Nash Still High From Olympic Torch Experience

DALLAS -- Steve Nash was still glowing when he finally arrived at All-Star Weekend Saturday morning. He was the last player to reach Dallas, but he was the first to start walking on air.

After a flight through the night that included no sleep, Nash arrived from Vancouver, where he served Friday evening as one of the four surprise torch-bearers for Canada at Opening Ceremonies for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

He also received the lone honor of lighting the Vancouver flame, an experience that left him bursting with emotion, pride and patriotism, carrying it all the way back to Dallas.

"I can't begin to explain how much it meant to me. It really was the highlight of my career,'' Nash said Saturday before his Western Conference team began a brief practice. "I've never been so nervous, so excited about something.''

Nash, a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, has long been viewed as a conquering hero in British Columbia, an icon, easily the greatest basketball player the country has produced. Hockey may be the national sport, but Nash still is one of its national treasures.

"The pride was enormous, easily the best moment of my career,'' he said. "It's all downhill from here. Whatever happens now, can't get any better than Friday night on my home soil."

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Nash earlier in the week was part of the Olympic Torch relay, which crossed the nation before arriving in Vancouver. He grew up in Victoria, an island city just west of Vancouver. He carried the torch Wednesday a quarter mile, keeping secret his selection to light the flame Friday night.

Alongside him was hockey great Wayne Gretzky, speedskater Catriona LeMay Doan and skier Nancy Greene.

"It was such a feeling of connectivity with all Canadians. To be at home, with the whole country so proud at that moment, there was a feeling you can't describe. Just a huge rush of emotion,'' he said. "It's like at that moment, you connected with every one of your countrymen.''

Nash, 35, played in just one Oympic Games, part of a seventh place finish in 2000. He was part of the Canadian national program for a decade, but the team failed to qualify for the Olympic in 2004 and 2008. He has been approached about a role overseeing the national program.

In the meantime, he will be the starting point guard Sunday night for the West, playing before an expected 90,000 fans at Cowboys Stadium, the largest crowd ever to watch a basketball game.

He also played six seasons in Dallas earlier in his career, carving his reputation there as one of the greatest point guards in league history, a status he took to an even higher level in Phoenix. His return to Dallas was being hailed as a memorable All-Star highlight, yet it all seemed very average for him Saturday.

"I'm sure this is going to be a great weekend, and I'll try and enjoy it, but I can't get the Olympic experience out of my head right now,'' he said. "This is an important weekend, but after what happened last night, it's going to be difficult to compete.''