Steve Nash Retires: Twitter Reacts to NBA Legend's Announcement
Point guard Steve Nash announced his retirement after 18 NBA seasons Saturday, and there was no shortage of reaction to the two-time MVP's decision on social media.
The 41-year-old star made his retirement public through an open letter on ThePlayersTribune.com and tweeted the news as well:
Nash played for the Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers since entering the league in 1996, and he developed into one of the greatest point guards in the history of the NBA during that time.
The Canadian national by way of South Africa was at his best in Phoenix, as he made the All-Star team six times in 10 seasons with the Suns while also winning the NBA MVP award in both 2005 and 2006.
According to ESPN Stats & Info, Nash is part of an elite group to have won the MVP in consecutive seasons:
He was also by far the shortest player to accomplish that feat:
The Lakers were hoping to get that type of production out of Nash when they acquired him in 2012, but injuries severely limited his effectiveness. He missed the entire 2014-15 campaign due to a back injury, and as ESPN's Darren Rovell alluded to, he was unable to live up to the lofty contract that LA gave him:
At the same time, Rovell lauded Nash for his preparation and approach to the game of basketball:
Above all else, Nash earned a great deal of respect from teammates and opponents alike during his nearly two decades in the NBA.
Former Suns teammate and current San Antonio Spurs forward Boris Diaw was among those to congratulate Nash on a great career:
The same goes for former Suns and current Washington Wizards star Marcin Gortat, who enjoyed his time in the desert with Nash:
Even players who didn't share a locker room with Nash have looked at him as an inspiration over the years. That includes Chicago Bulls superstar Joakim Noah:
Plenty of other current and former players offered up their thoughts on Nash's announcement:
In addition to NBA players, basketball analysts also marvel at what Nash was able to accomplish.
Former Oklahoma State point guard and current CBS Sports announcer Doug Gottlieb chimed in:
That goes for Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports as well, who praised Nash for who he is as a person along with his excellence in the sport of basketball:
Nash retires with career averages of over 14.3 points and 8.5 assists per game, and he also shot 49 percent from the field, 43 percent from three-point range and 90 percent from the free-throw line.
He did far more in the NBA than anyone could have ever imagined, and although his career isn't necessarily coming to an ideal conclusion, there is no doubt that Nash left an indelible mark on the sport of basketball.
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