Steve Nash Says 'There Was a Real Fear' Playing Against Michael Jordan

It's rare that a professional athlete will ever admit to having fear about a team or individual player, but two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash acknowledged that Michael Jordan brought that out in his opponents. 

Appearing on SHOWTIME Basketball, Nash explained the "one thing" that made Jordan unlike any other player he went up against was that "there was a real fear" because of what he was capable of doing on the court. 

Nash didn't arrive in the NBA until the 1996-97 season when he was drafted No. 15 overall by the Phoenix Suns. 

The Suns lost three of four games against Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in Nash's first two seasons. Jordan averaged 31 points in those contests, with Chicago's three wins being by an average of 13 points. 

After a three-year retirement, Jordan came back as a member of the Washington Wizards for two seasons from 2001-03. The Suns went 1-3 in four games, but the six-time NBA Finals MVP still averaged a solid 24 points per contest and dropped 41 in a 112-102 win on January 26, 2002.

Nash doesn't have to hang his head about those results since he had a Hall-of-Fame career. He is one of 13 players in NBA history with multiple MVP awards, winning the honor in 2004-05 and 2005-06.