Steve Nash made his retirement official Tuesday, speaking to the press in Los Angeles about the end of his remarkable NBA career.
The future Hall of Famer said, that despite going through three rough seasons with the Lakers (only suiting up for 65 games in total due to various injuries), it remains for him a great experience.
Nash and his children will continue to live in California.
Per the LA Times:
Nash, a two-time NBA most valuable player, joined the Lakers in 2012 for $27 million, via sign-and-trade from the Phoenix Suns. The point guard built a career that will earn him a berth in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
“I came here with huge hopes and dreams, and was incredibly excited and humbled to have the opportunity to come here and play for the Lakers,” said Nash, who was never the same after breaking his leg in his second game with the team. “For it just not to be in the cards was a failure and also a huge disappointment. It’s been a difficult period of my career and my life, to battle through that and to try to make something of it, which was fruitless in the end.”
“I think probably the [doctors] were gracious in not telling me that [it was over] earlier,” said Nash. “I think they probably gave me a nudge and a hint a few times, that I pretended to ignore or pretended to miss. I wouldn’t feel as, in some way, clear or in full acceptance of this if I had backed out at any time before I did. Maybe it was stubbornness that caused me to come to the realization when I did, but I definitely opened up every door that I possibly could.” […] “I simply want people to remember me as a competitor and as a great teammate. That’s it. Those are the two most important things,” Nash said. “The key ingredient was hard work. I think people have taken note of that, and I think for me, that’s another incredible source of pride for me, is that my story is something the kids can relate to and learn from.”
