument for Nash, that year was Kobe's. (absolutely not for Shaq, he was the 2nd option, at best, on that Miami team)

[@havadd]

imagine being 6'3" and being seen as a smaller guy

[@CarharttCowboy]

In reality he was barely 6'1" maybe

[@hdvictoryford5329]

Saw SN when they came to play the 76er's. They still had S Bradley. SN was guarding AI. By the third quarter Nash had stole the ball from AI 5X! He had well over 20 points, and he harassed AI with his quickness. By the third quarter AI asked to be taken out of the game. Was AI embarrassed, just an off night, or did SN just make him look bad.

[@rayjones4616]

I was at that playoff game in San Antonio and am convinced that Horry did that on purpose, to lure some Suns suspensions. Robert was a smart cookie and a little under-handed as well.

[@windingroad9196]

I love Shaquille O'Neal... but come on, Shaq. 🤦‍♂️ The MVPs that seemed to have broken your heart.. sir, you weren't even the third in that conversation those years. And I get it.. he even got a ring without Kobe in one of those years. But Steve Nash was a dog his entire career... just like Shaq.

[@jfrd-pw4hk]

It was more of wanting to one-up Kobe than downplaying Steve lol.

[@windingroad9196]

@@jfrd-pw4hk It was only a few short years ago when I used to say that same thing, but... Shaq is still on this. He took it personally and still does.

[@Rulle666]

@@jfrd-pw4hk If that were true, Shaq would have stopped talking about it the day Kobe passed away. But he is still salty about it!

[@MrAkaacer]

Haha... Shaq wouldn't be Shaq if he didn't he was the best. It's ok, don't take offense. I doubt Shaq takes it as seriously as eveybody seems to think he does.

[@alexschu1245]

I remember when we drafted him. He quickly became my favorite player and I was devastated when he went to Dallas. I would run around in my yard pretending to be him shooting game winners at the last second.

[@Samhain2323]

My favorite point guard of all time !!! Steve Nash in my opinion is a top five point guard !!! 🇨🇦

[@robertorozco2951]

court vision, quick great shooter and passer who knew where everyone on the court was at all times

[@douglasthompson9482]

Steve’s dad taught my youngest daughter soccer. When I was in Phoenix in 2009 his dad told me to visit Steve but I never did. Funny my daughter had won several female trophies that Steve had won being a male. Pretty impressive…

[@BrandonAbel01]

Thank you. I remember how surprised I was that a small man (compared to the average) from somewhere I lived was making such a big splash in the NBA. This may be just home town legend but I heard he had a reputation even in elementary school soccer where his natural leadership ability would bring his team to victory so surely that his gym teacher had to switch him from one team to the other so that both could have a turn winning.

[@FlorisDVijfde]

Both Dirk and Steve had soccer backgrounds. Superb footwork!

[@jeredalmeida1880]

Lebron was actually a soccer player previous to his NBA aspirations.

[@ivanm1120]

And Kobe

[@5jump]

Hakeem Olajuwon played soccer as well.

[@jeredalmeida1880]

@5jump Hakeem The Dream is a marvel of science and athleticism. Is there anything he can't do?

[@paulreavley5900]

love the random clip of John Stockton (at Gonzaga) at 5:31 - seeing this kind of stuff - clips of look alikes, look similars, actors playing the subject, and sometimes totally random clips with really thin connections to the current topic that get included in the onslaught of continuous youtube content reshuffling.

[@jimmartin5464]

Could have been a pro in 4 different sports!!! And by that I'm sure he meant a pro's pro. Mind blown!!! The guy was a friggin magician. He could simultaneously humiliate and demoralize without even breaking a sweat! The better you thought you were, the more fun he had embarrassing you. We LOVE you Steve. You exemplified the way the game was meant to be played. And for hardcore bball fanatics like me, you were the stuff dreams are made of. Thank you always.

[@YitroBenAvraham]

I wish there was a team in the NBA like these Suns nowadays. Not just 3 point contest every night.

[@awesomereviews1561]

Context matters: Nash had his breakout once they completely removed handcheck defense. That enabled him to do things that he couldn’t do before.

