Nash calls SGA’s MVP win ‘amazing’
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joined an extremely exclusive club Wednesday when he was named NBA Most Valuable Player, becoming only the second Canadian ever to win the award.
Victoria, B.C.’s Steve Nash, who won MVP in back-to-back seasons in 2005 and 2006 with the Phoenix Suns, is happy to have company.
“It’s amazing. This is a very special moment for me. I genuinely get super excited to see his success. He's my favourite player to watch... He's phenomenal. What's not to like?” Nash said Thursday via TSN’s Josh Lewenberg.
Nash believes SGA’s accomplishments are also elevating Canadian basketball as a whole.
"He's a leader on the national team. He's pushing boundaries as to what's possible, individually and as a nation. He's also inspiring a generation or many generations beneath him. It's very, very powerful to have a player and a figure like that,” he said.
"I would expect that it will continue to inspire our youth as well as our athletes that are already in the pros," he said. "I think it can inspire them to believe that they can play at the top levels of this game, that it is possible to come out of a smaller centre like Hamilton and be able to star on one of the biggest stages on Earth,” said Canada Basketball men’s team general manager Rowan Barrett on Wednesday.
A native of Hamilton, Ont., Gilgeous-Alexander paid homage to Nash during his MVP speech to reporters following Wednesday’s announcement.
"He set the foundation. He was the first Canadian basketball player I knew of," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "Without seeing guys from Canada go to the NBA, it wouldn't have been as much of a dream as it was for us as kids growing up."
"To be in the conversation with a guy like that, and what he's meant to not only basketball, but to the country of Canada, has been special."
Nash said a day later that he was touched by SGA’s acknowledgement.
"It means the world. I don't need it but at the same time there's no better feeling than watching these guys thrive and them saying you had an impact on them... It feels incredible to get that acknowledgement from somebody I admire,” he said.
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s star point guard beat out Nikola Jokic after he finished runner-up to the Denver Nuggets centre a season ago, as well as Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo to claim the trophy. This came after he finished the regular season as the league’s leading scorer at 32.7 points per game on an efficient .519 field goal percentage. Gilgeous-Alexander also dished out 6.4 assists per game while leading the Thunder to the top record in the NBA and in franchise history.
While the MVP is voted on at the conclusion of the regular season, Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder have continued their strong season in the playoffs.
OKC pulled away in the second half to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final in lopsided fashion, where SGA finished with a game-high 31 points.
Game 2 of the western final tips off from Oklahoma City Thursday night LIVE at 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT on TSN1, TSN3, TSN4, TSN.ca and the TSN App.