Basketball

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Captain Canada in charge

NBA star Nash new GM of national senior men's team

By: Lori Ewing

Posted: 05/9/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

Chris Young / the canadian press Dapper Steve Nash is the new boss of the Canadian men�s hoop team even though he fully intends to continue playing in the NBA. (CP)

TORONTO -- Steve Nash has dreamed of managing the Canadian men's basketball team since he was a young point guard running its offence.

He didn't envision that day would come so soon.

Canada's biggest basketball star was named general manager of the Canadian men's senior team Tuesday -- accepting the role despite the fact he still has a job in the NBA.

Nash, who will be a highly coveted free agent this NBA off-season, said the opportunity to help what might be the most talented group of young players the country has ever produced was an opportunity he couldn't pass up.

"It really is a beautiful thing to see our kids and the game grow and the talent continue to reach new heights, it's amazing," Nash said at a news conference Tuesday at Air Canada Centre. "I have a lot of excitement generated for the young kids in this country, many of which are making a name for themselves already, and many of which are coming up behind them."

Nash's former Canadian teammate Rowan Barrett was named assistant GM.

"We've talked about this since we played for the national team, of how we could impact the program, how we could improve it, how we could hopefully leave it in a better place than when we got involved," Nash said. "I guess it was a long time coming, but I didn't foresee it being this early."

The sport's national governing body has had the two-time NBA MVP from Victoria in its sights for some time to lead a program that hasn't made an Olympic appearance since the 2000 Games in Sydney.

"Steve's basketball IQ and background are unparalleled in the sport, and we are tremendously fortunate to have him," said Wayne Parrish, Canada Basketball's president and CEO. "We have a perfect marriage here of incredible burgeoning talent within our men's program and we feel we have in place the right structure and leadership at this point."

Nash, a 15-year NBA veteran with Phoenix and Dallas, helped Canada to a seventh-place finish -- one win away from the medal round -- at the Sydney Olympics, with Jay Triano as coach.

"This program has meant so much to me," Nash said, a Canada-red pocket square tucked in his suit jacket. "I owe a lot of my development to the program and feel that the success I've had in my career is in large part due to my time with the national team."

The men's team has been without a head coach since Leo Rautins resigned in September following Canada's disappointing performance at the FIBA Americas Olympic qualifying tournament.

Hiring a coach will be one of Nash's first orders of business, and he said Triano will be definitely be on his list of candidates.

"Obviously I love Jay and if he's interested he'll be an important candidate," Nash said.

With no Olympics for Canada this summer, Nash and Barrett plan to gather 30 or so of Canada's best players to begin training toward the 2016 Games. Likely included in that group of young standouts: Tristan Thompson and Cory Joseph, both first-round picks in the 2011 NBA draft, Andrew Nicholson, Robert Sacre, Kevin Pangos, Myck Kabongo and high school sensation Andrew Wiggins.

-- The Canadian Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 9, 2012 C6

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