Former high school coach on Steve Nash as he’s inducted in Hall of Fame
Posted September 7, 2018 3:15 pm.
Last Updated September 7, 2018 3:28 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) – A Victoria native is getting a big honour tonight as former NBA point guard Steve Nash is inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame.
As he accepts the award his former high school coach will be watching with pride.
Ian Hyde-Lay teaches at St. Michael University School in Victoria and coached Nash in the 1990s.
He feels Nash has single-handedly helped change the game.
“All the qualities he has shown through his subsequent career, the work ethic, the attention to detail, the dedication, the skills, and personal qualities — they were evident in Grade 12 as well.”
Hyde-Lay says Nash’s speed and precision transformed what had been a less than thrilling game into one that’s now fun to watch.
“NBA basketball was not pretty to watch in the late ’90s and early 2000s. It was very slow, physical and defensive oriented and Steve was a leading part, if not the leading part, that changed the game and made it fast and fun with emphasis on passing, spacing and three-point shooting. And everyone in the world plays a variation of that game now and I think that’s his legacy. You put him in a pantheon with all the super, super, superstars of other sports who’ve driven the game to positively change [their game] and have left their mark on it and made those respective sports insanely popular around the world — that’s something I don’t think will be ever matched.”
Hyde-Lay admits from day 1 Nash stood out to him as an incredible player who, despite all of his success, is humble.
“At every single level he’s been able to adjust and not only cope with the new level but flourish in it. So from junior high to senior high to university, from university to the national program, university to the pros and once in the pros to go from a roster player to a starter to a star to a superstar. In a funny way looking back, he’s just carried on doing what he was doing back in high school, just moving levels and flourishing thanks to his great qualities. His humility, is grateful for everything, no ego, selfless to a fault and it’s been wonderful to see, that despite everything that’s happened, that he hasn’t lost that and I think that’s a real measure of his character.”
Other players being honoured include Ray Allen and Jason Kidd.
Nash was the league’s MVP twice and an NBA All-Star eight times. During his decades-long career he played for the Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers.
