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Steve Nash

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Template:Infobox Pro athlete Stephen John Nash (born February 7, 1974 in Johannesburg, South Africa) is a star Canadian basketball player.

Standing just over 6 feet, 3 inches tall, Nash is a starting point guard for the NBA's Phoenix Suns and was named to the 2005 NBA All-Star Game. He was also an All-Star in 2002 and 2003 as a member of the Dallas Mavericks. In 2005, Nash beat out Shaquille O'Neal of the Miami Heat to win the NBA Most Valuable Player Award award.

Biography

Early years

Steve Nash was born in South Africa because of his father's soccer career, but the family relocated to Canada before he was two years old because they did not want to raise their children in an environment of apartheid. As his mother Jean later said, "I didn't want our son to grow up in a place where one group of people was second-class citizens." [1]

Nash comes from an athletic family. His father John Nash was a minor professional soccer player in South Africa. His brother Martin Nash has made 30 appearances for the Canadian national soccer team. His sister Joann was the captain of the University of Victoria soccer team for three years. Nash had decided to focus on basketball in his early teens, but still played soccer through high school, and was named British Columbia player of the year in soccer as well as basketball in his senior year. Since his father is a native of Tottenham, in North London, Nash grew up rooting for Tottenham Hotspur and even trained with the "Spurs", as they are known to their supporters, during his teenage years in London. Soccer continues to be an important part of Nash's life. In fact, when Dirk Nowitzki arrived in the NBA from Germany, he and Nash became close friends, in part because they would always watch soccer together.

Nash grew up in Victoria, British Columbia and played high school basketball for St. Michaels University School along with his younger brother Martin. In his senior season, he averaged nearly a triple-double per game—more than 21 points, 11 assists, and 9 rebounds—led his team to the BC AAA provincial championship title, and was named the province's player of the year. However, because of the limited attention afforded the Canadian high school basketball circuit, Nash went completely unrecruited by the US NCAA schools. His coach, Ian Hyde-Lay, sent letters of inquiry and highlight reels on behalf of Nash to over 30 American universities, but all either summarily sent refusals or didn't bother to respond at all.

But acting on a tip, Santa Clara University head coach Dick Davey was intrigued enough to twice request video footage of the young guard before finally making the trip up from Northern California to visit the recruit in person. After watching Nash dominate a game, Davey recalled later, "I was nervous as hell just hoping that no one else would see him. It didn't take a Nobel Prize winner to figure out this guy's pretty good. It was just a case of hoping that none of the big names came around." [2] Nash was awarded a scholarship by Santa Clara, the only school that recruited him, before the 1992-93 season. He would go on to become one of the greatest players in the history of the West Coast Conference.

College

In his freshman year at Santa Clara University, Nash led the Broncos to an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament after they captured the West Coast Conference Tournament championship. Nash was the first freshman ever named MVP of the WCC tourney. In the first round of the NCAA tournament that year, he orchestrated one of the most improbable upsets in the history of college basketball, leading the 15th-seeded Broncos to a 64-61 victory over the 2nd-seeded prohibitive favorites, the Arizona Wildcats. They were the second ever #15 seed to defeat a #2 seed, and Nash hit six straight free throws over the final 31 seconds to secure the victory.

Although Nash again performed impressively in his sophomore campaign, the Broncs failed to realize expectations and finished far beyond an NCAA bid. However, the Broncos would return to glory the next year, largely on the shoulders of Nash's tremendous play. Nash led the conference in points, assists, and three-point percentage. He was the first player to lead the WCC in both points and assists in the same season since the legendary John Stockton, a player to whom many were beginning to compare Nash. The comparisons continue to this day. Unfortunately, Nash and his teammates couldn't muster a victory against Mississippi State in the opening round. Nash briefly considered early entrance into the NBA draft after his junior season, but decided against it after learning he wouldn't be drafted above the 2nd round. He would have to improve his stock the next year.

Nash did just that, and more, leading his mid-major team to victories against such basketball juggernauts as UCLA and Michigan State in the opening months of his senior season. He again claimed the conference Player of the Year honors, becoming the first Bronco to do so twice since erstwhile Lakers star Kurt Rambis, and was named Honorable Mention All-America. Despite a loss in the conference tournament, the Broncos were given an at-large berth in the NCAA tournament—rare for a mid-major team—on the strength of their daunting regular-season performance. Nash and the #10 Broncs proved they belonged by upsetting the #7 Maryland Terrapins, the last of many NCAA teams that he would make regret passing him over. But Nash had a new challenge on the horizon, a challenge that just a few years prior few thought he ever had a hope of attaining: a career in the National Basketball Association.

