{"id":102268,"date":"2020-10-31T22:53:33","date_gmt":"2020-10-31T19:53:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/steve-nash-talks-nets-pressure-nearly-playing-for-knicks-most-bitter-loss\/"},"modified":"2020-10-31T22:53:33","modified_gmt":"2020-10-31T19:53:33","slug":"steve-nash-talks-nets-pressure-nearly-playing-for-knicks-most-bitter-loss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/steve-nash-talks-nets-pressure-nearly-playing-for-knicks-most-bitter-loss\/","title":{"rendered":"#Steve Nash talks Nets pressure, nearly playing for Knicks, most bitter loss"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#Steve Nash talks Nets pressure, nearly playing for Knicks, most bitter loss<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

\n New Nets coach Steve Nash takes a timeout from a hectic offseason for some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby.<\/em><\/p>\n

Q: You don\u2019t feel any pressure in this job, or you don\u2019t feel like you will?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: No, I feel pressure. I love pressure. I think that\u2019s what makes it fun, that\u2019s what allowed me to change coasts and go from a really wonderful life and a stay-at-home dad with various projects. \u2026 You want to play for something. You want to have pressure, and try to fight and build and overcome and collaborate and build something that is winning and sustainable.<\/p>\n

Q: What tells you that you are ready as a rookie head coach to coach a team that has championship aspirations and expectations?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Desire, belief and support. We have a great organization here, tons of support, tons of talent \u2026 this is not [just] me, this is us. \u2026 This will be a great collaboration.<\/p>\n

Q: Do you app<\/a>roach it as championship or bust?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Not championship or bust, but we\u2019re playing for a championship, that\u2019s our goal. I think it\u2019s silly, the championship or bust, you never know. You have to have health, you have to have luck to win a championship. It\u2019s not as simple as one plus one equals two, but we are playing for a championship. We are saying that out loud. That\u2019s how we\u2019re going to frame all the decisions we make and the effort and intensity that we train and play with.<\/p>\n

Q: What won\u2019t you tolerate?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Lack of effort.<\/p>\n

Q: What would it mean to you to win a championship as a rookie coach after never winning one as a player?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: It would mean everything to me, but honestly, it\u2019s not about me. I would be thrilled for our group, for the players, for the coaches. \u2026 Honestly, I would get as much joy, more joy, out of seeing our players, coaching staff, all departments win than the feeling I would get about me being a winner. To me, I love being a part of a group, part of a team, and seeing other people happy and succeed is as rewarding as anything and more rewarding than the individual glory. It would be unbelievable just to be a part of that, but to see everyone else\u2019s satisfaction would mean the world to me.<\/p>\n

Q: Will you use some of the experienced coaches that you know as resources?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Without them knowing, I have. I\u2019ve been watching, taking notes, listening, learning, reading. I have great hopes that I can speak to as many of them as possible.<\/p>\n

Q: Would Gregg Popovich be one of them?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: If I had to have a coaching idol, he\u2019d be way, way up there. His teams look and feel incredibly connected and competitive. They don\u2019t beat themselves, and he has the winning r\u00e9sum\u00e9 to prove it.<\/p>\n

Q: Why do you think you were such a fan favorite when you played?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I\u2019ll try to answer this without bragging, but I think a great competitor, great passion for the sport. You could probably see the amount of hours to put into it through my skill level, and then I was an underdog. I wasn\u2019t as big, strong, fast as many of my competitors, and I found a way to survive in the game<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Steve
Steve Nash<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Q: What made Steve Nash a Hall of Fame player?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Sacrifice. Maybe that\u2019s second to the passion for the sport. If you have a passion for something \u2014 like I had a passion for improving \u2014 you\u2019re willing to make the sacrifices. You\u2019re willing to do it day after day, year after year. And when you put all those days and weeks, months, years together, you give yourself a chance to have that type of career.<\/p>\n

Q: Describe the first time you saw Kyrie Irving play.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: That\u2019s a tough question because I\u2019m sure I saw him play in college once or twice, but barely remember it. \u2026 When you watch someone play hundreds of times, it\u2019s harder to remember the first time. But it was obviously clear to me what a prodigious skill level he had and a flair for the game.<\/p>\n

Q: Did he remind you at all of Isiah Thomas?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Yeah, sure. They\u2019re two guys that were incredibly skilled and creative, and Isiah was my idol, so I can definitely see the comparisons straight away.<\/p>\n

