“The Perfectionist” is one of many nicknames for Steve Nash, a two-time MVP in the NBA. There is no one better who laces up his sneakers and sets foot on the hardwood. His other nicknames include Nash Rambler, MV Steve, and Steve Wonder. He is the best passer in the game and arguably the best shooter in the NBA.

Steve Nash was not a basketball prodigy like LeBron James. He grew up a soccer player. He was offered a contract to play pro soccer, but he chose basketball.

He received a scholarship and played at Santa Clara for four years, then was drafted by the Phoenix Suns in the first round, playing back-up for Kevin Johnson. When he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks, many thought that would be the peak of his career. But the Mavs traded him to the Suns, thinking he had only one or two good years left. They were wrong; Nash’s numbers have only gotten better since he was traded. He won two MVP awards and took the Suns to the top seed in the Western Conference and on to the Western Conference Finals.

Nash is like a miracle drug: Every team he is on becomes an offensive machine and players begin to play like no one expected. The stats don’t lie. Whether with the Mavericks or the Suns, Nash’s team led the league in scoring in the past seven years. Nash has made everyone he plays with better. He puts the ball in the perfect position for his teammates to score. Many players have their career highs when they come to the Suns, and it is because of Steve Nash.

Many ask how Nash can be such a perfectionist when passing the ball. The answer is vision and English. Nash has the best vision in the NBA and can see plays develop before the defense can react. Nash can pass the ball to places other point guards can only imagine. He does this using English like on a cue ball in pool. He puts so much spin on a pass that when it hits the ground it spins around a defender, right into the hands of a Suns player. He is the best in the league, and has mastered the art of passing.

Nash is one of the most underrated players in the NBA, but every coach wishes he was on their team. He runs the pick and roll better than any point guard in history. He is so good that if you try to stop him from shooting, he will pass to a dunking Suns player, usually Amare Stoudemire. If you try to stop him from passing, he will just hit the jumper himself. He is one of the only players ever to average 40 percent from three-point land, 50 percent from the field, and over 90 percent from the free-throw line.

Nash has transformed today’s point guards from emulating Kobe Bryant to emulating Steve Nash. He has also transformed the league to a run-and-gun style of play, and is on a mission to prove that a team can win an NBA Championship that way.

Next time you watch Nash and the Suns play, watch in awe because you may never see a team like them again. Appreciate what Nash has done for the league and for basketball.