Former NBA star Steve Nash has made the surprising revelation that he once wished he was born Black, pointing to his desire to embody and encapsulate the confidence and skill of his favorite athletes and entertainers.
On a recent episode of Mind the Game, LeBron James‘ new podcast, the two-time NBA MVP opened up about the deep influence Hip-Hop and urban culture had on his formative years.
For the Hall of Famer, who grew up in Canada, it wasn’t just basketball that captivated him—it was the entire world that came with it.
Steve Nash is introduced to the new Phoenix Suns Ring of Honor during the NBA game against the Utah Jazz at Footprint Center on October 28, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Jazz 126-104.
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“Started playing basketball, fell in love with it,” Nash recalled, describing his early infatuation with the sport and the culture that surrounded it.
“Like the first Air Jordan 1s, the Spike Lee commercials, right when I was in the eighth grade, when I started playing. I was like, this world’s amazing.”
Now 51, Nash reflected on how the excellence and artistry of Black athletes and entertainers shaped not only his game but his sense of identity.
Head coach Steve Nash of the Brooklyn Nets looks on in the first half against the Indiana Pacers at Barclays Center on October 29, 2022 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
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“Let’s also just be real,” he said. “I wanted to be Black. All of the best players in the world were Black, all the best rappers, you know. So I’m trying to emulate anyone who had something about them.”
Nash’s honesty struck a chord, shedding light on how urban culture provided a foundation for his creativity on the court.
Drafted by the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the 1996 NBA Draft, Nash would later be traded to the Dallas Mavericks, teaming up with Dirk Nowitzki to form one of the superior tandems in the league.
Steve Nash #13 of the Phoenix Suns waves to fans as he walks off the court following the NBA game against the San Antonio Spurs at US Airways Center on April 25, 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Spurs defeated the Suns 110-106.
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After rejoining the Phoenix Suns, with whom he enjoyed his prime years in the league, in 2004, Nash would also spend a few seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers before calling it quits in 2015.
Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018, Nash averaged 14.3 points and 8.5 assists across a storied career. But beyond the numbers, his journey reveals how culture—particularly Black culture—can inspire and shape greatness, even from afar.
Watch Steve Nash’s Mind the Game interview below.
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