NBA career

First stint in Phoenix

Nash was selected by the Phoenix Suns 15th overall in the first round of the NBA draft in 1996. No Canadian had ever been drafted so high. But this accomplishment meant little to Suns' fans, who vigorously booed the team's selection. Despite his impressive college accomplishments, he was a relative unknown because he didn't play in one of the major college conferences. He was short and his defense was poor. Little did it matter, however, as he sat behind NBA stars Jason Kidd and Kevin Johnson in his first two seasons in the NBA. In his rookie year in 1996-97, Nash averaged just 3.3 points and 2.1 assists in very limited playing time. With persistence, however, his minutes grew and the next year he averaged 9.1 points and 3.4 assists, playing more than twice the minutes he did in his rookie year. But it would be the last time Steve Nash would compete in a Suns' uniform for six years.

Dallas

Nash had met and befriended Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Donnie Nelson, son of head coach and general manager Don Nelson, back when Steve starred at Santa Clara and Donnie worked for the nearby Golden State Warriors. Following his spell in the Bay Area, Donnie worked for the Suns, and it was he who convinced the team to select Nash with the 15th pick. After joining his father in Dallas, Donnie, upon learning Steve was on the Phoenix trading block, persuaded the senior Nelson and the Mavericks organization to sign Nash. On Draft Day, June 25, 1998, the two clubs struck a deal. Nash was traded to the Mavericks in exchange for Martin Müürsepp, Bubba Wells, the draft rights to Pat Garrity, and a first-round draft pick which was later used to select Shawn Marion.

Nash's first year in Dallas, the lockout-shortened season of 1999, all but erased the gains he had fought so hard for the previous season. Missing 10 games due to an injury to his lower back, Nash averaged a paltry 7.9 points and 5.5 assists, but he did average nearly 10 minutes more per game than he did the previous season. His relationship with the Dallas fans was frosty, however, and they booed the newcomer throughout the season, lambasting the trade their abysmal team had made.

In the 1999-2000 season, the team's prospects improved considerably. Nash missed 25 games due to an ankle injury, but came back to notch six double-doubles in the last month of play, finishing with 8.6 PPG and 4.9 APG. Although Dallas again missed the playoffs, second-year teammate Dirk Nowitzki was quickly blossoming into a superstar, veteran Michael Finley put up 22.6 points a game (a career high as of 2005) and earned a berth in the All-Star Game. Perhaps most importantly, eccentric billionaire Mark Cuban bought the team. Dallas had not made the playoffs since 1990, but Cuban's fresh vision, keen business acumen, and rabid basketball fandom would be just what the Mavs needed. Whereas most owners would wear business suits, sit separately from the team, and watch the game impassively, Cuban would sit right by the bench in jeans and a T-shirt and react vociferously to every single play on the court. Nash finally had the teammates, management, and overall surroundings necessary to forge a successful career in the NBA.

In 2000-01, Nash performed spectacularly, averaging 15.3 PPG and 7.3 APG in a breakout season, garnering Comeback Player of the Year honors from Basketball Digest. Nowitzki and Finley were also playing their best, and Cuban brought in All-Star Juwan Howard to complement the high-scoring trio. Coach Don Nelson's philosophy was to let Nash have the ball and conduct the team's potent offense from the point guard position. The result was a playoff berth for the first time in more than a decade. Many commentators said that Nash should have had a spot in the NBA All-Star Game. Dallas lost in the second round, but it was only the beginning of a memorable run for Nash and the Mavericks.

The next year was Nash's best to date. Nash posted career-highs of 17.9 PPG and 7.7 APG in the 2001-02 campaign, earned a spot in the NBA All-Star Game, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team. He was now a genuine superstar, increasingly appearing in television commercials and, along with Finley and Nowitzki, constituted the formidable Dallas Mavericks "Big Three." The trio even made a memorable cameo appearance together in the summer 2002 basketball flick Like Mike, starring Lil Bow Wow. Dallas again made the playoffs and again lost in the second round, but signs were encouraging.

