Nash delights crowd at charity game
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) -- Meeting two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash was a huge thrill for Dylan Mikolajczyk, but it wasn't just the handshake or autographed basketball that most impressed the 15-year-old.
Nash also took the time to pose for some photographs and have a few words with a group of kids in the locker room prior to the Steve Nash Foundation Charity Classic basketball game Saturday night.
"It was pretty nice," said Mikolajczyk, of Prince George, who is battling lung cancer. "You figure he is busy, has better things to do. But no, he's pretty nice. He said 'Hi,' shook my hand. He went to every kid in the room and gave them a basketball.
"It was pretty cool."
Getting to know people like Mikolajczyk helps remind Nash, the short kid who grew up in Victoria and made it big in a tall man's game, how fortunate he is.
"There are so many people out there that face a more difficult life than many of us," said Nash, speaking above the loud cheers of a home-province crowd at GM Place. "You have to try and use that as inspiration to enjoy your life and do what you can to help people and be good to people.
"A lot of people go through a lot of things. There is no rhyme nor reason and it isn't fair. It's difficult to see people struggle. I'm just glad we have a foundation that can help some of these people.
"We could do it a little differently and raise more money, but I think what's great about this event is . . . you get 20,000 people over a few-day period with all the different activities. It's a great opportunity to get people to learn about helping others, share different platforms and ideas that we care about. That's the interactive part that makes it a special weekend and more than just a fundraiser."
The basketball game was about having fun. There was plenty of showboating and razzle-dazzle, much to the fan's delight.
The game's lineup included Nash's Phoenix teammates Raja Bell and Leandro Barbosa, who won the NBA's Sixth Man Award this year as the league's top reserve player. Also on the court was Sam Cassell of the Los Angeles Clippers, Samuel Dalembert, who grew up in Montreal and now plays for the Philadelphia 76ers, 2004 Slam Dunk champion Fred Jones of the New York Knicks and former Vancouver Grizzlie Felipe Lopez.
Bell was dressed but did not play.
Nash used an alley-oop pass to set up Suns' draft pick Alando Tucker for a thunderous dunk. Nash snagged a loose ball off the floor and flipped it to Barbosa for a smooth layup. He also drained a couple shots of his own, bringing a roar from the fans.
"He's a pretty crazy basketball player," said Mikolajczyk, who was first diagnosed with cancer when he was 18 months old.
Owen, an 11-year-old who lined up at courtside hoping for an autograph, agreed.
"I like basketball and Steve Nash is my basketball idol," he said. "He's a good person and a good basketball player."
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