It is a bond cemented by a passion for what they do and what it should mean to their country, a shared respect for a true Canadian hero that touched both their lives and gave them a sense of responsibility to do the right, selfless thing.

It’s a decades-old friendship that cannot be shaken by any means.

It is entirely logical and sensible and fitting that Steve Nash and Jay Triano should be teaming up to help restore Canada’s international basketball reputation, working together because it’s been that way seemingly forever.

“I’ve known Jay for 21, 22 years, since he recruited me to go to Simon Fraser University from Victoria and he’s always been a class act, just a phenomenal person and somebody who always seemed to be selfless,” said Nash, general manager of the Canadian senior men’s team that Triano is now coaching again.

“He obviously wanted a young player to go to his university but he was also very honest with me. He told me he thought I should go play basketball in the States and for a coach that’s trying to recruit you, that was a different approach.

“That meant a lot to me to hear him be honest and hear him be humble and to tell me that he believed in me and that I could go and do great things.”

via Doug Smith of Toronto Star