Confuting his critics who dismissed his remarkable '01-'02 campaign as a fluke, Nash reprised his prior season's performance almost identically in 2002-03, averaging 17.7 PPG and 7.3 APG, again earning All-Star and All-NBA Third Team honors. Directing the Dallas offense, Nash led the Mavs from an incredible 14-game winning streak to open the season all the way to the Western Conference Finals for only the second time in franchise history, where they lost to eventual NBA champs the San Antonio Spurs.

Unfortunately, this would be as far as Nash and his "Big Three" cohorts would ever get. The 2003-04 season saw a drop-off in points for Nash, down to 14.5, and he was left off the All-Star and All-NBA rosters. Ironically, however, his field-goal percentage was up from the past season, to 47.0% from 46.5%, and his assists average (8.8) and free-throw percentage (91.6%) were then-career highs. But Dallas did not make it past the first round of the playoffs, their worst finish since they were left out altogether in 1999-00.

Second stint in Phoenix

File:SINash2005.jpg
Nash led the Suns past the Mavs in the playoffs

Nash was still a star, but he was now 30 years old and perhaps past his peak. German power forward Dirk Nowitzki was younger and roundly considered one of the 10 best basketball players in the world, already selected to three All-NBA teams -- including the Second Team twice -- in his first five seasons. Nowitzki was the franchise player and accepted as the future of the Mavericks. Nash's six-year, $33 million contract expired after the 2004 playoffs. He tried to negotiate a long-term contract with Cuban, but failed; Cuban did not want to lose Nash, but didn't want to risk signing the aging player to a long-term deal and instead offered a shorter contract. Then the Phoenix Suns came calling. Nash still had a home in Phoenix and ties to the area from his early NBA days. Unfazed by Nash's age, the Suns quickly offered a six-year, $63 million contract. Nash was reluctant to leave Dallas, but Cuban refused to match the deal. After consulting with close friends Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Finley, Nash signed a long-term contract with Phoenix and donned a Suns' uniform for the first time in six seasons for the 2004-05 season. The money they used to get Nash was the money that Stephon Marbury made when he was playing for Phoenix.

The Phoenix Suns had two young superstars in forward Shawn Marion, who was selected by the Suns with a draft pick they received in the Nash deal, and forward-center Amare Stoudemire, the 2002-03 Rookie of the Year. Both players played for the USA bronze medal-winning Men's Basketball Team in the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Despite their young and talented roster, the Suns posted a terrible 29-53 record in 2003-04. Aside from the additions of Nash and swingman Quentin Richardson, the line-up was essentially unchanged from the previous season, and most pundits projected them to finish towards the bottom of the Western Conference. No one anticipated the effect the addition of Steve Nash to the line-up would make for the Phoenix Suns, and no one predicted the 30-year-old Canadian to have the undoubted best season of his career.

Bucking the trend that had prevailed since the 1990's, head coach Mike D'Antoni, who had taken over midway through the previous season, decided to employ the "run and gun" style of basketball that was in vogue in the 1980's. Fielding a small, quick line-up, D'Antoni gave the ball to Nash and let him orchestrate a fast-break offense. Nash and his teammates would outrun their opponents to their end of the floor. Nash would then either pass the ball to a waiting teammate, penetrate into the lane for a lay-up, a foul, or a pass, or launch an outside shot. The result was the highest-scoring NBA team in a decade, averaging 110.4 points per game during the regular season. Nash's precision passes and alley oops to Stoudemire, Marion, Richardson, and Joe Johnson were fodder for many SportsCenter highlight reels, and the Phoenix Suns were roundly described as "the team that makes basketball fun again" in contrast to defensive-oriented teams such as the San Antonio Spurs.

As the Suns' starting point guard and a veteran among youngsters, Steve Nash was the discernible leader of the team's dramatic turnaround. He averaged 15.5 PPG, an impressive total but more than 2 points less than his career high and just a little over half of NBA leading scorer Allen Iverson's 30.7. However, his field-goal shooting percentage was remarkable: 50.2%, a career high and a rare figure for a guard. This relatively low scoring average but high shooting percentage affirmed Steve Nash's status as an unselfish, "pass first" player and is reflective of the Suns' team-oriented philosophy. His assist total bore this out further: 11.5 APG, a career best and the best in the NBA; no one else had more than 9. Indeed, the last player to average more was John Stockton with 12.3 APG in 1995. He was also the only player in the NBA to average double figures in both points and assists, and one of only eight to average a double-double of any kind. Nash also ranked 6th in the league in both three-point percentage (43.1%) and free-throw percentage (88.7%). Perhaps Nash's most impressive individual accomplishment is his #3 ranking in the NBA in double-doubles, a statistic traditionally dominated by big men with high rebound totals, behind only Kevin Garnett and teammate Shawn Marion. Nash also earned his second career triple double on March 30th, recording 12 points, 12 assists, and a career-high 13 rebounds in just 27 minutes in a victory at home against the Philadelphia 76ers. Amare Stoudemire was forced to sit out the game with an injury, and the victory clinched the NBA Pacific Division title for the Suns.

