Steve Nash still amazed at LeBron James after so many seasons
Lakers forward LeBron James attempts a three-point basket as Heat center Bam Adebayo defends during the first half of an NBA game Sunday in Miami. Credit: AP/Lynne Sladky
Steve Nash already had been in the NBA for seven years when LeBron James debuted in 2003, so he knew what he was seeing right off the bat. And it was good.
"Just an incredible athlete," the Nets coach said of his first impression of James, speaking before Tuesday night’s game against James and the Lakers at Barclays Center. "Obviously, he had skills. He hadn’t become the fully formed version, but right away [you could see] his ability.
"Size, strength, speed, agility, quickness, ability to handle the ball, pass, finish at the basket. In transition, he was out of this world. I was immediately struck by how different he was as an athlete. You knew he also had the skill and IQ to match, but he was such a young player.
"It was still just a portion of the player he’d become and it was already so electric and incredible to see him flying down the court at that size and speed and youth."
Nash, 47, last played in the 2013-14 season. James, 37, still is going strong. He scored 33 points Tuesday after entering the night averaging 29.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists.
"To be honest, I think we take it for granted," Nash said. "We’re so used to him just rolling out every year and being an MVP candidate and being one of the greatest players we’ve ever seen. So you take a step away and recognize how unique he is and how difficult it is to be playing at the level he’s playing at at this stage of his career.
"But day-to-day, I don’t even really consider it, because we’re just so used to him rolling out there and being one of the top players in the game, but also a pretty close version of his best even at this stage of his career.
"He adds to his game. He develops other things and he’s still able to have an incredible amount of athleticism and durability with all the miles on him. I think we definitely take for granted the greatness at this late stage of what would be beyond most people’s careers."
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
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