While Kevin Durant’s connection with Steve Nash is crucial for Brooklyn’s future, Kyrie Irving’s relationship with the new Nets head coach is also important.
Good thing for Nets fans that the franchise’s new head coach is a fan of Brooklyn’s star point guard.
“Kyrie’s one of my favorite players of all time,” Nash said during his introductory press conference as nets head coach on Wednesday. “He’s brilliant. Skill level [is] historically off the charts. Creative. Guts, competitiveness. For me to get to coach him is really a pleasure.”
Nash noted their relationship began when they faced one another during the brief time in which their playing careers overlapped. After the Hall of fame point guard retired, he actually trained Irving for a few days in New York City.
But Nash isn’t only looking forward to coaching Kyrie Irving, the player. He wants to get to know Kyrie Irving, the person, more, too.
“I got a chance to speak to him since taking the job. I’m excited to develop that relationship, watch him continue to show greatness on the floor and to get to know him in a really meaningful way — because he is an incredible person,” Nash said. “The gestures and things he’s done around the WNBA or social justice, these are things that I really admire. For him to put himself in that position with his platform to help people shows there’s a really deep person there that I’ve gotten to know. I look forward to really getting to understand, know and learn from him.”
Nashty says that Kyrie is one of his favorite players of all time. (via @YESNetwork) pic.twitter.com/o0Wm4AIwwM
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) September 9, 2020
RELATED: 3 reasons Steve Nash will work well as Brooklyn’s head coach
RELATED: Steve Nash reacts to claims white privilege helped him get Nets job