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Two-time MVP Steve Nash inducted into Phoenix Suns’ Ring of Honor
The Suns inducted Steve Nash into the organization’s Ring of Honor on Friday, a recognition bestowed upon influential front-office executives, coaches and players throughout the team’s history. Nash, who formally announced his retirement in March at 41, was honored at halftime of Phoenix’s 110–92 home victory over Portland.
The two-time MVP and future Hall of Famer joined former Suns players Alvin Adams, Charles Barkley, Tom Chambers, Water Davis, Connie Hawkins, Kevin Johnson, Dan Majerle, Dick Van Arsdale and Paul Westphal as Ring of Honor members. Nash was drafted by the Suns in ’96 and spent two seasons in Phoenix before he was traded to the Mavericks. He later returned in ’04 and guided the “Seven Seconds or Less” Suns to the Western Conference finals three times before he was traded to the Lakers in ’12. All told, Nash ranked third in games played, first in assists and seventh in points in Suns franchise history.
The Ring of Honor ceremony was highlighted by a speech from Nash, who joked that he was given “a lot of drinks” as soon as he received the microphone. He went on to thank former coaches Mike D’Antoni and Alvin Gentry, his parents, his children, his former Suns teammates, and the Suns’ well-regarded training staff.
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“I love being a part of a team,” Nash said. “I love being a teammate. I love building something. I love putting the pieces together. I love thinking, ‘I’m not very good at this, but I am good at this, so what can I do to help you be better at this.’ Trying to find a way to make it all work, to encourage and support and be creative and try to figure out how to make this thing better than it looks. My teammates were amazing, they were incredible.”
A banner bearing Nash’s last name, his face and his jersey No. 13 was unveiled by the Suns’ Gorilla mascot at the conclusion of Nash’s speech, which ran 13 minutes long and delayed the start of the second half.
Some of Nash’s other notable lines included ...
On his mother: “She is tough as nails. ... I could never p--- out on anything because I know my mom would give me the side eye.”
On his young children: “I wish they could have seen me do my thing. But they’ll have to go to YouTube.”
On his teammates: “When people ask me about my career and what I remember, I remember the locker room, the plane, the cold tub, the weight room, the bus, dinners on the road. That’s what I remember. I don’t remember the baskets or the series.”
On the Suns’ training staff: "They took care of me day after day after day. ... I wanted to punch their lights out every five seconds but at the same time wanted to hug them the next minute. They took amazing care of me and I’m so grateful. They’re teammates.”
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On the Suns’ fans: “I feel like I’m in my living room right now. ... The biggest thing I want to say is that you guys are the best. The fans you supported me, loved me, we went through bad times together, great times together. It’s incredible to think you guys up there on the top shelf, you couldn’t even tell what my number was, you would come out every game, the arena was always sold out, it was always loud, you’d always be in jerseys. For you guys to make that commitment, I will never, ever, ever be able to tell you how much that meant to me. You really touched me.”
On his fellow Ring of Honor members: “Squad! ... I think of them like my idols.”
On Charles Barkley: “I’m not as good of a speechmaker as the Chuckster. I wasn’t as good of a basketball player as the Chuckster either.”
On his lasting friendships: “I had incredible friends that supported me and were there for me. They would come and watch me play all over the place, get in fights with fans in other arenas. They really motivated me. Two of my buddies were flying to Sacramento to see this playoff series, and they were going to get really drunk and cause a lot of problems. I appreciated that.”
Photos: Classic shots of Steve Nash
Rare Photos of Steve Nash
circa 1975
The two-time NBA MVP was born in Johannesburg, South Africa on Feb. 7, 1974.
1980s
His father played professional soccer and the family lived in a number of places before setting in Victoria City near Vancouver.
1980s
Like most Canadian boys, Nash quickly fell in love with hockey. His favorite team was the Vancouver Canucks and his favorite player was Wayne Gretzky. He also played lacrosse and rugby, but didn't discover basketball until the eighth grade.
1995
Though he was one of the top basketball players in Canada, Nash was not highly regarded as a recruit. The only scholarship offer he received was to Santa Clara, on the condition that Nash improve his suspect defense.
1995
Nash was an immediate hit on the court, leading Santa Clara to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in five years. The No. 15 Broncos upset Arizona in the first round before losing to Temple the following game. Despite the loss, Nash had Santa Clara on the national radar. He would lead the team to two more tournament appearances over the next three years as he garnered a reputation as one of the nation's top point guards.
1996
Nash was selected by Phoenix with the 15th pick in the first round. He was considered the best pure point guard in the draft, compared to the natural scorers like Allen Iverson and Stephon Marbury, who were also listed at the position.
1997
Nash also competed for the Canadian National Team, culminating in the team's appearance at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. He also captained the team in 2004, but it did not qualify for an Olympic spot. In this photo, Nash drives around Cuba's Yudi Abreu during a Tournament of the Americas game in Montevideo, Uruguay.
