Lessons from Steve Nash

To paraphrase Kurtis Blow, basketball has always been my favorite sport. And I think Steve Nash is now my all-time favorite player to watch.

The man is amazing. In a land of NBA giants, he often dominates games even though he's usually the smallest guy on the court. He's won 2 of the past 3 MVP awards, prompting none other than Magic Johnson (!) to say that Nash is playing the point guard position "better than it's ever been played before." And he's from Canada! Not exactly a fertile breeding ground for elite NBA talent.

Like I said, the man is amazing.

So I was especially geeked to see Mr. Nash gracing the cover of the Novemeber issue of Men's Journal. The feature story proclaimed Nash as the man who made the NBA fun again. Amen to that.

It was also a fascinating read on what made Nash tick, both on and off the court. I came away inspired and with some interesting tips to apply to my daily walk of faith.

• Be into assists Guys love to play on Steve's team, because he's all about making them look/play better. In fact, last year every regular player on the Suns had a career year in scoring. That's because, in Steve's words, "he'd rather get the assist than score it himself." It's no wonder his teammates love playing with him! He's all about putting their needs before his own. Now, granted, this isn't a new concept - Jesus covers this with the command to "do unto others." But it was a great reminder of how to apply this in everyday life. What if I was more concered about my co-workers' problems and more willing to lend them a helping hand with their projects? What if I were more interested in my elderly neighbor's yard that needs to be raked than I was my own? What if I was more interested in what my kids or my wife wants to tell me than the sporting event on TV? Things would be much better if I would go around everyday like Steve does on the court and look to "dish out more assists."

• Spiritually Cross-Train Steve's first passion was soccer. In fact, according to the article, he didn't even start playing basketball until he was a teenager because he had always played soccer and hockey. (He really IS Canadian!) He says at first, basketball felt like cheating because he was "allowed to use his hands." But those skills kicking the ball on the field and passing the puck on the ice transferred to hoops. Now he's able to see the court, anticipate movements and make plays unlike anyone else. (His terrific jumper doesn't hurt, either) In the offseason, Steve puts the basketball down and goes back to his first love: playing soccer. The article says he's able to dribble a soccer ball on his foot 625 times. (!) Bruce Arena, the coach of the New York Red Bulls, says that Nash could play right now in Major League Soccer. He stays in supreme shape and goes back to his roots every offseason by playing with the world's best soccer players. All this got me thinking about the benefits of "spirutally cross-training." All to often, I think Christians get too comfortable with the status quo. Now, I'm all for tradition and honoring your past, but it's too easy sometimes to get into the routine of going to the same church, sitting on the same pew, talking to the same people week after week. I am guilty as charged. I think Jesus calls us to constantly be growing and deepening our faith. So to take a play out of Nash's playbook, maybe that's joining a new Sunday School class, going on a mission trip, or introducing yourself to a complete stranger. Maybe it's going to a service at a different denomination or a service at a different faith entirely. Let me be clear: this isn't a call to abandon the Christian faith, but to really explore your beliefs. To not be in a rut. To have conversations and experiences outside of your comfort zone to challenge you and make you better.

• Give back One of the things I love about Nash (besides his mad skills) is that he just seems like a real guy. That rare NBA superstar that travels without an entourage. By all accounts, he's a family guy and a devoted father of twins. He's also using his celebrity status to do some great things. He started his own foundation that his sister helps run. This past summer, he staged the third annual Steve Nash Charity Classic in Vancouver, a two-day event that raised hundereds of thousands of dollars for children's health and after-school programs. He recently contributed to a pediatric wing for a hospital in Paraguay (where his wife is from). He's also passionate about addressing global warming issues. He recently opened a gym in Vancouver that was LEED-certified (The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification is the most rigorous eco review in North America.) Steve says it best, "We can't wait for science to bail us out. We havve to do the little things everyday."

Chalk up another great assist to Nash for those words of wisdom. Now if he could only help me straighten out my jump shot.