Steve Nash does us proud

Victoria and Canada have good reason to be proud of Steve Nash, the Victoria-raised NBA superstar who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Friday. He is ranked as one of the top basketball players of all time for his skills and drive, but his achievements off the basketball floor are equally impressive.

Nash shone as a high school basketball player at St. Michael’s University School in Victoria, leading his team to a provincial championship. Playing for Santa Clara University in California, he helped his underdog team win a western regional conference title, then a berth in the national playoffs.

In a game where height matters and six foot three is considered short, he had to scrap and claw his way to the top in the NBA. In doing so, he was named MVP twice and an all-star eight times. Along the way, he reshaped how basketball is played.

But he’s much more than an accomplished athlete. One of his qualities that appeals to Victorians — apart from the fact that he’s home-grown — is his apparent lack of ego about his achievements, as well as his generosity. The Steve Nash Foundation fosters health in young people by funding projects to aid children affected by poverty and illness.

He led efforts to establish a cultural and sports centre for children in war-torn Uganda; he paid for a new pediatric cardiology ward in a Paraguayan hospital.

In his private and public life, he is a role model for kids of all ages who aspire to do great things, both in athletics and in life, while staying down to earth.

His honours are richly deserved.