After 19 years, Steve Nash has announced his retirement from the NBA.
In a letter posted on The Players Tribune, Nash revealed his intentions to step away from basketball after a historic career. Nash wrote that health issues played a large part in his decision to retire. Nash spent his last two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers but due to multiple injuries he only played in 65 out of 164 possible games. Nash was sidelined at the beginning of the season with a back injury.
Nash said the he spent a majority of his last season working with the front office of the Lakers to try and help the team's future as much as he could. Nash spent three seasons with the Lakers and six with the Dallas Mavericks but is most known for his two tenures with the Phoenix Suns. Nash led the Suns to four appearances in the Conference Finals over eight seasons.
Nash was named league MVP in 2005 and 2006, making him one of the few players in history to win the award in consecutive seasons. Nash ranks third all-time assists with 10, 335 and boasts the best free throw shooting percentage in history at 90.4. The 41-year-old will leave the game as one of the greatest point guards of all time.
According to ESPN, Nash will probably never play basketball again.
"It's bittersweet," he said. "I already miss the game deeply, but I'm also really excited to learn to do something else."
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