Steve Nash, the still officially active legend of Canadian basketball, swung through Toronto on Monday to tout new corporate support for the growth of the sport in this country. Speaking at a downtown YMCA, the 41-year-old Lakers point guard unveiled a new program that will see the bank Tangerine donate undisclosed amounts of time and money to Canada Basketball, Nash’s youth foundation and a host of charities. In the twilight of an illustrious career, the two-time MVP took a statesmanlike tone and touched on a range of subjects, from the “golden generation” of Canuck ballers to his regular contact with Andrew Wiggins’s mom.

On Andrew Wiggins

In his rookie season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Andrew Wiggins has averaged 15.3 points per game with a 43.5 per cent shooting mark from the field. That’s been enough to raise Nash’s eyebrows. He called the play of the Canadian-born No. 1 overall pick “incredible,” especially given the hefty 34.6 minutes on average that he’s seeing the court.

“I don’t think people understand what a jump it is from college to the pros, and sometimes how difficult it can be to be in the position he’s in, where’s he’s asked to do a lot and play a lot and grow on the fly,” Nash said. “It would be very fair for him to make a ton of mistakes this year and for it to be very awkward. But he’s just been incredible . . . It’s definitely a testament to his ability.”

Northern lights

Nash was comparably ebullient about the growth of Canadian basketball since his professional debut 20 years ago. He credited the heightened stature of the game to the 1995 arrival of the Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies, adding that the “accessibility” of the Internet has also made it easier for kids to fall in the love with the sport.

The result, Nash said, is the arrival of a crop of players that represents a new historical apex of Canadian basketball output. There have been two straight first overall picks from the GTA in Wiggins and Anthony Bennett, as well as a host of solid young pros including Kelly Olynyk, Cory Joseph and up-and-comers such as Saskatchewan-born Kentucky freshman Trey Lyles.

“This age is beyond a golden age,” Nash said. “It’s phenomenal. It’s an amazing place we’re at in this country in the sport.”

Pan Am Games

To play high-calibre ball for your country on home turf is such a rare opportunity that Nash himself had to be reminded that he’d ever had the chance to do so. That was in 1994, when Canada hosted the world basketball championship in Hamilton and Toronto. Looking ahead to this summer’s Pan American Games in Toronto, the GM of the national men’s team said it’s a “unique” chance for the much-watched roster of homegrown players to showcase their skills and make a statement about Canadian basketball.

“Then a lot of our team’s from Toronto, so for guys to be able to play in their hometown,” he said. “It’s an opportunity I wish I had.”

What’s next for Nash?

The retirement question is all but settled in the minds of many NBA observers, with Nash sitting out the entire season with a bad back that’s been worn out by more than 1,200 games in the pros. But Nash was non-committal when asked about his future. “It’s been a pretty tough fight over the last 18 months or so, so (I’m) just getting a little space and seeing how my mind and my body responds.”

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Read more about: