Victoria-born Steve Nash became the first Canadian to win the NBA Most Valuable Player award on Sunday, edging out Shaquille O’Neal in the fourth-closest race of all time.

Accepting the award, Nash invited all of his Phoenix Suns teammates, who were sitting with the reporters at a press conference, to the stage. The move was fitting since Nash, 31, has been classified as one of the most unselfish players in the NBA.

“For me to come to a new situation and be accepted the way I’ve been by these guys, and for us to be able to form the bond that we have, it’s been special,” he said.

Nash, who lead the league with 11.5 assists, becomes only the sixth guard in NBA history, and the first point guard since Magic Johnson won the award in 1987, to win MVP.

Nash received 65 first-place votes, just seven more than O’Neal received.

O’Neal left the Lakers and was traded to the Miami Heat. The Lakers failed to make the playoffs this year without him, while the Heat improved to become the Eastern Conference champs.

Nash left the Dallas Mavericks and signed with the Suns, a team he asked to be traded from in 1998 when he became the team’s third point guard. The Suns improved this year by 33 wins, leading the NBA with 62 wins, three more than Shaq’s Heat.

After winning, Nash told the Canadian Press that he is planning a charity All-Star game in Toronto this summer.

One report indicated that it would occur at the Air Canada Centre on July 29.

“It’s an exciting time to have an impact in my home country, and especially in the community of Toronto, and do something special there,” he said.

Vince Carter hosted an All-Star game the past few years, but his demand for a trade out of the city betrayed Raptor fans and signaled the end to that tradition.






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