Long-Retired Former Hall of Fame Laker to Suit Up For All-Star Tribute Game

Ricardo Sandoval | Aug 18, 2024

Apr 21, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol (16), and center Dwight Howard (12), and guard Steve Nash (10) during a time out against the San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center. The Spurs won 91-79. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports / Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Former Los Angeles Lakers guard Steve Nash will play in a farewell game for former NBA guard Goran Dragic.

The game will take place on Saturday, Aug. 24. Dragic announced his return from the game of basketball in late Dec. The game will be titled "The Night of the Dragon," and the game will be played at Stozice Arena in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Dragic's home country.

Nash, along with other current and former players, such as Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Dirk Nowitzki, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Luis Scola, Dejan Bodiroga, Predrag Danilovic, Nikola Vucevic, and Rasho Nesterovic, will attend the game and participate in it. Basketball Hall of Famer and two-time NBA champion Chris Bosh will not participate in it but will be an attendee.

Two teams will be drafted during a charity gala dinner the night before. The game is sponsored by the Goran Dragic Foundation, and tickets sold out in 20 minutes.

According to BasketNews, Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler was set to appear, but he had to cancel due to a commitment he has in China.

The former Solvenia guard had a solid career, playing for seven different NAB teams, including the Phoneix Suns, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, and Milwaukee Bucks.

He was named to an NBA All-Star team in 2018 as a member of the Heat, to the All-NBA Third Team in 2014, and to the NBA Most Improved Player the same year.

Nash will be one of the more accomplished players to participate in this game. The Hall of Fame point guard was teammates with Dragic for three seasons in Phienix before Nash was traded to the Lakers in the summer of 2012. Nash's time in Los Angeles was one to forget, as it was filled with various injuries, odd lineups, and inconsistent play.

The 50-year-old only played two seasons as a Lakers, during which time he averaged 11.4 points, 6.4 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 0.6 steals while shooting 47.8 percent from the field and 42.2 percent from three in 65 games and 60 starts. From the start, it was clear that Nash would not be a great fit in L.A. despite being a fantastic player throughout his illustrious career.

Nonetheless, there's no denying his resume as he is an eight-time All-Star, five-time assists champion, seven-time All-NBA, two-time NBA MVP, and a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

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