The 75 greatest NBA players of the 2000s, ranked
By Cal Durrett
11) Steve Nash
NBA legend Steve Nash is best remembered for his time with the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns, where he had two stints. The second stint became known as the "seven seconds or less" Suns. That fast-paced offense, led by Nash, proved to be one of the most important teams in NBA history.
Their run-and-gun offense prioritized pace and space and became the basis that pretty much every NBA team has used since. Nash's brilliant playmaking and sharpshooting allowed him to win consecutive MVPs and nearly a third in 2006–07.
Over the 2000s, Nash averaged 16.2 points, 9.1 assists and shot a stellar 49.4% from the field, 43.6% from three, and 90.5% from the line, nearly eclipsing the benchmark of 50/40/90. He also made six all-star teams as well as six all-NBA teams during the decade. That is undoubtedly one of the best runs for any point guard in NBA history.
While the Mavs and Suns didn't ultimately win a championship in that span, the Suns did make it to the Western Conference Finals twice in the decade, with Nash as their driving force. As a result of those achievements and team success, Nash ranks as the 11th greatest player of the era.