It would be hard to find anyone in NBA circles who has a bad word to say about Steve Nash, the basketball playerDuring his 18-year NBA career, Nash won two MVP awards, made four Western Conference Finals appearances, led the league in assists per game five times and appeared in eight NBA All-Star Games. Most importantly, Nash, head coach Mike D’Antoni and the Seven seconds or less for the Phoenix Suns ushered in a beautiful and exciting era of basketball. As for Steve Nash, the head coach…well, those results weren’t always so pretty.
Steve Nash has been hired as the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets. in September 2020, but in November 2022, that partnership ended. And to be clear, whatever you mean, it wasn’t for lack of success. Nash went 94-67 during his time as the Nets’ head coach and made the playoffs in each of his two full seasons with the team, including an Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 2021. No, Nash, Nets split over chemistry issues he had with the star players of the team, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Given the type of chemistry Steve Nash had with countless teammates throughout his career, it was a bit surprising that things didn’t work out with the Nets, but Durant and Irving are two of the most polarizing personalities in the NBA today, and Nash was clearly unprepared to handle those personalities. from the coach’s seat on the bench.
“I didn’t plan on coaching, but there was a unique situation in Brooklyn that knocked on my door,” Nash told The Washington Post this weekend. Goran Dragic’s retirement partyaccording to Cesare Milanti of EuroHoops.net. “The transition was quick. 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 these days.”
Steve Nash retired before the era of player empowerment was fully underway, so he may not have been used to seeing star players wield their power so consistently and recklessly. It doesn’t help that his two stars, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, were two of the league’s most vocal players in that regard.
Lessons Learned From Steve Nash’s Time at the Nets
Steve Nash hasn’t coached since leaving the Nets nearly two years ago, and from what we’re hearing, we shouldn’t necessarily expect him back on the bench anytime soon. It turns out the coaching experience wasn’t exactly what Nash expected.
“I was surprised when I was coaching because I wasn’t around the team a lot,” Nash said. “You get five minutes with the players before the game, at halftime and after the game. That’s the only time you address the team. 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.”
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Steve Nash is now 50, with a wife, children and various business interests, and these are the things that matter to him more than ever.
“Coaching has been a great experience. I didn’t set out to be a career coach. I don’t think coaching was going to be my career. I’m coaching my kids, teaching them about life. I’ve gained the ability to choose, and it’s rewarding. There are always projects, affiliates, and partnerships. I always have something to do, I’m focused on my family,” Nash continued.
The good news for Steve Nash is that he didn’t need his stint with the Brooklyn Nets to be a success for his NBA legacy to be secure.
