Nash reflects on disastrous Bklyn tenure, NBA player empowerment

 Things didn't exactly go as planned for Steve Nash in Brooklyn. He'd be the first one to admit that.

With a plethora of injuries, side stories, distractions, COVID interruptions, infighting and constant power struggles, the locker room wasn't exactly a picture perfect place. 

Speaking at former NBA star Goran Dragic's retirement event in Slovenia, Nash revealed to Eurohoops that many obstacles he faced during his first opportunity as an NBA coach in Brooklyn were not basketball related. 

“I was surprised when I coached, you’re not in the team that much, Nash told Eurohoops. You have five minutes with players before the game, at halftime, and after the game. Those are the only times when you address the team. I wanted to connect with every player individually. It’s important to build a culture and an environment where people believe and see them be their best. You need to feel that you want them to become the best version of themselves”, Steve Nash continued.

Managing the egos of Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and James Harden became untenable for the neophyte head coach. 

"Coaching was a great experience, I didn’t want to be a career coach, admitted Nash to Eurohoops. "I don’t think coaching was about to be my career. I’m coaching my kids, teaching them life. I earned the opportunity to choose, and that’s rewarding, There are always projects, affiliates, and partnerships. I always have something going on, I’m focused on my family."

While Nash did interview for the Toronto opening and didn't get the gig, the two-time MVP had a very difficult situation to navigate in Brooklyn and failed to deliver on the lofty title or bust expectations.