Steve Nash’s Dream XI
The MVP picks his side…
Your two-time MVP, Steve Nash, showed up yesterday to practice with the New York Red Bulls, our local MLS team, and the way they’ve played this season, he probably made them ten times better just by showing up.
Of course, Steve has always been a soccer fan. His dad coached, his brother Martin played on the Canadian National Soccer team, and his sister played at D-1 power Santa Clara. A few years ago, Nash even played in a game up in Victoria, Canada.
Anyway, two years ago Steve and I talked about soccer and I asked him to pick his NBA dream eleven…
“Any point guards from the NBA would be an asset in soccer. And some of the guys, with their builds, would be really outstanding, I think.
In soccer, a guy that’s 6-2 is considered tall. So someone like Stephon Marbury would be a massive striker or defender. All those big point guards — guys like Marbury or Chauncey Billups — their jumping ability and strength would be incredible in the air. And they’d certainly be able to handle the pace.
Another guy I’d like to see play is Jason Kidd. He would be an incredible soccer player. His size, his speed, his creativity…he’d be ridiculous.
Also, some of the NBA shooting guards — like Ray Allen or Kobe — up in the air with their height and ability, could control boxes and be really amazing in the midfield.
In the goal, I think Andrei Kirilenko would be an incredible keeper. Not too many shots would be getting past him.”
20 Responses to “Steve Nash’s Dream XI”
Aug.11 at 12:16 pm
Marcel Mutoni says:
I always thought that AI would’ve made a killer soccer player. And Marbury would be ridiculous; his stutter-step and herky-jerky stuff could definitely translate.
Aug.11 at 12:24 pm
Klas Runestad says:
I think that if you “re-schooled” guys like marbury and iverson in to football (i’m not gonna say soccer) players they would be outstanding. But it would take too long. Anyway I’m sure that a team of Shaq, Duncan, Garnett and some other big men could make a killer hand-ball team. Really I think that all they would need is 2 months of training camp with a handball coach and then they would go on to win the olympics.
Aug.11 at 12:27 pm
Jake Appleman says:
GK: Kirilenko
LB: Nate Robinson
CB: Shawn Marion
RB: Manu Ginobli
HM: Jason Kidd
RM: Carlos Arroyo
LM: Tony Parker
AM: Steve Nash
F: Dwayne Wade
S: Kobe Bryant
S: Leandro Barbosa Sub: Josh Smith
Sub: Bruce Bowen
Aug.11 at 12:45 pm
Will says:
I would put Podzolkin at the goalie reserve as his face could cover up the goal.
Aug.11 at 1:04 pm
M.K. Petrik says:
Although this has nothing to do with anything; Lang, if you’re reading this, what’s the chances Slam would bring back “Last Shot” in an upcoming issue? With the amount of buzzard beaters that have been happening in the L as well as the college ranks, this is something that needs to be brought back.
Aug.11 at 1:25 pm
Joe_X says:
Someday. American writers will be able to write about Canadian cities without having to write things like “Victoria, Canada.”
Aug.11 at 1:54 pm
Lindsey Hobson says:
aint that the truth, its starting to piss me off to. G.KG
LB.Ben Wallace
RB.Manu
CB.Tony Parker
RM.Devin Harris
CM.Steve Nash(plus he looks like Andrea Pirlo from the Italian national team)
CM.Lebron James
LM.Earl Boykins
S.AI
S.AK47
S.Leandro Barbosa
Aug.11 at 2:19 pm
Jake Appleman says:
AI deserves to be there definitley. KG might be a better choice in goal than AK 47 but I’m not sure. And AK might less awkard than Peter Crouch as a striker. Devin Harris and Earl Boykins are also both worthy. Harris might deserve to start.
Aug.11 at 2:43 pm
Myung says:
i wouldn’t mind seeing mutombo stop a goal and wag the finger.
Aug.11 at 3:10 pm
Nadav says:
How no one mentioned Shawn Marion’s amazing potential as a soccer player is a crime.
Aug.11 at 5:50 pm
Magic Chicken says:
Most NBA players like to hold Basketball Charity events, where they invite other players, and have a great old time while makign money for a good Charity. Well I would like to see Steve Nash hold a Soccer Charity Event, where he invites both NBA players, and MLS players, to try them out on the field (or maybe also on the court. It’d be a big hit in Canada I bet, and would have some highlights that I’m sure we’d all want to see. Lang, you talk to Nash more than any of us, so you gotta suggest it! Lets make this thing happen!
Aug.11 at 6:46 pm
Elyse says:
Do canadian sports writers ever refer to the US cities with , United States afterwards? I don’t think it is that big a deal that a writer from america, specifies when he is writing about a city in another country.