[@raylopez99]

Same for Stephen Curry I believe, who when I first saw him I thought would never last in the NBA due to his body size.

[@coolioso808]

What is 'handcheck' defense, exactly? Is it letting the defense put one of their hands on the body of the opponent and not be called for a foul? Is it being able to slap the hand when touching the ball and also not be called a foul?

[@senorpepper3405]

​@coolioso808 from my understanding it's the defender checking the ball dribbler with their hand, usually on their shoulder, to prevent them from getting by the defender. Saw it a lot in the 90s.

[@coolioso808]

@@senorpepper3405 ok, thanks, I thought it was something like that. Defence is crazy hard in basketball with no contact allowed. Hand check would make a difference if it was allowed, but NBA has so many reffing problems with players getting away with carry and travel that I don't know if a hand check rule would really change much.

[@senorpepper3405]

@coolioso808 yeah, I understand. The game now is geared to give all advantages to the offense. I do miss the old days when basketball was a real physical sport.

[@jameswaters3939]

Arizona fans were taken aback by their early exit against Santa Clara. Thanks Nash. Go CATS!

[@YitroBenAvraham]

Best footwork I have ever seen in basketball. He hit angles like a boxer out there.

[@anesthetizedangel4845]

I remember watching those championships. Both the Kings and the Suns were robbed by the refs during that era.

[@z.w.7995]

0:45 I'm guessing this is referring to Nash winning back-to-back NBA MVP.

[@jamesbonocan3018]

Sad to see him not winning an NBA ring

[@persistentintensity]

I loved watching Nash during my years living in PHX! I hated how they beat him up when they couldn't stop him... I think Caitlin Clark's game looks familiar!

[@scarletspider1240]

But remember though..today’s players are the most skilled and talented of any generation…as if I didn’t see guys like Nash with my own two eyes. 🙄 The level of talent guys like Nash played with is like nothing you’ll see in today’s lame ass 3 chucking era.

[@jerryigalcioi8935]

no proof..no defense makes a player skillful..do u really think theyre that skillful when defense are played?.NO.

[@stalwartzero7001]

Nash was my idol growing up

[@amazingone-il6ty]

Best point guard ever. Love from Philippines

[@MrMarumari]

Shoutouts from Victoria, BC! Steve Nash country. Thx for the great vid

[@HenryHoops]

thank you!

[@ThuanTran-nv9yb]

Nash and Kidd's NBA careers are similar and related. Came back to the team that they were originally drafted and had success. Kidd getting the chip and Nash getting 2 MVPs. Begs the question. Who had the better career?

[@derekjuarez9762]

Barkley didn’t fuck around. Not many guys would be willing to throw the basketball at Shaqs head, then Chuck throws him to the ground after Shaq went at him.

[@urtypus]

thx for sharing !

[@nigelenglish3650]

so glad I grew up watching this version of the NBA 🙏

[@richardfriedlander8281]

Robert Horry cost Steve Nash the NBA championship when he blindsided him. He was a punk. Steve wasn't the same after that probably had a concussion.

[@vincenthammons-kd9du]

robert Horry did not cost him, david stern did, rob just cheap shotted him

[@ultimatechrisso6592]

Imagine Dirk and Steve together for 10 years in their prime

[@raimedmzn]

I really miss watching this era of basketball. All competitive. Back in the day that we can be fans of all the stars and have respect to our opposing team's stars. It wasn't as toxic as today where Bron can't get enough of their delusions and constant hating on Jordan, his era, Steph, the Warriors, Jokic, the Nuggets and whoever, who they felt didn't help LeBron as a teammate and those stars that eliminated their idol. So toxic!

[@zlatcobajric1168]

The absolutely worst and most unfair SUSPENSIONS which caused the SPURS to beat the SUNS n win the title that yr. Horry tackles Nash into the billboards and of course Suns players react to such a deliberate, on purpose injury prone foul ... the result is: Horry is suspended for two games, Amare is suspended for two games and Diaw is also suspended for one game which was the biggest joke ever completely giving the series to the Spurs who were down 2-3 and ended up winning in game 7

[@jasonhiggins6236]

Nash is for sure in the top 10 true points.. top 15 if you count stretch point / 2 guards

[@CarharttCowboy]

One of the best ever from the free throw line

[@bankrobber916]

Dirk probable would have won a championship earlier if Nash was paid. It's crazy that Nash played that long it doesn't even feel like it.

