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The impact can't be measured solely by the eye-popping statistics. It goes beyond that. When assessing Steve Nash's value to the Phoenix Suns this season, one must look beyond the fact that the team finished with a 33-game improvement over last season on its way to an NBA best mark of 62-20. Or the fact that the man born in Johannesburg, South Africa and raised in British Columbia led the NBA in assists this season with an average of 11.5 per game. Start with the intangibles. Start with the leadership. Start with the man who appreciates Nash's value on a day-to-day basis perhaps more than anyone, Suns head coach, Mike D'Antoni.
"I think what he does, apart from his personal production, which is enormous, is bring the intangibles… creating that positive environment and being the leader that works the hardest. I don't know if you can calculate what that means to a franchise.
"We got a lot better real quick with Nash. You're talking about the best point guard in the league. At age 31, he's still the most productive point guard out there."
Did anyone expect that when the Suns made the announcement on July 14 when they signed the two-time NBA All-Star that they would rise to the top of the NBA standings after finishing with the fifth-worst record two months earlier? Or that people would be talking MVP and championship in the same sentence for Nash and the Suns?
Nash's value was never more apparent than when he went down with a back injury against Indiana on January 14. The Suns, which boasted a league best 31-5 mark heading into that game experienced a minor free fall. No Nash meant no victories as the Suns lost not only the Indy game but the following three to the Wizards, Pistons and Grizzlies. When Nash returned, the Suns proceeded to win five out of their next six games. High octane basketball returned.
"You've got to love playing with somebody like him," said Quentin Richardson, the Suns' other prize free-agent signee who no doubt also helped the Suns to a league best 110 points per game. "An All-Star caliber point guard, who's going to find you out there all the time. It's also real good to play with somebody who's going to play every possession like it's his last.
"He's our floor general. He's talking to guys, trying to teach them how to play and the first things to do out there."
This is Nash's second tour of duty in Phoenix. He was selected by the Suns with the 15th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. He patiently waited his turn behind stars Kevin Johnson and Jason Kidd and even Sam Cassell.
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"It was incredible for me," Nash said. "Some guys step right in and learn on the fly. I kind of had a backseat to learn from two Hall of Fame guys. But I'm definitely an optimist and I tried to make the most of it and enjoy it, and I learned a lot. I think those guys gave me a lot of confidence, because they respected me and they would talk to me and support me. That kind of gave me the belief in myself."
Ending up in Phoenix wasn't exactly what Nash envisioned when the Mavericks were ousted by the Sacramento Kings in the first round of last season's playoffs. Returning to Big D seemed to be a mere formality.
"At first it was unthinkable," he says of his decision to leave a place he has called home for the last six seasons. "I went to Europe for six-and-a-half weeks, came home the night of the [free-agent negotiation period] and was going back to Dallas. I just thought it was a foregone conclusion. And less than 24 hours after being home, I was coming to Phoenix. You know, it went from unthinkable to being a possibility to being, in the end, welcomed."
Statistically speaking, Nash enjoyed one of his best all-around seasons in 2004-05. His offensive efficiency was quite impressive. Not only did he average 15.5 points but he just missed by mere free throw percentage points becoming the first player since Reggie Miller in 1993-94 to hit over 50 percent of his field goals, 40 percent from the three-point territory and 90 percent from the free throw line.
Off the court, Nash has embraced his role as team leader, even though it took a little getting used to from his days in Dallas.
"I feel a very old 31 in this locker room," said Nash. "In Dallas, I felt fairly young in a way. I mean, everyone was nearly my age or in the same stage of their career. But in this locker room I feel from a different era almost. I know that's a bit of an exaggeration, but I think that's the reason why they brought me here. It's a locker room full of young guys and they need to mix it up with a little veteran experience.
"I don't have all the answers and I haven't done it all, but I think I've done quite a bit in the last four years that I can share with these guys. I know I can score and I know I can pass, but the biggest thing for me is to just try to make these guys feel good about themselves and help them become better players."
NBA Access with Ahmad Rashad
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