HE is an American sporting icon, worth an estimated £50m and voted among the world’s most influential people. And he’s Welsh.
Steve Nash has twice been named the National Basketball Association’s most valuable player.
But his ancestry is not from the mean streets of New York, Los Angeles or Chicago.
Wales on Sunday can reveal Nash’s mum, Jean, was born and spent her early life in South Wales, while his grandfather, Les Hall, still lives in Swansea.
“I was born in Swansea and lived in the Clase district for 10 years,” confirmed Jean, who celebrated her 56th birthday last week. “Stevie has been to Wales, but only once to see my grandad before he died.”
While he may not be a household name in the land of his fathers, 33-year-old Nash is a superstar in North America – on and off the court.
A five-time All Star, the Phoenix Sun star is only the second point guard to win back-to-back MVP awards – following the legendary Magic Johnson.
But it is off the court that he really stands out, earning a reputation as the antidote to basketball’s celebrity and bling culture epitomised by Los Angeles Lakers rival Kobe Bryant.
The Steve Nash Foundation he formed in 2001 raises millions of dollars a year for disadvantaged children worldwide.
And last year he was named in Time Magazine’s top 100 most influential people in the world, alongside the likes of George W Bush, Puff Daddy and Bill Gates.
But he has not been afraid of controversy, publicly condemning United States involvement in the Iraq War when he wore a T-shirt stating bearing the logo, ‘No War – Shoot For Peace’, to the NBA All-Star Game in 2003.
All a far cry from his family roots in South Wales.
Mother Jean left Swansea at the age of 10 when her police-constable father Les took her and mum Catherine to Yorkshire to take up a post as a probation officer.
The family moved on to London, where Jean met John Nash, who she married, aged 20, in 1971.
The newlyweds emigrated to South Africa, where Steve was born in Johannesburg in February 1974.
“I liked the sound of South Africa,” recalled Jean. “But when Steve was born and we had enough money, we left because I didn’t want Steve growing up in apartheid.”
The young family moved in 1975 to Regina in the Canadian state of Saskatchewan, where Steve’s brother Martin – now a pro footballer playing for Vancouver Whitecaps and the Canadian national team – was born.
The Nash family finally settled on Vancouver Island when Steve was two.
Football was always in the family; sister Joann also plays, while Steve’s father played semi-pro for Ashford in the Southern League.
Steve grew up a ‘soccer fanatic’ and grew up dreaming of playing for boyhood team Tottenham Hotspur, who his father followed – a link which has led to stories about a possible takeover of the troubled Premiership club.
The Phoenix Suns guard, a lifelong Tottenham fan, says he would love to be involved with the English Premier League team at some point.
“I’d like to be an owner,” Nash told the New York Times. “It’s something I could do for the rest of my life after my little window of popularity closesdies.
“Of course, I would love to own Spurs, but I have not got a spare 300 million,” he said. “I am a lifelong fan of the club. I am massively proud to be a fan.
“One day, when my career has finished, I would love to be involved with the club. I would love to be a part of a club like that.”
But he has not had to wait until his career is over to link up with Tottenham, meeting his heroes on a trip to Britain.
“Steve’s dream came true when he trained with Tottenham in the summer,” said Jean.
“We came across to John’s dad’s funeral and Steve trained at Tottenham.
“Steve was introduced to the crowd at half-time, but he was nervous because he thought people would think, ‘Who’s he? He’s just some basketball player’.”
Nash started in the NBA with the Suns in 1996, before a move to the Dallas Mavericks in 1998 saw him shoot to prominence, being voted into the NBA All Star game for the first time in 2001.
Phoenix re-signed him in 2004 on a six-year $66m contract and transformed the Suns into Pacific Division champions as Nash edged the great Shaquille O’Neill to the MVP award – the first white player in 18 years to win the accolade.
Nash inspired the Suns to back-to-back Pacific Division titles and a second MVP award in 2006 before a stellar season last time out.
He became the first player since Magic Johnson to average 18 points and 11 assists per game, returned to the All-Star game for the fifth time in six years, led the NBA in assists and assists per game and helped the Suns to a Pacific Division hat-trick.
But he narrowly missed out on a third MVP award, losing to his good friend and ex-Dallas team-mate Dirk Nowitzki, the godfather of his twin daughters, Isabella and Lourdes.
Nash was named by Sports broadcasters ESPN the ninth best Point Guard in the NBA’s 60-year history and his free throw shooting average of 89.6 per cent is third in NBA history.
But it is work as a humanitarian and ambassador for sport which really marks Nash out from the crowdn.
