Steve Nash expressed pride as he watched fellow Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander be named this season’s NBA MVP. Nash, who won back-to-back MVP awards in 2005 and 2006, was recognized by Gilgeous-Alexander in his acceptance speech as one of his basketball inspirations.
“It means the world,” Nash said during a video conference with reporters. “There’s no better feeling than watching these guys thrive and hearing that you had an impact on them. That makes it all worthwhile and special.”
Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA’s scoring champion, received 71 of 100 first-place votes to earn the award. He will formally receive the MVP before Oklahoma City Thunder hosts the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals.
Nash praised Gilgeous-Alexander’s performance and growth. “I genuinely get super excited to see his success. He’s probably my favorite player to watch. Let’s hope he continues this trajectory and represents his country and team the way he has been. He’s phenomenal.”
Gilgeous-Alexander was just five or six years old when Nash won his MVP awards. From a young age, he was considered Canada’s next basketball star, and now he has officially delivered. Like Nash, he is a cornerstone of Canada’s national basketball program. He led Canada to a bronze medal at the 2023 World Cup, which qualified the team for the 2024 Paris Olympics, and the 2028 Los Angeles Games may also be a goal.
This season, 25 Canadian-born players scored in the NBA. Seven of them, including Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray, RJ Barrett, Shaedon Sharpe, Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Wiggins, and Dillon Brooks, scored more than 1,000 points. No country outside the U.S. had more players surpassing 1,000 points.
Gilgeous-Alexander credited Nash for helping inspire his journey. “He set the foundation. He was the first Canadian basketball player I knew of. Without seeing guys go to the NBA from Canada, it wouldn’t have been as much of a dream as it was for us as kids growing up.”
Nash’s reaction reflects not only pride in Gilgeous-Alexander’s achievements but also the growing impact of Canadian players in the NBA. The connection between the two MVPs highlights a new generation of Canadian talent rising to the sport’s highest levels.