[@satelitemikedatapro2498]

His eyes are on the side of his head like a bird giving him excellent court vision

[@mikezeminsky1493]

“How a shitty soccer…..” 🤣

[@jake6932]

6 foot 3 "little" lol

[@MYOB100]

Fantastic video, thanks.

[@Ram-b1f2v]

Always remember that Nash broken nose just casually fix it himself. One eye vs spurs that's tough in today standards this superstar today doesn't play if they have headaches

[@fixer1972]

As a Mavericks fan (grew up on the Brad Davis Mavericks) in the early 2000s, it is refreshing to hear it from Mark Cuban that it was the worst mistake he made, if he had kept Nash together with Dirk, it would have been a dynasty. Their pick and roll/pop was better than Stockton/Malone.

[@AndrewLida]

Nash moved like the freaking Teen Wolf!

[@BenjaminLascanoPadillaIV-xf7gx]

Steve Nash 20 pts 10 ast per game beat LeBrons 31 pts 8 rebounds 7 asst per game wtf

[@ericmol2614]

It's actually the Sun's coach who changed the pace of the game but Steve was the right player to put that together. Cuban made a huge mistake but it's great he went to the Sun's.

[@MichaelKing015]

Until the playoffs start when everyone makes fun of him LOL

[@peterkim2185]

The downfall of suns was not letting Nash shoot more...

[@CarharttCowboy]

His brother Martin was a professional soccer player in Canada and his brother in law Manny Malhotra was an NHL player

[@yanncarduner4516]

Excellent video thanks

[@jayh6227]

Nash was mobile, accurate and savvy. Same as Mugsey. You can't make a short guy taller, so he has to be better.

[@pooky2626]

When he signed my Hockey Hall of Fame Program at the NHL awards

[@CarharttCowboy]

He was the dominant point guard of his generation

[@TheRacerG]

He took it personally...so they broke his nose. He still went on to win 2 MVPs.

[@brianroyster7510]

Lute Olsen had a tough run with some very good Arizona teams. Seems like everybody beat him in the first round.

[@ManuOviedo-d6b]

Brains, same as Jokic!

[@CarharttCowboy]

Listed at 6'3" but in reality barely 6'1"

[@michaelantonio6643]

Horry was always clutch lol

[@iabdgogogo1234letsgo]

That play by Horry was dirty.

[@Corduroy2896]

Nash made the worse to best team.

[@CP-us4cs]

guy was real deal

[@michaellacross5266]

I think Steve Nash is a great person and player. Both his MVP's had controversy. 2004-05 Shaq had a MVP year, and the voting, as I recall, was really close. But that wasn't the controversy. The controversy came when the "definition" of MVP came into question. You can give it to either, but what changed in 2004-05 was the revelation that sportswriters have a solid BIAS. When pushed as to explain their criteria, they changed the definition of what an MVP is, or should be. That's the controversy. I have no problem Nash getting it over Shaq...or vice versa. Now, in 2005-06, there were 3 players that had better seasons than Nash. Kobe, LeBron, and Dirk. Nobody debates it. But as if to justify the previous years snub to Shaq, those same sportswriters doubled down on their definition, and gave it to Nash again. The controversy in 05-06 was both definition, AND...the fact that 3 players had better years by any metric. I almost thought the NBA was going to TAKE AWAY the media's vote for the award after 2006. But low and behold...the media wised up, knew they were going to lose the privilege of voting for the MVP, and decided it's better to go with the more conventional definition of what a MVP means.

[@CarharttCowboy]

He was never the same after the Robert Horry cheap shot

[@1125Mig]

In my opinion, one of the smartest, if not the smarter player of all time. Many hours of studying and analyzing ply’s and players

[@rickstout01]

Calling Nash a soccer player is like calling MJ a baseball player. ANYONE can play soccer but that was far from his best sport.