Despite these individual accomplishments, however, most consider the Suns' dramatic and unexpected turnaround Nash's greatest coup of the 2004-05 season. The same team that had won just 29 games without Nash enjoyed an NBA-best 62-20 season in '04-'05 under Steve Nash's clear leadership. Nash's teammates were posting the best seasons of their careers across the board, and both they and outside observers attributed this squarely to Nash.

Early on in the season, with Phoenix dominating their competition from the very beginning, people were beginning to discuss Nash as an MVP candidate. Others dismissed this, however, because of the prodigious talent surrounding him on the Suns, his low scoring average, and his notoriously deficient defense. Ironically, what fueled legitimacy for his candidacy more than anything else was a mid-season injury. The Suns were 31-5 before Nash went down with an injury in the first half of a game against the Indiana Pacers. They lost that game, went 0-3 without him in their next three, and lost his first game back before he settled in again and led his team to five straight victories and eight wins in their next nine games. The Miami Heat's Shaquille O'Neal, another player leading his new team to a #1 playoff seed, eventually emerged as Nash's chief competitor in the MVP race.

Evidence for O'Neal as the MVP included a less-talented supporting cast (Dwyane Wade being the only other Miami star of note), obviously dominant individual statistics (12th in PPG, 6th in rebounds per game, 6th in blocks per game, 1st in field-goal percentage), and the fact that without him his former team (the Los Angeles Lakers) finished out of the play-offs after being in the NBA Finals the year before. (In contrast, the Dallas Mavericks finished a strong 4th in the Western Conference without Nash.) Some suggested that the US news media on the MVP voting panel might be biased in favor of O'Neal because O'Neal is American, while Nash is a foreigner and an outspoken critic of the 2003 Iraq War.

But there were also clear reasons for Nash being named MVP. The Miami Heat had been a playoff team without O'Neal, but the Suns weren't anywhere near the playoffs before Nash arrived. Shaq had won the award before, and voters are never quick to select repeat winners. Furthermore, the Suns played in the more competitive Western Conference. Additionally, Dwyane Wade had performed so well for the Heat alongside O'Neal that he'd likely split some MVP votes with him. As for the Mavs better season finish relative to the Lakers, the Dallas Mavericks were a star-studded, perennial playoff team with many tradable assets: they traded for an lottery-selected young point guard Devin Harris and upcoming point guard Jason Terry after Nash signed with the Phoenix Suns. In contrast, the Los Angeles Lakers were strapped by the enormous contract signed by Kobe Bryant and the recently acquired contracts of Brian Grant and Lamar Odom through the O'Neal trade. Many pointed out that despite Nash's nationality and outspoken politics, he had an excellent relationship with the American media, therefore earning All-Interview Team honors (voted by the media based on player accessibility and ability to provide interesting and informative quotes). Still, many thought Nash's only chance to win the award was to lead his team to the best overall record in the NBA, and even after he did that, oddsmakers still favored O'Neal for the award.

Upon being named MVP, Nash admitted that his initial thought was that he did not belong, but he was happy to join his idols. When accepting the MVP trophy, Nash brought his teammates with him, emphasizing the contribution of his teammates in gaining Phoenix first place. Runner-up Shaq O'Neal congratulated Nash, saying that the MVP win was good for Canadian fans but the playoffs mattered most. Miami's Stan Van Gundy (and Shaq's head coach) was the most critical of Nash's MVP selection, saying that while Nash was a great player, O'Neal's statistics made him the obvious choice.