Q: The first time you saw Kevin Durant play?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Possibilities. Watched him play at Texas with that length, mobility and shooting touch. You could see the potential, and how he\u2019s filled it has been kind of the advancement of that. It was remarkable to see someone [with] that length, ability and shooting touch \u2026 skills. We\u2019ve never really had anyone like that, and it was obvious.<\/p>\n

Q: What will your leadership style be?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Positive \u2026 collaborative \u2026 and hopefully someone that can build a team in connectivity and a toughness.<\/p>\n

Q: Describe the day you learned about the Kobe Bryant tragedy.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I was playing at tennis in L.A., and I felt \u2026 almost nothing, in that I just went cold and numb, and I don\u2019t know if it was a defense mechanism, shock or \u2026 It took me a long time to really \u2014 and I still think I\u2019m coming to grips with it\u2019s actually true. It doesn\u2019t feel real. Having competed my whole career against him, playing with him for a year basically, I hadn\u2019t seen him probably since 2016, and so, you always feel like he\u2019s there and we\u2019ll cross paths one day again. It\u2019s been very difficult for me to come to grips with it.<\/p>\n

Q: What drives you now?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I love to teach. I love to lead and mentor. I love to collaborate and be a part of a team fabric. And I love to compete.<\/p>\n

Q: Who are coaches you admire in other sports?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: [Former Tottenham Hotspur manager] Mauricio Pochettino \u2026 [Manchester City manager] Pep Guardiola \u2026 [Liverpool manager] Jurgen Klopp \u2026 [Patriots coach] Bill Belichick.<\/p>\n

Q: Why Belichick?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: He\u2019s a master at game-planning and roster-building philosophy. His ability to implement and execute his game plan, it\u2019s outstanding.<\/p>\n

Q: Who are athletes in other sports you admire?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Anyone on Tottenham Hotspur \u2026 Lionel Messi \u2026 [Roger] Federer, [Rafael] Nadal and [Novak] Djokovic \u2026 Ken Griffey Jr. \u2026 Tom Brady.<\/p>\n

Q: What is your definition of a point guard?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Well, that\u2019s changed. When I was growing up, a point guard was a player that ran the club, tried to make sure others were involved, balance the floor, organize to make plays and then, finally, would score when needed. Nowadays, that\u2019s not the case. It\u2019s more positionless basketball, where each guy has a little bit more ability to make plays, bring balance to the team, and it\u2019s all about having as many guys as possible on the floor who can attack. And oftentimes, that\u2019s the point guard.<\/p>\n

Q: Describe your on-court mentality when you played.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: To attack, be aggressive and make plays for my team.<\/p>\n

Q: What was it like playing against Allen Iverson?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: It was awesome playing against Allen, great competitor, played our whole careers against each other. Such a dynamic ballhandler, penetrator, shotmaker. The toughest thing about Allen was he gets to the foul line. You could live with some of the shooting, you could live with some of the playmaking, but he got to the line and that broke your back so many times.<\/p>\n

Q: Whatever comes to mind \u2026 Dirk Nowitzki?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: One of my best friends. Playing together speaks for itself, that\u2019s in one bucket \u2026 but I went to his hometown a number of times, he went to my hometown a number of times, and then recently our families have gone on multiple vacations together with the kids, and there\u2019s a certain different feeling to see his kids grow up. And for my kids to get to know his family in that way is incredibly special to me.<\/p>\n

Q: The young Jason Kidd?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Electrifying.<\/p>\n

Q: Amar\u2019e Stoudemire?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I could say pride, or I could say explosiveness.<\/p>\n

\"Steve
Steve Nash<\/span>Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Q: Mike D\u2019Antoni?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Brilliant.<\/p>\n

Q: In what way?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: A very unique basketball mind.<\/p>\n

Q: Don Nelson?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Creativity.<\/p>\n

Q: Steve Kerr?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: All class.<\/p>\n

Q: Senator John McCain?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: He was a war hero.<\/p>\n

Q: The Spurs Way?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Class.<\/p>\n

Q: What will the Nets Way be?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I think the two things that I would lead with are \u201cconnected\u201d and \u201ccompetitive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Q: There was a possibility you might have gone to the Knicks in the summer of 2012?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Yeah, it was between New York, Toronto and L.A. I was reserving the choice between New York and Toronto if and when that Lakers opportunity [a sign-and-trade with the Suns] didn\u2019t arise.<\/p>\n