Aug.11 at 8:34 pm
Simon says:
Sports Guy already wrote about how the Matrix would be the sickest goalie in the world with some practice. AK, Barbaso and Iverson would be nasty too. im from Victoria and i can attest that Nash is sick at not only soccer but pretty well anything he plays… lacrosse rugby hockey baseball you name it… his athleticism is underrated… hes kind of john stockton like that
Aug.11 at 8:53 pm
Joel O's says:
I always thought Dennis Rodman would make a tremendous keeper with his ball-ESP. In a football context his size is pretty ridiculous, and with his quickness and tenacity he would be awesome. Plus the hair and the tats would distract / intimidate opposing strikers. Imagine the Worm grabbing saves and kicking his feet out haha. That would be so gangsta.
Aug.12 at 3:28 am
kdubb says:
Yeah, I’m down with Rodman as keeper. He also has the right about of theatrics for getting fouls (eg. against Karl Malone), to be a soccer player. Didn’t Hakeem Olajuwon used to be a soccer goalie, before coming to America. I think he’d be sick. Also, what about Olowakandi, isn’t he a big soccer guy? He’d make a good keeper too, I think.
Aug.12 at 7:00 am
puerto rican bill walton says:
uhhhh there’s this dude named mike, he might be ok , and how about vince carter while manu and vlade get all the flopping credit because thier european, vince and D Wade are jus as bad, (worse in vinces case) at faking injurys.
Aug.13 at 3:19 am
Organic ballin' says:
This is the funniest bit I’ve seen in a while. In terms of current players, I’m surprised no one mentioned Shaq as a GK. His intimidation skills alone would stop 99% of strikers dead in their tracks (except Materazzi, who’s a defender anyway and clearly has a death wish). Some of the football (soccer to you yanks) players also show a lot of interest in basketball. Arsenal’s Thierry Henry (the French striker who scored against Brazil), one of the most famous players in England, is a good friend of Spike Lee who’s invited him to see Knicks games; he has also mentioned more than once he was a big Kobe fan. Anyway, my 11 would be as such (4-4-2 formation):
GK - Shaq
SW - Tayshaun Prince (That block he did on Reggie will vouch for this position)
LB - Shawn Marion (he could make a good GK but I think he’d be better as a defender)
RB - Amare Stoudemire (massive+fast like Eboue)
(it’s good to have two players that know each other in defense)
ST - Andrei Kirilenko (Dida comes to mind)
LW - Steve Nash (Reminds me of Robert Pires)
LMF - Jason Kidd (A bit like Zidane)
RMF - Dirk Nowitzki
RW - Chauncey Billups
LCF - Kobe Bryant (reminds me of Henry)
RCF - Dwayne Wade (Eto’o or Anelka type) Manager: Jeff Van Gundy (you know you’d want to see him on the sidelines swearing at Alex Ferguson…). Barring that, Jerry Sloan is the coach that looks the most like he should be in the Premiership or Serie A. Honorable mentions (i.e., second team): Josh Howard and Nene Hilario (having one Brazilian on the team is always good) as defenders, Tim Thomas and Tracy McGrady as wingers, LeBron James and Gilbert Arenas as centre forwards, Paul Pierce and Baron Davis as midfielders, Jermaine O’Neal as a sweeper, Dwight Howard as a stopper, and of course… Kevin Garnett as a goalkeeper. My 3 extras would be Corey Maggette, Joe Johnson and Leandro Barbosa. Oh, and my super-sub would have to be Robert Horry. You all know why. Doesn’t matter where you put him on the field, but preferably close to the opponent’s goal. He’d probably find a way to score the first three-pointer in football history (90+4). League leader in red cards? Hmm tough call between Artest, with his dangerous tackles, and Rasheed Wallace, who would be provoked into a fight every other game… I’d have to say Artest would win the yellow card battle Materazzi style, while ’sheed would see more red for Rooney-like stupidity. I spent way too much time on this!
Aug.14 at 5:18 pm
Xtapolapocetl says:
GK - Dylan
SW - Dylan
LB - Dylan
RB - Dylan
ST - Dylan
LW - Dylan
LMF - Dylan
RMF - Dylan
RW - Dylan
LCF - Dylan Because he SPITS hot fiyah!
RCF - Dylan
Feb.19 at 3:28 pm
jordan says:
gk-yoa ming
lb-dirk nowinski
rcb-kirilinko
cb-chris bosh
lcb-tim duncan
rm-gilbert arenas
cm-lebron james
lm-tracy mcgrady
f-kobe bryant
f-dwyane wade
s-steve nash
Feb.21 at 9:59 am
James says:
KG is far too big to be a keeper. You need a 6′6 maximum I would say. Ive seen people here put Yao and Shaq in their team? Madness. Keepers need to be quick on their feet, need to have superb reflexes and reactions. They need to be able to get down on the floor quickly. Yao would be a terrible keeper. Imagine Shaq diving on the floor, it would be hilarious. He wouldnt save squat. Fact.