One of the most beautiful aspects of the NBA is that the game is constantly evolving. Today’s game looks a lot different than it did in the 1970s. Lakers superstar LeBron James has been in the league long enough to experience three different decades of play styles. He confesses that when he was with Miami, the Heat’s Big 3 adopted Suns legend Steve Nash’s novel team philosophy.
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For the majority of the NBA’s existence, all teams played roughly the same way. Two big men were a requirement in every starting five. No one dared to mix that up. That was until Nash and head coach Mike D’Antoni flipped the script.
The Suns became notoriously known for their “seven second or less” offense. Their schematics depended on pace and space, with only one rim-rolling big man. They utilized Amar’e Stoudemire’s athleticism to beat opposing bigs in transition. It didn’t take long for the NBA to take note.
Although the Suns never won a championship with that core, their style of play influenced the rest of the league. When the Miami Heat formed their Big 3 with James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, they took a page out of the Suns’ playbook to maximize their success.
In the recent episode of James and Nash’s Mind The Game podcast, LeBron revealed the influence Nash had on the Heat.
“You went to Phoenix and changed the whole two bigs,” James said. “I need one rim roller or one guy that can sprint down the floor, beat everybody down. We adapted that in Miami when Bosh became the five.”
Nash’s impact on the sport has gone overlooked by modern NBA fans. Nonetheless, LeBron made sure to give the two-time MVP the credit he deserves for his contribution to today’s basketball.
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer has been a major fan of Nash throughout his career.
LeBron has praised Nash on numerous occasions
After the 2014-15 season, Nash decided to hang it up. He spent his last few seasons on the Lakers but numerous injuries halted his production. When the Canadian guard announced his retirement, James publicly praised Nash for his work.
“His run in Phoenix was unbelievable,” James said. “The way he played the game of basketball, I wish I could have been a teammate of his for a year or two. Being around a guy like that who is just all about team. He never asked for anything, and everything was given to him. You can respect somebody like that.”
Although they never got to play together, James and Nash now have the privilege to merge their intelligent basketball minds on their show.