Q: When did you start licking your fingers?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: That happened when I got in the NBA. I think when I was playing in Phoenix, and it was just so dry in the desert. When I licked my fingers, when I got sweat on my hands with a real leather ball, looking for that tactile kind of connectivity to the ball. With a real leather ball, water actually helps you stick to the ball. With a synthetic ball, water makes it really slippery. Having some moisture helped me get over how dry it was in the air and how dry my hands got in the winters in Arizona.<\/p>\n

Q: What was your single most bitter defeat?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: In Game 4 of Suns-Spurs [2007 Western Conference semifinals], I got hip-checked [into the scorer\u2019s table] by Robert Horry. Amar\u2019e and Boris Diaw stepped onto the court for a brief second. We won the game, but they got suspended, our two bigs, for the next game, and we were leading until the last minute playing Shawn Marion at center the whole night. That may be the most bitter defeat.<\/p>\n

Q: Describe the 2000 Olympics.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Greatest experience of my career playing for my country [Canada]. Still very close to my teammates. It was incredible to live in the Athlete Village for 2-3 weeks.<\/p>\n

Q: What did it mean to you being one of Time Magazine\u2019s 100 Most Influential People?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I think I took it with a grain of salt (laugh). So many people in the world doing so many amazing things to be influential. The basketball player probably pales in comparison to \u2026 many people doing really incredible work to help people and to advance humanity forward.<\/p>\n

Q: Why did you almost quit as a freshman at Santa Clara?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: My coach [Dick Davey] was really tough on me, and it made me wonder if I was good enough. And what I learned was that he was tough on me because he thought I was good enough, and there was a gap there before me recognizing that he\u2019s not telling me I\u2019m not good enough, he\u2019s telling me that I can get there and he\u2019s pushing me to get there.<\/p>\n

Q: Why did you dribble tennis balls between classes?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: It\u2019s a little overblown. I probably did it a handful or a dozen times throughout my time there, but I did it just to work on my ballhandling.<\/p>\n

Q: Is it true that you kept your college rejection letters in a shoebox?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: It wasn\u2019t like I\u2019m keeping these so that I could rub it in their faces one day. I was so removed from college basketball, especially back pre-internet in 1991, that you could get a letter from a major program to say they don\u2019t want you, it connected me to the game a little bit, so they were all stored away somewhere for a little while.<\/p>\n

Q: Favorite New York City things?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: The people \u2026 the history \u2026 and the diversity.<\/p>\n

Q: Three dinner guests?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I\u2019m gonna double-date \u2026 my wife and the Obamas.<\/p>\n

Q: Why the Obamas?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I really admire them, and I think they\u2019re incredible people, intelligent and have a great capacity to care and be compassionate.<\/p>\n

Q: Favorite movie?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: When I was a kid, \u201cStar Wars\u201d \u2026 \u201cBad News<\/a> Bears.\u201d \u2026 When I got a little older, I was really struck by \u201cDo the Right Thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Q: Favorite actor?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Denzel Washington.<\/p>\n

Q: Favorite actress?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Meryl Streep.<\/p>\n

Q: Favorite singer\/entertainer?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Bob Marley.<\/p>\n

Q: Favorite meal?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I\u2019m pretty strict with my diet, but at the same time, I really like almost anything, so I don\u2019t have a favorite meal.<\/p>\n

Q: Any regrets in life?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: I don\u2019t know if I believe in regrets because every time you do something that you can say you regret, it affords you so much going forward. It\u2019s an interesting question, but I\u2019m not sure that I have regrets, just lessons.<\/p>\n

Q: What would be your message to Brooklyn Nets fans?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A: Support your team, encourage these guys, and we\u2019ll build something great for you and put on a show.\n <\/p><\/div>\n

\n

For forums sites go to Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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If you want to read more News articles, you can visit our News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“#Steve Nash talks Nets pressure, nearly playing for Knicks, most bitter loss” New Nets coach Steve Nash takes a timeout from a hectic offseason for some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby. Q: You don\u2019t feel any pressure in this job, or you don\u2019t feel like you will? A: No, I feel pressure. I love…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":102269,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/10\/Screen_Shot_2020-09-09_at_3.37.55_PM.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1200","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[77885,60955,32807,77942,71611,73900,72170],"class_list":["post-102268","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-10-31-20","tag-kevin-durant","tag-kyrie-irving","tag-mike-dantoni","tag-serbys-qa","tag-soccer","tag-steve-nash"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102268","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=102268"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102268\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/102269"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=102268"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=102268"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=102268"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}