As the playoffs started, Phoenix beat the Memphis Grizzlies in a 4 game sweep. After the series, Nash was announced as the NBA MVP. In the second round, the Suns were matched up against Nash's former club, the Dallas Mavericks. Nash averaged 30.3 points, 12 assists, and 6.5 rebounds per game. He recorded his first playoff triple double and scored a 2005 single-game playoff high with 48 points on Phoenix's way to a 4-2 series win, putting the Suns in the Western Conference finals for the first time since 1993. The Conference Finals found Nash and the Suns paired up with Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs, one of the NBA's toughest defensive units. Nash would have a solid series, averaging 23.2 points and 10.6 assists per game. Unfortunately, it was not enough as the Spurs would eventually take the series in 5 games, ending on a sour note an otherwise bright season for the Suns. Despite the loss, Nash and the Suns are still optimistic about the future of the franchise. Canadian TV ratings for the playoffs had been 30% higher than the past season due to Nash's participation. Having the defense-oriented San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons in the finals, instead of the highly anticipated match-up of offense-oriented Phoenix and Miami, helped to sink the NBA ratings for the finals.

MVP 2005: Nash as a remarkable anomaly

In 2005, Nash became one of the most distinctive players ever to win the NBA MVP award. He is the first Canadian and the second foreign-born player (after Hakeem Olajuwon) to earn the honor (San Antonio's Tim Duncan was born in the U.S. Virgin Islands, an insular area of the United States). Along with Allen Iverson, he is one of only two players under 6'6" to garner the accolade in the last four decades. He is the first MVP who did not lead his team in scoring since Dave Cowens in 1972-73. (Coincidentally, the 2004-05 runner-up, Shaquille O'Neal, did not lead his team in scoring either.) He had the third-lowest all-time scoring average for an MVP, ahead of only Wes Unseld (13.8 in 1969) and Bill Russell (14.1 in 1965). Nash is just the fourth point guard ever to be named MVP -- alongside legends Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson, and Bob Cousy -- and only the sixth guard (Allen Iverson, Michael Jordan). He is also the first white player to win the award since Larry Bird in 1985-86.

2006

Although the Suns had a great season in 2005, they weren't able to keep their roster intact during the offseason. The two biggest losses were Joe Johnson, who was traded to the Atlanta Hawks, and Quentin Richardson who was traded to the New York Knicks. The players that the Suns received in return were Kurt Thomas from the Knicks, and the more obscure Boris Diaw from the Hawks. The Suns didn't sign any big name free agents either. With that being said, many expected that the Suns wouldn't repeat their magical 2005 season. What made this worse was the injury to Amare Stoudemire, which got him out of action for much of the 2006 season. Now, with a new starting lineup consisted of some unproven players and no true center, the Suns weren't even expected to be a playoff team. However, due to Nash's leadership and the great play of teammates like Marion and Diaw, the Suns remain one of the elite teams in the NBA. Despite the injury to Stoudemire, the Suns score over 100 points per game and seven Suns average in double figures. Thanks to Nash's efforts, he was voted as a first time starter for the 2006 Western All Star team (he was a reserve in his previous appearances). So far this season, Nash has posted a career high 19 points a game and even though he has shot the ball more, he is still the league leader in assists. Nash has been mentioned to be the league's MVP again should this continue.

International Career

Steve Nash first attracted widespread notice in Canada when he captained Canada's Mens Basketball team at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. He had been offered a place on the Great Britain basketball team, but he turned it down to play for Canada. At one point, with a successful round-robin record and a berth in the quarter-finals of the tournament, commentators regarded Canada as a contender for a medal. This was followed by a tough loss in the quarters to France, by 5 points. However, Canada won their final game of the tournament, a placement game against Romania, which enabled Canada to finish 7th overall. Nash expressed disappointment in the result, saying "It hurts a lot. I feel like I let everybody down." Nevertheless, he did see a possible silver lining, saying "Hopefully kids will be inspired to play (in Canada) -- that's what I really hope." [3]

Nash again led Team Canada during qualifying for the 2004 Summer Olympics. Canada would qualify for Athens 2004 if they finished in the top three. Unfortunately, Canada lost the semi-final to the United States, and then the third place match to the home team Puerto Rico. Nash was named tournament MVP, but he admitted that he was disappointed since Canada didn't qualify for the Olympics.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Nash is seen as one of the premier point guards in the NBA. He is one of the most creative and intelligent players, averaging double digits in assists while maintaining a low turnover rate. He is a natural floor leader (demonstrated by the fact that his addition was partially responsible for turning the mediocre Phoenix Suns into a contender) and arguably the best fast-break passer in the NBA. His ballhandling is superb, as seen in the 2005 NBA All-Star Skills Contest, which he won. In addition, he is an excellent shooter who reliably hits three-point baskets. Nash has also developed into a "clutch player", often taking and making the last shot for his team.