The money he makes from endorsements is ploughed into The Steve Nash Foundation, which spends $1m-a-year aiding youngsters all over the world.
He recently opened his $5m Steve Nash Sports Club in Vancouver and started the Canada-wide Steve Nash Youth Basketball League that has attracted almost 20,000 youngsters to play his sport. He has also spent millions helping childrenb in Africa.
His parents are Steve’s business managers and Mum Jean recalled: “At first Steven didn’t want to use his name, because he didn’t want people to think he wanted to get attention.
“He’s not interested in being a big name, but wants to use his profile to make a difference and improve children’s lives because he loves kids. I said you couldn’t do that without your name being attributed to it as companies would be less likely to help.
“Eventually he came around to our way of thinking. He just wants to give something back to those less fortunate. He’s a really great guy and cares about everybody.”
Nash is certainly a sportsman with depth. He loves art, travel and is a discerning reader, enjoying works by philosopher Immanuel Kant and Russian novelist Alexander Solzhenitsyn.
His anti-war stance caused controversy, but Nash argued insufficient evidence was provided saying Iraq was a threat and insisted UN inspectors should be allowed to complete their mission.
“Steve believes violence should be a last resort,” said dad John, a former advertising executive who spends summer in Victoria and the winter in Phoenix. It was Steve’s off-the-court work as much as his on-the-court efforts that earned him a spot in Time Magazine’s top 100 most influential people in the world in 2006.
He is also a consummate team player.
When Nash represented Canada at the 2000 Olympics Games in Sydney he gave his team-mates, most of whom were amateur, $3,000 each to ‘enjoy their experience and not to worry about money’.
He also refused first-class treatment and insisted on sharing a room like his team-mates, even though the Canadian team had booked him a suite. He also gave up his first-class seat on the flight over to the tallest player on the team because ‘he needed it more’.
“He must have got the caring side from me,” joked grandad Les Hall, from his apartment in Swansea.
“After being a police constable and a probation worker, I went on to be a social worker!”
Les and late wife Catherine met just 200 yards from his St Helen’s Road home before the war before marrying in 1943 before Les was called up to war effort in the Royal Navy. They had four children, three of whom live abroad in Canada, Melbourne and France. Les’ beloved Catherine died of a heart attack five years ago and the last time the whole family were together was her funeral.
“I love going to see Steve, I’m treated like royalty,” said Les beaming. “He gets swamped by kids asking his autograph and they even ask me for mine!
“But I can’t go over all the time as I suffer vertigo and the 14-odd hour journey from Swansea to Phoenix takes it out of me. I need a week to recover.”
Nash’s Welsh heritage runs deep as his great-great-grandfather, David Richards, was mayor of Swansea just before the Second World War.
The NBA season, which started this week, may be taking most of his attention at the moment, but Steve has not forgotten where he comes from.
His manager, Chris Talbott, said: “Steve is very aware and extremely proud of his Welsh roots.”
‘To top it off, Nash is just a nice guy’
STEVE NASH has earned plenty of plaudits during his 11 years in the NBA.
But perhaps his greatest accolade came when Time Magazine named him among the 100 Most Influential People in the World list in 2006.
Time turned to NBA Hall of Fame legend Charles Barkley, a former Phoenix Sun forward, to pen the tribute to Nash.
He wrote: "I’ve been all over the world and I always think people won’t know who I am. They do.
"The way basketball has been embraced globally always amazes me. And I’m glad the world has got a chance to learn from a guy like Steve Nash.
"What has he taught us? It pays to be selfless. You can be content just to make the players around you better.
"To top it off, Nash is just a nice guy. He used endorsement money to help pay for a new paediatric cardiology ward in a Paraguayan hospital. That’s beyond admirable.
"Over the past few years, his popularity has exploded.
"His ego could have, swelled; everyone else’s does. But he still just wants to pass the ball.
"I’m a lucky guy to be living in Phoenix. The sun. The golf. And I get to watch Nash act like a magician on the court. Can’t top that.
"And who knows? Maybe he’ll inspire a whole new generation of kids to pass out of double teams the way he does.
"Like Nash, maybe they’ll be selfless off the court too. That would be even better."
Hoop dreams - from Swansea to Phoenix
Steve Nash
Born: Feb 7, 1974 in Johannesburg, South Africa
Age: 33
Nationality: Canadian
Family: Wife Alejandra and two children, Lola and Bella
Position: Point guard
NBA career: Phoenix Suns (1996-98, 2004- Present), Dallas Mavericks (1998-2004)
Awards: NBA’s Most Valuable Player of 2005 and 2006, five-time NBA all-star player, three-time NBA leader of total assists and assists per game.
