The adventure continues for Canada in this World Cup, which dismissed Slovenia in the quarter-finals after having already won its ticket to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. A notable performance for the country, deprived of this competition since 2000.
At the time, the star player was Steve Nash, and the Canadiens had been eliminated by France in the quarterfinals, before finishing in seventh place. How did the former Suns point guard take this good news?
“I was on the couch going through all this,” says the former GM of Canada to Sports Net. “To do it this way, by beating Spain, it has a special taste for the Canadians and especially for us, the veterans of the selection. It’s an incredible feeling, there’s a lot of emotion and I’m proud of everyone. It’s a great moment for me. To qualify for the Olympic Games 23 years later, it’s magnificent.”
The two-time NBA MVP (2005 and 2006) took the opportunity to take a leap in time, comparing the Canadiens’ upcoming experience with his own in Sydney.
“They have the opportunity to represent their country at the Olympics, it’s so special, so unique,” says Steve Nash. “It’s different now, the world is smaller, we have so much information. For us, there were no social networks or smartphones. We only had our families and friends to realize what we were going through. It was the best experience of my career. We were outsiders, only two teams from our geographical area were qualified. We gave everything. I will never forget this feeling, this pride. »
| Steve Nash | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 1996-97 | PHX | 65 | 11 | 42.3 | 41.8 | 82.4 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 3.3 |
| 1997-98 | PHX | 76 | 22 | 45.9 | 41.5 | 86.0 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 3.5 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 9.1 |
| 1998-99 | DAL | 40 | 32 | 36.3 | 37.4 | 82.6 | 0.8 | 2.1 | 2.9 | 5.5 | 2.5 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 0.1 | 7.9 |
| 1999-00 | DAL | 56 | 27 | 47.7 | 40.3 | 88.2 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 2.2 | 4.9 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 1.8 | 0.1 | 8.6 |
| 2000-01 | DAL | 70 | 34 | 48.7 | 40.6 | 89.5 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 7.3 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 2.9 | 0.1 | 15.6 |
| 2001-02 | DAL | 82 | 35 | 48.3 | 45.5 | 88.7 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 7.7 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 2.8 | 0.1 | 17.9 |
| 2002-03 | DAL | 82 | 33 | 46.5 | 41.3 | 90.9 | 0.8 | 2.1 | 2.9 | 7.3 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 0.1 | 17.7 |
| 2003-04 | DAL | 78 | 34 | 47.0 | 40.5 | 91.6 | 0.8 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 8.8 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 2.7 | 0.1 | 14.5 |
| 2004-05 ★ | PHX | 75 | 34 | 50.2 | 43.1 | 88.7 | 0.8 | 2.6 | 3.3 | 11.5 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 3.3 | 0.1 | 15.5 |
| 2005-06 ★ | PHX | 79 | 35 | 51.2 | 43.9 | 92.1 | 0.6 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 10.5 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 3.5 | 0.2 | 18.9 |
| 2006-07 | PHX | 76 | 35 | 53.2 | 45.5 | 89.9 | 0.4 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 11.6 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 3.8 | 0.1 | 18.6 |
| 2007-08 | PHX | 81 | 34 | 50.4 | 47.0 | 90.6 | 0.4 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 11.1 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 3.6 | 0.1 | 16.9 |
| 2008-09 | PHX | 74 | 34 | 50.3 | 43.9 | 93.3 | 0.3 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 9.7 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 3.4 | 0.1 | 15.7 |
| 2009-10 | PHX | 81 | 33 | 50.7 | 42.6 | 93.8 | 0.4 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 11.0 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 3.6 | 0.2 | 16.5 |
| 2010-11 | PHX | 75 | 33 | 49.2 | 39.5 | 91.2 | 0.5 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 11.4 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 3.5 | 0.1 | 14.8 |
| 2011-12 | PHX | 62 | 32 | 53.2 | 39.0 | 89.4 | 0.4 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 10.7 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 3.7 | 0.1 | 12.5 |
| 2012-13 | LAL | 50 | 33 | 49.7 | 43.8 | 92.2 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 2.8 | 6.7 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 0.1 | 12.7 |
| 2013-14 | LAL | 15 | 21 | 38.3 | 33.3 | 91.7 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 5.7 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 0.1 | 6.8 |
| Total | 1217 | 31 | 49.0 | 42.8 | 90.4 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 8.5 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 2.9 | 0.1 | 14.3 | |
How to read stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.