Some critics may point to his defense as his big weakness. His man-to-man defense is suspect, and his rebounding is mediocre at best. Critics point out that Nash's play is somewhat one-dimensional, and while his offensive play is stellar, his weak defensive skills lower his overall performance. Therefore, in terms of all-around play, these critics rate Nash below other elite point guards like Jason Kidd and, formerly, Gary Payton.

Nevertheless, Nash's play makes him one of the most feared point guards to play against. His playing style is unorthodox compared to other modern point guards and he is sometimes referred to as one of the "dying-breed" of pure point men. His old-fashioned mentality of "pass-first-shoot-second" is displayed rarely in the modern NBA. His style is constantly compared to the likes of Jason Kidd, John Stockton, and even Bob Cousy.

Off the Court

Steve Nash has earned a reputation for making great assists on the court, but he has been just as prolific in providing help to those less fortunate off the court. Nash set up the Steve Nash Foundation in order to help underprivileged kids in all aspects of their lives. In one story recollected by his father, Nash was told to cut down on his philanthropy since he had already given a half-million dollars to charity. Nash replied that "there was so much more he could do. [4] In addition to his money, Nash also makes sure to spend extra time helping ailing and less privileged children feel special. Although many players meet with children in hospitals, not many leave an impression like Steve Nash. [5].

Another aspect of his life that has caused Nash to stand out from many of his contemporaries is his keen interest in art, politics, and the world around him. For one, he is a discerning reader, tackling the works of such authors as Immanuel Kant and Alexander Solzhenitsyn. Nash also has a passion for travel, saying that "Whenever I travel, I feel almost calm. I love people. I love the world." [6]

Nash's interest in politics led to controversy during the lead-up to the Iraq War when he chose to wear a custom-made t-shirt that stated "No war -- Shoot for peace" to the 2003 NBA All Star Game. Nash explained his position by saying that the United States had provided insufficient evidence that Iraq was a threat and that the UN inspectors should be allowed to complete their mission. [7] Although Nash did get positive support from teammate Nick Van Exel among others, he also drew criticism from David Robinson, a former Naval officer and fellow NBA player. Some journalists like Skip Bayless also criticized Nash as being uninformed and advised him to "just shut up and play". [8]

On October 14, 2004, Nash and longtime girlfriend Alejandra Amarilla became the parents of twin girls, Lola and Bella, who were born in a Phoenix hospital. They married in June 2005.

Nash is the subject of a book by Jeff Rudd, Long Shot: Steve Nash's Journey to the NBA.

Nash suffers from a medical condition called spondylolisthesis, a forward movement of one of the vertebrae in the spine in relation to the one below it, causing muscle tightness and back pain. Nash does not let his condition mar his performance on the hardwood. He tries to keep moving when on the court and lies down on the endline when not in the game in order to keep from stiffening. [9]

Career Summary

As of the end of the 2004-05 season.

  • NBA MVP Awards: 1 (2004-05)
  • NBA All-Star Game Selections: 4 (2001-02, 2002-03, 2004-05, 2005-06)
  • All-NBA First Team Selections: 1 (2004-05)
  • All-NBA Second Team Selections: None.
  • All-NBA Third Team Selections: 2 (2001-02, 2002-03)
  • GQ Best Dressed List (2005)

Career averages

  • Scoring: 13.3
  • Rebounds: 2.8
  • Assists: 7.0
  • Field Goal Percentage: 47.2
  • Three-Point Percentage: 41.8
  • Free-Throw Percentage: 89.6


Career Best averages

  • Scoring: 19.2 (2005-06)
  • Rebounds: 4.4 (2005-06)
  • Assists: 11.5 (2004-05)
  • Field Goal Percentage: 50.2 (2004-05)
  • Three-Point Percentage: 45.5 (2001-02)
  • Free-Throw Percentage: 92.5 (2005-06)

Career Transactions

References


Preceded by:
Kevin Garnett 		2004-05
NBA Most Valuable Player Award 		Succeeded by:
Incumbent
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