NBA legend, two-time MVP, Hall of Famer and current Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash added another award to his collection on Tuesday when he became the first ever Canadian elected to the FIBA Hall of Fame.
Though Nash’s career is almost always summed up via his NBA career–for good reason, as he was one of the most decorated point guards of his era–the Nets coach did shine on the international stage in Canada’s lone men’s basketball appearance in the Olympics in 2000.
Steve Nash was dominant for the Canadian National Team, piling up 13.7 points, 6.9 assists and 3.3 rebounds over seven games at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. He led his country to finish first in the group stage with wins over consistent powerhouse Spain, as well as then reigning world champs Yugoslavia.
The former Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers point guard led the Canada team all the way to the semifinals, where they were defeated by France–dashing any hopes of a medal and leaving Nash overwhelmed by emotion as he exited the court in tears.
Now, of course, Nash is leading the Nets from the bench as the team’s head coach, and he has the superstar-laden squad looking like one of the best teams in the league despite a steady stream of injuries and absences.
Beyond Nash, 12 other inductees were enshrined in the 2020 FIBA Hall of Fame class, which was delayed a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.