Nash Named GM Of Canada Basketball

[Built Ford Tough]

TORONTO -- Canada's biggest basketball star has been hired to head the country's men's national program.

 

Steve Nash was named general manager of Canada Basketball's senior men's team Tuesday.

 

The sport's national governing body has had the two-time NBA MVP from Victoria in its sights for some time to lead a program that hasn't made an Olympic appearance since the 2000 Games in Sydney.

 

Nash helped Canada to a seventh-place finish in Sydney, with Jay Triano as coach.

 

"This program has meant so much to me," Nash told an afternoon news conference at Air Canada Centre. "I owe a lot of my development to the program and feel that the success I've had in my career is in large part due to my time with the national team."

 

Despite his success as a pro, Nash says his fondest memories remain with Canadian teammates.

 

"Playing for Canada at the Olympics was the greatest experience of my career, bar-none," he said. "It's no secret what this country means to me and to be a part of Canada Basketball again is a huge honour and pleasure.

 

"Now the work starts."

 

The men's team has been without a head coach since Leo Rautins resigned in September following Canada's disappointing performance at the FIBA Americas Olympic qualifying tournament.

 

http://tsn.ca/nba/story/?id=395377

 

Not really a surprise to anybody who has paid attention to Canada Basketball over the past few months, which is probably very few people on here.

 

Anyways, it is long overdue getting Nash back involved with the Canadian Men's team. I'm not naive enough to think that this will suddenly make them a basketball power or anything of that nature, but I highly doubt we will see a repeat of this past summer's FIBA Americas where many top Canadian talent refused to play.

 

There is still a lot of work to be done, that is no secret, but this is definitely a step in the right direction.

 

There is also this bit of news as well:

 

Rowan Barrett was also hired Tuesday and will serve as Nash's assistant general manager.

 

Not sure many people know who Barrett is, but he played on that Canadian Olympic team alongside Nash in 2000 and is another of the "pioneers" (for lack of a better word) for Canadian basketball. He never experienced the success that Nash did, but he played collegiately at St. John's, was under contract with the Sixers and Raptors (never played an NBA game, though) and played professionally in multiple countries (Spain, Italy, France, Israel, Argentina, Venezuela and Greece among others). He is well respected among Canadian basketball circles for all he has done, so it is a great hire as well.

 

As for Triano, it is basically guaranteed that he re-joins the program in some capacity, although it for sure that he will become the coach again, although that is a possibility. There was talk about him having a management role instead of coaching, but nothing is official yet.

[DunkinDerozan]

This is great news. The fact that Canada is currently ranked 23 in FIBA world rankings is embarrassing. I hove Steve can help get team Canada back on track.

[Check my Stats]

This will increase the credibility of Canada basketball. That is a pretty big role though for a guy whose main priority is the NBA right now... would have expected to see him in more of a figurehead position until he retires, but still, this is nice.

[Sħãlïq™]

C (.)(*) L!!