2001
After two mediocre seasons in Phoenix, Nash was traded to Dallas for Martin Muursepp, Bubba Wells, Pat Garrity and a first-round draft pick. The Mavs struggled at first, but the drafting of Dirk Nowitzki and the acquisition of Michael Finley and Juwan Howard turned the Mavericks into contenders. The person with the biggest impact on Dallas' success was Mark Cuban, who purchased the team in 2000 and instantly turned them into contenders.
2002
Under Cuban (second from left), the Mavs capitalized on the NBA's growth in international players including Eduardo Najera (Mexico), Wang Zhizhi (China), Steve Nash (Canada), Tariq Abdul-Wahad (France) and Dirk Nowitzki (Germany).
2002
Nash poses with the Western Conference All-Stars during the NBA's 2002 All-Star Weekend in Philadelphia. The point guard dished out nine assists in the team's 135-120 triumph.
2003
Nash and then-Mavericks teammate Dirk Nowitzki take in an April 2003 Rangers game. The two made quite the tandem that year, with Nash averaging 17.7 points and 7.3 assists per game and Nowitzki racking up 25.1 points per game. Dallas advanced to the Western Conference Finals before falling to the San Antonio Spurs.
2005
Nash shows off his soccer skills as Sports Illustrated writer Jack McCallum looks on.
2005
Established as one of the most unselfish players in the league, Nash received some hardware of his own in 2005. Jerry Colangelo presents him with the MVP Trophy, the first of two consecutive seasons he'd bring home the award.
2005
A fan-favorite, Nash squats to high-five one of his young admirers during a charity basketball event.
2007
The view from above as Nash brings up the ball against Devin Harris and the Mavericks.
2007
Known for his gritty play, Steve Nash bumped heads with Tony Parker, who had possession of the ball, late in the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals. Nash sustained a deep cut on his nose that bled profusely for the remainder of the game.
2007
Never the tallest player in the NBA, the 6-foot-3 Nash looked shorter than ever when stationed next to the 7-foot-5 Yao Ming. Luckily, he's usually asked to guard Aaron Brooks and not the Chinese standout when Phoenix takes on Western Conference foe Houston.
2008
Nash celebrates with Thierry Henry during the Showdown in Chinatown celebrity soccer match in New York City. A multi-sport talent, Nash also put his soccer skills on display during the 2005 Slam Dunk contest, heading a pass to Amare Stoudemire to spark a spectacular jam.
2008
A celebrity off the court as well as on it, a sharply-dressed Nash takes a photo with then-wife Alejandra Amarilla. The couple have three children together and announced their divorce just one day after the birth of their son, Matteo, who was born on Nov. 12, 2010.
2008
Taking in a baseball game, Nash watches the New York Yankees play the Boston Red Sox. He's an avid fan of baseball, soccer and hockey in addition to the NBA.
2009
Nash's versatility extends beyond the court, as he served as a reporter for the Late Show with David Letterman before a 2009 Finals game between the Magic and Lakers. Here, his interview subject is Jeff Van Gundy.
2010
The first NBA player ever to carry the Olympic Torch, Nash hoists the flame during the opening ceremonies for the 2010 Vancouver Games. He helped light the cauldron with fellow countrymen Wayne Gretzky, Nancy Greene and Catriona Lemay Doan.
2010
A dynamic duo, Nash and Amar'e Stoudemire share an embrace during Game 2 of the 2010 Western Conference Finals. The Suns would drop the contest 124-112, but would stun the Lakers for victories in Games 3 and 4 to even the series at two. They suffered hard-fought losses in Games 5 and 6, though, as Los Angeles went on to claim a repeat NBA title.
2010
Holding his twin daughters Lola and Bella, Nash takes a picture after the World Cup Final. The girls were born on Oct. 14, 2004.
2010
Nash smiles for the camera with Ezra Holland before the premiere of their movie "Into the Wind." The story, Nash's filmmaking debut, details the tale of Terry Fox, a marathon runner trying to raise cancer awareness. It was featured in ESPN's 30 for 30 campaign.
2011
Phoenix Suns teammates Nash and Grant Hill pose with some groceries during this SI shoot, prior to each player's last season with the team. Hill would join the Clippers for his final season, while Nash would sign with the Lakers, after which HIll said in regards to Nash, "That's like transferring from Duke and going to Carolina."
2012
Dwight Howard has some fun with Nash during this SI photo shoot, prior to both players' first season with the Los Angeles Lakers.
2013
Nash, the league's oldest active player at 40, appeared in just 15 games during the 2013-14 season while dealing with ongoing back and nerve injuries.
2014
Nash works some drills following the 2013-14 season
2014
Nash poses with recently retired NFL tight end Tony Gonzalez at the 2014 Sports Spectacular Gala.
2015
Nash jogs in Miami Beach in January.
2015
Nash poses at his home in Manhattan Beach, Calif., just one day prior to officially announcing his retirement from the NBA.
Ben Golliver is a staff writer for SI.com and has covered the NBA for various outlets since 2007. The native Oregonian and Johns Hopkins University graduate currently resides in Los Angeles.