The Oklahoma City Thunder made the correct decision to trade Paul George for an impressive package that included Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. In fact, it might be the best move the Thunder made in franchise history.
Since the trade, Gilgeous-Alexander has taken the Thunder to new heights, winning the regular-season MVP, Finals MVP, and the championship in 2025. This has led to him being put up as one of the best players to come from Canada.
Nash believes Gilgeous-Alexander is the best Canadian
Throughout the years, Steve Nash has been at the top of any debates about Canadian players. He had two regular-season MVPs under his belt, and he had elite longevity.
When it comes to pure point guard play, Nash was at the pinnacle of that in the 2000s. Unfortunately, he never won an NBA championship, which tarnished his legacy a bit. However, he was still known as the best Canadian.
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Despite his legacy, Nash thinks that he has been usurped now. Gilgeous-Alexander already has a similar legacy to him with the MVP, but OKC's top guy also has the Finals MVP and championship that Nash never won.
"I'm gonna say Shai-Gilgeous Alexander," Nash said on Prime Video's NBA broadcast when asked about the best Canadian player to ever play in the NBA.
That is significant praise from Nash, as he can still cement himself at the top of the totem pole. However, he wants to be honest and uplift the current superstars.
This should be a sign that the basketball world is moving forward, but most Canadians would agree that Nash is still arguably the best. Gilgeous-Alexander will probably go down as the unanimous best when he retires, but that should not diminish Nash's legacy as well.
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