Steve Nash, as a rookie head coach, was tasked with leading a super team that featured three of the most polarizing personalities in the NBA.
The two years of experience with the Brooklyn Nets appear to have been more than enough for the 50-year-old, who has no desire to return to the bench anytime soon. While attending Goran Dragic’s farewell game in Slovenia, Nash spoke publicly about his tenure for the first time.
“Coaching was a great experience,” he said. said Cesare Milanti of Eurohoops“I didn’t want to be a career coach. I don’t think coaching was going to be my career. I coach my kids, I teach them about life. I’ve earned the ability to choose, and it’s rewarding. There are always projects, affiliates, and partnerships. I always have something to do. I focus on my family.”
“I didn’t plan on becoming a coach. There was a unique situation in Brooklyn that was knocking on my door,” Nash continued. “It was a quick transition. You have to deal with a different dynamic. A lot of it is managing the personalities between the front office, the players and the agents. That’s a big part of my job. All the dynamics, the personalities and the power that players have today.”
The star-studded cast of Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and James Harden never really got along, leading to the Big Three breaking up and Nash splitting up.
“I wanted to connect with each player individually. It’s important to create a culture and an environment where people believe in them and see them perform at their best. You have to feel like you want them to become the best version of themselves.”
Brooklyn has been in the midst of an identity crisis since Nash took over, a problem many are optimistic will be resolved under new head coach Jordi Fernandez.
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