13 named to Basketball Hall of Fame
SAN ANTONIO — Steve Nash was an unsung Canadian kid who got one significant U.S. basketball scholarship offer. Jason Kidd was an Oakland hoops prodigy ticketed for superstardom from childhood.
After parallel careers that first crossed during college workouts a quarter-century ago, two of the best point guards of their generation are thrilled to be headed into the Basketball Hall of Fame together.
“It’s even more special when it’s with him, and with so many people you respect,” Nash said.
Nash, Kidd, Grant Hill and Ray Allen learned Saturday that they are among the 13-member Hall of Fame class that will be inducted in September.
The class also includes Maurice Cheeks, Tina Thompson, coach Lefty Driesell, Charlie Scott, longtime executive Rick Welts, NBA executive Rod Thorn, Katie Smith, the late Ora Mae Washington and Croatian star Dino Radja. Most of the inductees appeared together before the Final Four semifinals in San Antonio, beginning the five-month stretch of togetherness before the ceremony in Springfield, Mass.
But Nash and Kidd have been linked since their teenage years for more than their sublime playmaking skills, and they’ve both provided assists to each other along the way.
They played nearly two seasons together with the Phoenix Suns from late 1996 to 1998, but their bond began in the Bay Area during their famed group workouts while Nash was at Santa Clara and Kidd was at California.
“He kept pushing me, and hopefully I pushed him to become a better player,” Kidd said.
“Steve was always early, and he was always the last to leave, and he never gets tired. So when you have a workout partner like that, it will only make you better.”