Flush

You totally made that up. He was never coming to Toronto. It was between Dallas and Phoenix

trick

Actually, in the first year of Phoenix he was quoted as saying, "surprised the Raptors didn't make a firm offer for him" (paraphrased). Of course, this was during the time when the team still had Alvin, JYD, Antonio and Hakeem's contract on the books leaving very little, or none at all, room for someone like Nash (fresh out of Dallas).

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Flush

That is VERY different than "he was going to go to either the Suns or the Raptors"

Victor Page

Can you explain why everyone is ok with Nash resting his back every time since 2000 while guys like Nowitzki, Gasol, Ginobili, Parker, etc....bust their chops almost every summer for their national teams?

Can you imagine the backlash if Sidney Crosby decided to skip the 2010 Olympics to rest himself for the NHL season? The media would eat him alive.

The Canadian media fawn over Steve Nash like no one I've ever seen. Sure he's a great player, and I like the fact that he's doesn't endorse every product he can get his hands on, but when will anyone hold him accountable for not playing for Canada?

shapeshifter

I think there are a couple of reasons for this 1) He is going to be 33 in feb. 2)He feels obligated(Suns signed him at age 30 to a 63 mil. 6 yr deal) to be as healthy as he can be so he can help the Suns win a championship and 3) Canadian basketball was kind of in limbo over the last 5 yrs, and in the past he didn't want to a risk injury or fatigue by playing for a re-building Team Canadian. However, i'm not ruling out seeing him one day playing for Team Canada.

Steve Nash is an enigma in todays sports world. Most athletes appear to peak around 30 yrs of age and regress from there. Steve is going to be 33 and appears to be getting better each year, no doubt due to his ability to take care of his body.

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“The day Science begins to study nonphysical phenomena, it will make more progress in one decade than in all previous centuries of its existence.” NIKOLA TESLA

trick

apples and clementines.

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Victor Page

Nash stopped playing for Canada in 2000 when he was about 26. The national program has been in limbo because guys like Nash and Magloire don't play. Remember, Canada finished 6th at the 2000 games - not exactly in limbo.

It doesn't matter who the coach is, it doesn't matter how much he gets paid (tons of international players are big money guys).

Nash is arguably the best point guard in the entire world. Not having him play for the national team set basketball back in this country - no matter how many clinics he runs, he does not deserve the title "local hero". (he did back in 2000, when he led Canada to a thrilling run in Sydney).

speedythief

Nash has spondylolisthesis, not just a wonky back. Most people with that condition are advised not to exert themselves too much. Nash never complains about his back or makes excuses but it is a serious situation that he has to be aware of and take extra care to overcome. Giving up an off-season to toil for an understaffed Canadian team could cut his career short.

I'm telling you this because in a way his tenure in the NBA is exponentially more important to Canadian basketball than his longstanding membership with the Canadian mens program. Despite captaining the National Team in 2000 and 2004, and winning the Lou Marsh Trophy in 2005, Nash's greatest influence on the game in Canada is his play in the NBA--where he can prove that a skinny Canadian kid (by way of South Africa) can compete with the greatest the United States and the world has to offer.

And he does this with a causal, humble, politically aware, philanthropic style that is arguably the best example set forward by any pro athlete out there. Nash will probably coach the team in the future, anyways.

And by the way, his youth league in British Columbia is one of the reasons basketball is the fastest growing sport in the country. That league alone has something like 12,000 members and will likely be a major source of instruction and talent for the Canadian program in the future.