Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki, who went on to win MVP titles in their respective careers, made up one of the best duos of the early 2000s for the Dallas Mavericks. Before Nash returned to the Phoenix Suns, the Mavs won 50 games or more per season during his final four seasons with the team, including a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2003.
As one of the NBA’s top three-point and free-throw shooters and coach of some of the top offenses, Nash had an incredible run from 2000 to 2011, averaging 16.6 PPG and 9.8 APG. His contribution to the Seven Seconds or Less offense, which transformed basketball, earned him back-to-back MVP awards in 2005 and 2006. Still, some commentators felt that all these honors were insufficient.
Former Mavericks Jerry Stackhouse and Antoine Walker were among the players on GiveMeSport.com’s list of the 2000s NBA players that are most overrated. But because he “fell short of expectations,” Steve Nash was awarded first place. About Nash being named the most overrated player, GiveMeSport stated that he is “unquestionably one of the most skilled playmakers and shooters of the 2000s.” He was held to standards and expectations, nonetheless, that he never fully attained. Despite receiving a lot of praise, he is a prime example of a player who has earned MVP awards but has never won an NBA championship because he was unable to lead a team to victory.
It wasn’t necessarily Nash’s fault that he couldn’t win a championship. Amar’e Stoudemire and Boris Diaw were forced to sit out of Game 5 after Robert Horry pushed Nash into the scorer’s table in 2007. As a result, Suns players were forced to come off the bench and risk severe bans. The Suns were defeated in six games, with the series tied 2-2 following Game 4. The Suns’ hopes were further diminished by Stoudemire’s history of ailments sustained during postseason runs.
Although Mark Cuban believed—and subsequently regretted—that Nash wouldn’t play into his 30s, the Mavericks chose not to re-sign him after 2004. In the game, Nash leaves a lasting legacy. Leading an innovative offense, he was named to eight All-Star games, seven All-NBA teams, including three First Teams, and two MVP awards. He is unquestionably one of the best players of the 2000s, even though his scoring wasn’t as impressive as some of his contemporaries.
