When Link returned from Canada, it was already nearing July.
He had no idea whether Nash would accept the Grizzlies' invitation. Even by the time Link and Pera left, Nash had not given a definite answer.
But the fact that Nash was still hesitating meant the Grizzlies had already succeeded halfway.
At the very least, it proved that he was seriously considering it.
Was Nash a good teacher? Could his arrival really help the Grizzlies?
To Link, there was no question about it. Nash had taken on this sort of role long ago—and had succeeded at it.
Starting in 2009, Nash had effectively already been serving as a mentor.
Like Billups had in Denver, he guided the young players around him through both words and example.
He taught Dudley how to eat healthily and, like a master teaching an apprentice, showed Dragic various tricks. On and off the court, he acted as both teacher and friend, sharing his experience with his teammates without holding anything back.
Nash never touched sugar, heavily processed food, or fried food. He and Grant Hill had even encouraged one another to stay away from chocolate.
Hill once admitted in an interview, "I still slip up sometimes, and he catches me. But Steve? I've honestly never seen him make an exception."
When a team had a leader so meticulous about everything from diet to training, the positive impact he brought was immeasurable.
As a result, Nash turned the Suns' young bench unit into the strongest it had ever been!
Thus, during the 2009-10 season, the Suns unexpectedly occupied the top spot in the West for a time. After the All-Star Game, they went on a tear, posting a 23-6 record. In the end, they entered the playoffs as the third seed in the West, only three