When you talk about the best basketball players Canada has ever produced, two names rise above the rest: Steve Nash and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Nash, the two-time MVP and Hall of Famer, helped redefine the modern point guard - a maestro of pace, precision, and playmaking. And now, Gilgeous-Alexander is carving out his own legacy as one of the NBA’s most dynamic scorers, already with an MVP to his name and very much in the hunt for more.
For Gilgeous-Alexander, the connection to Nash runs deeper than just a shared passport. He’s spoken openly about his admiration for Nash growing up - right alongside Kobe Bryant as one of his basketball idols. So it’s fitting that Nash, now working in broadcasting, recently came to his defense during a national TV broadcast on Amazon Prime.
The moment came during Oklahoma City’s 123-111 loss to Minnesota, where Nash addressed a narrative that’s followed Gilgeous-Alexander for some time: the idea that he’s a “free-throw merchant.” It’s a label that’s been tossed around online - especially in the corners of NBA Twitter - suggesting that his scoring success is inflated by frequent trips to the line.
Nash wasn’t having it.
“I don’t think it’s factual,” he said during the broadcast, cutting straight through the noise with the kind of clarity only a Hall of Famer can offer.
And he’s got a point. When you stack up Gilgeous-Alexander’s free-throw numbers against other elite scorers in league history, there’s nothing out of the ordinary.
In fact, his whistle is pretty average for someone putting up 30 a night. What separates him isn’t just his ability to draw contact - it’s his control, his footwork, his pace.
He gets to his spots with surgical precision and makes the game look effortless in the process.
The truth is, every great player gets tagged with something. Nash himself heard the doubters early in his career - too small, too slow, not athletic enough.
Kobe was labeled a ball hog. LeBron’s been criticized from every angle imaginable.
It comes with the territory when you’re consistently dominant.
But inside the NBA circle - among the players, coaches, and legends who know what it takes - there’s no confusion about what Gilgeous-Alexander brings to the table. He’s earned that respect. Anyone who’s ever stepped on the hardwood can see it: he’s a special talent, and he’s only getting better.
So while the jokes might keep flying online, the real ones know. And when Steve Nash - arguably the greatest Canadian baller of all time - goes out of his way to back you up on national TV, that says everything you need to know.