[@neojazex]

You gotta mention Steve Kerr was the GM who made that Marion for Shaq trade 🤦

[@bryancook3233]

Sorry Pal... Drop the droid voice over. Nash was a Beast.

[@GymRat7274]

Best pure offensive player ever including Jordan. Nashe’s teams outscored Jordan’s team 100% of the time.

[@Gidoza]

As good as Steve Nash is, he was no John Stockton, John was better on both ends and defensively Stockton was elite. I'm from Canada and he's a hero but Stockton was better player overall.

[@jesseredden7123]

If you look at their stats they are surprisingly close.

[@UK2K1990]

Bro Steve Nash is like 6'3

[@blademan4089]

2nd favourite player after the Legend

[@martinheinrichs4867]

Sadly Nash had kind of short Prime and late career Injury Problems like Bird. I think if he had a 3-4 year longer prime he would have a better historic standing.

[@user-bi5dz3ed7w]

Nash is a great but he's on record saying Stockton is an All time great for good reason. Stockton was 34 when Nash came to the league. Head to head 16-11 for John with John also being a 5 time all defensive player.

[@jamisonweaver3711]

It might have been revolutionary in the States, but D'antoni had been using it in Europe for years. & beating the shit outta the whole damn continent.

[@nachobizness1231]

i hated, absolutely abhorred those cheap shot artists spurs.

[@metomhub]

bruce bowen sacking nash in the playoffs, mavs v spurs was horrible

[@coolioso808]

I notice in history of sports, many teams have won Championships with dirty tactics. They get a few cheap shot artists to go after key players and disrupt things and let their own star players take over. Nice guys and nice teams lose Championships in pro sports? Is that common? Have there been any teams without a dirty player who have won championships?

[@nachobizness1231]

@ bruce bowan stepping underneath a player when they’re landing from a jumpshot is going way past a little dirty play… sure, rodamn played a little on the dirty side, but i never saw him pull that type of garbage when the bulls won those 3 championships. it also came back around when the same thing happened to Kwan, go back and watch popovich’s comments about that, acting like bowan wasn’t doing the exact same thing all around the league when he played for the spurs.

[@pjcoholan]

First of all, I am Canadian and I love Steve Nash and what he did for the sport and inspiring Canadian youth to play basketball over hockey. But let's be honest. Yes Nash may have beaten Kobe in a series or two in his prime. Nash never beat Lebron in his prime outside of a regular season game, and same can be said for Shaq, The three aforementioned players all have rings and Nash has none. Lets not conflate.

[@dannyk847]

Nash pick by the suns was a develop and sell pick. They were stacked and all the "good" picks were taken. So, take a good young player, develop him and sell him for profit. Business

[@randygraham926]

Except it was a terrible trade because the Suns didn't get anyone for him. Don Nelson robbed Danny Ainge like he was a blind man. He did the same thing to the Bucks that year -- traded Robert 'Tractor' Traylor to get Nowitzki. The player the Suns got for Nash was out of the league in a year or two. As was the Tractor. 😂

[@bigradwolf5001]

Jason Richardson and Leandro Barbosa like Nash's ex-wife.

[@whenniceguysretaliate5619]

Nice. Great video.

[@mythicalnoodlez9997]

Why is this getting no views?

[@rick5482]

Shaq was a blocking back in the NBA. Not a position authorized by NBA rules. (that's football guys)

[@ihurtmyi90]

Damn I always thought nash was 5'6 or something like that mans as tall if not a little taller than me? I feel lied to

[@vincenthammons-kd9du]

Nash was robbed of a ring, and spurs were gifted another

[@MrJayb76]

Mark Cuban is really good at destroying winning teams. 20yrs with a franchise and only 2 trophy.

[@G17-k6f]

Steve Nash was like 6'3 6'4 he just wasnt an explosive athlete.

[@DeliaHale-oy2vh]

Caitlin Clark plays just like him.

[@eytonshalomsandiego]

spectacular to watch.

[@RaptorJesus316]

I always find it funny when someone talk about NBA players as one of the best athlete in all of sports.