Brooklyn Nets fans got a little double-dip of Steve Nash on Thursday; not only did he close out the five-hour fiesta that was Carton & Roberts, but part of that interview was replayed to close our Brooklyn Nets preview show.
So much Steve, so little time, so in a nod to Carton & Roberts’ Top 5 at Five, we’re giving you the top five nuggets from Nash – and if you want more, check out his entire interview on-demand below!
Nash on coaching “superstars” versus “regular” players: “I think an NBA team is a lot like an average office, where you have some people who are incredibly Type A and some who are much more relaxed. Some superstars are incredibly diligent and hard-working, and some may follow their own beat. It depends on who they are, but to be able to coach KD and Kyrie so far has been unbelievable. Seeing them prepare and work every day has been fantastic.”
Nash on being worried about KD & Kyrie’s social media antics: “I didn’t actually hear the whole discourse, but I’m pretty sure they were joking most of the time. That’s why they do it though, because people get a kick out of it. But when they come in the building every day, they work hard and try to push their teammates. When I see them come in the building and see the energy and presence and winning mentality, that’s what matters. They’ve been unbelievable so far, and we’re fortunate to have them.”
Nash on coming to Brooklyn: “I think going back, I realized I would like to coach, but I needed some space. I was an obsessive player that put everything I had into my career, so when I retired, I needed to say goodbye to that chapter a little bit, and give myself the ability to think about what the rest of my life would look like. I’ve had opportunities come up in the past, but I wasn’t ready, and it had to be the right situation. I do love NYC and Kevin and Kyrie were part of it, but it goes deeper; the roster beyond them, what Sean Marks has done with the organization – all that stuff matters, and the support generated throughout the organization is incredible. That’s what allowed me to make the leap.”
Nash on a role reversal and being Mike D’Antoni’s boss: “It’s obviously different in that I was a player and he was a coach, but it’s the same interaction. We discuss things, but this time, I’m the end of the funnel. He’s a brilliant basketball mind and an incredible human, and he gives me a level of security and confidence knowing his experience and what he brings to the table. I think our whole staff has great profiles of experience, and everyone is a little bit different, so I’m very fortunate.”
Nash on preaching patience early on for fans: “We want to contend for a championship, but that’s way down the line. It would be nice to be super competitive out of the gate, but this is a situation with KD coming back and guys who haven’t played together where we may need time. Kevin will need some time and space to take the pressure off after coming back from a career-threatening injury. He looks incredible and has done everything we’ve asked, but you can’t get in his psyche until he’s played some games. We have a new coaching staff, new players with a condensed camp – it will take some time, but we want to learn and gain strength from our adversities. We may not jump out to a fast start, but that’s fine. We want to to play the long game so we can be tough to beat at the end of the season.”
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