Steve Nash winning the MVP awards in 2005 and 2006 remain a key area of interest amongst NBA fans and players alike. Amidst the question marks over the worthiness, one of his former teammates Tim Thomas seemingly voiced against him. In the latter’s latest appearance on ALL THE SMOKE, he implied how the outcome of the 2006 MVP award in particular should have been different.
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Upon addressing the concerns, Thomas initially highlighted the lack of transparency over selection claiming it to be “opinion-based”. Soon, he indirectly backed Kobe Bryant as the deserving winner of the award, stating,
“Kobe had the better year, we know that. But who is voting? Me and you? Exactly. We know that. It is what it is. Some people like numbers”.
As per ESPN, Bryant won the scoring title that season registering 35.4 points, 4.5 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game. At the same time, as per StatMuse, Nash led the league in assists, averaging 18.8 points, 10.5 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game. On top of it, the latter’s Phoenix Suns secured second place in the West compared to Black Mamba’s 7th-seeded Los Angeles Lakers.
The entire scenario established Nash’s status as a better team player and leader. The NBA consequently rewarded him for that as the 8x All-Star secured back-to-back MVP awards. However, it sparked several conversations surrounding whether he deserved the accomplishment. Hence, a question mark still looms over his worthiness, justifying Thomas’ opinion.
Another former teammate had taken a stance against Steve Nash
Apart from Thomas, Shaquille O’Neal has always questioned the NBA’s decision to reward Nash with two MVPs. A few years ago, during the latter’s appearance on Inside the NBA, Shaq mockingly called out his former Suns teammate. “If you are at your house, can you show me one of those MVP trophies you stole from me?” the 2000 MVP mentioned on that occasion.
Following that, the Big Aristotle refused to let go of the matter as he voiced his displeasure later on NBA in Stephen A.’s World. Raising concerns surrounding the lack of transparency over MVP selection, he declared,
“Ain’t no way Steve Nash outplayed me in those two years he won MVP…They had a better record but I don’t believe in all that stuff that they talk. So I need to understand the criteria”.
Thus, the frustration of former players remains majorly over the NBA’s procedure to select its best performer for a regular season. Yet, several of them continue to utilize Nash’s MVP wins as a way of expressing their displeasure.
