Steve Nash reveals he modeled his game after Isiah Thomas: "I didn't necessarily love the Pistons teams"

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Steve Nash reveals he modeled his game after Isiah Thomas: "I didn't necessarily love the Pistons teams"

Bruno Feliks · Basketball Network

Wed, Oct 14, 2026 ·

3 min read

Nash fell hopelessly in love with the game by watching Thomas

Steve Nash was one of those kids. In a recent episode of the "Mind the Game" podcast, the two-time MVP looked back on how he fell hopelessly in love with the game by watching legendary point guard Isiah Thomas work his magic on the hardwood.

"I was probably at the very end of Magic-Bird, so I didn't really start playing until I was 13, in '87. So, caught some of Magic and Larry, which was amazing, both of them, that series, that rivalry," Nash said .

"But then, you know, Jordan was already around and starting to emerge, so Jordan was like, you know, he was the second coming in that era for all of us. But I loved those teams. Those teams were great."

"But my favorite player who I tried to emulate was Isiah Thomas. Yeah, I tried to emulate a small guard, super skilled, clutch, competitive," he added. "That was someone that I could go out to the schoolyard and try to emulate. I couldn't emulate [MJ], so… but Isiah I could try to emulate. So, I didn't necessarily love the Pistons teams and those Bulls teams were because of Michael Jordan, but my hero who I tried to emulate was Isiah Thomas."

Thomas' sheer skill and swagger were irresistible

Although many would later link Nash's playing style to the brilliant passing of Magic Johnson, whose style was certainly present in Nash's game, Thomas was the one. As he admitted, the Detroit Pistons and their physical style of play did not appeal to him, but Thomas's flair certainly did.

Zeke truly had it all: basketball IQ, unstoppable ball handling, a lethal crossover, a leadership gene and an uncanny knack for dropping dimes. As you'll notice, Nash himself displayed all of those same characteristics at the peak of his career.

Often when we talk about 80s and 90s basketball, mostly the names of Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are mentioned, but it was Zeke who, in that era with his Bad Boys, managed to win back-to-back titles.

Thomas made Nash believe that anything was possible

The Pistons were constantly at the top during those years and although their overall impact wasn't as large as that of the Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics, or Los Angeles Lakers, their leader nevertheless made sure an entire generation of upcoming playmakers fell deeply in love with the game by copying his moves.

Thomas certainly doesn't need additional recognition beyond what he won during his playing days, but he can be proud that he influenced the league in such a way to get a whole array of future Hall of Famers who, as kids, copied his moves on the school playground.

Ultimately, Thomas felt reachable. Very few people are born with the elite physical tools of a Jordan, but Thomas, an undersized guard who dominated among the giants of his era, proved to a young Nash that anything was possible.

This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Oct 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.