Steve Nash is a 1992 SMUS grad who starred in basketball, soccer and rugby. He led the 1992 hoop squad (considered by many the best ever in BC High School Basketball history) to the provincial AAA crown, and was a key figure, playing at fullback, in the provincial rugby champions of the same year.

Upon graduation, Steve enrolled at NCAA Division 1 Santa Clara University, and went on to become the greatest player in school history. In his freshmen year, he led the upstart Broncos to the West Coast Conference championship, winning MVP honors in the process, and was a key figure in Santa Clara's opening round NCAA victory over heavily favored Arizona.

Before graduating from Santa Clara, Steve had set school records for points and assists, had been named (twice) the Conference Player of the Year, and performed spectacularly in a further two NCAA tournaments. He was voted a Third Team All-America, and was a finalist for the prestigious Wooden Award, awarded annually to the premier college basketball player in the country. En route, sparked by his inspired play and outstanding leadership, the Broncos were regularly ranked in the national Top 25 polls, and beat several traditional powerhouses, including Maryland and UCLA.

By the end of his collegiate career, not only had Steve been the subject of a book "Long Shot - The Steve Nash Story", but had been featured in a Sports Illustrated "Little Magic" article. In the 1996 NBA draft, he was selected in the first round, 15th overall, by the Phoenix Suns.

After two successful seasons in Phoenix, Steve was part of a multi player deal between the Suns and Dallas Mavericks. The first two seasons in Dallas were not without problems, as back and ankle injuries limited his effectiveness. But 2000-2001 proved to be a breakthrough year for both him and the team. His fine play at the point (in the league top 20 in 5 offensive categories), in tandem with snipers Michael Finley and Dirk Nowitski, saw the team win over 50 games in league, and defeat the powerhouse Utah Jazz in the first round of the playoffs.

The NBA aside, unquestionably Steve's finest hour came representing Canada at the 2000 Olympics. Having first performed miracles in a qualifying tournament the year before in Puerto Rico, Steve led an unfancied group of overachievers to a 5-2 record and overall 7th place finish in Sydney. The final placing hardly did justice to the team, which upset pre tournament favorites Australia and Yugoslavia to top its pool, before a gutwrenching quarterfinal defeat against France. In the process, Steve and the team literally captured the hearts of the nation, with scribes worldwide forced to admit that the best NBA player at the event "did not play for the USA Dream Team".

Fresh off Olympic glory, Steve then enjoyed several more outstanding seasons in Dallas, leading the team to the playoffs every year, with one appearance in the Western Division Finals. His brilliant play resulted in three NBA All-Star appearances, while the Mavericks high-octane offence, with Steve at the controls, won many admirers around the world.

All looked set for Steve to finish his career in Dallas, and few expected his July, 2004 decision to sign as a free agent with the Phoenix Suns, the team that had originally drafted him back in 1996.

The Mavericks apparently were wary about Steve’s age and ability to last the rigours of an NBA season, and so chose not to match the Suns multi-year contract offer.

Back in Phoenix, Steve has simply excelled, as the conductor of the most explosive offensive juggernaut the league has seen for a long time. Sparked by his superb passing, court vision and charismatic leadership, all his teammates enjoyed career years, while the Suns engineered a remarkable 33 game win-loss turnaround to win the NBA regular season title.

Steve’s absolutely amazing play was rewarded recently with his being named the league’s Most Valuable Player, in a close decision over the Miami Heat’s Shaquille O’Neal. As perhaps the most unlikely candidate ever, Steve joins legendary NBA superstars such as Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan as a winner of the league’s most prestigious individual award.

Many pundits across the globe consider his capturing the MVP award among the finest, if not the finest, sporting accomplishment ever by a Canadian. High praise indeed.

Congratulations, Steve - SMUS class of 1992. NBA MVP in 2005.

VIVAT!

Ian Hyde-Lay
Director of Athletics