Steve Nash finally earned a ring as a consultant for the Warriors

Nash never made it to the Finals in his career despite several near misses.

Steve Nash never won a championship as a player, joining Karl Malone as the only two-time MVP without a title during his career. However, Nash will receive a ring through the 2017 Golden State Warriors due to his work as a player development consultant, a deserved reward for an incredible career.

Despite his career excellence, Nash never even made it to the NBA Finals. The playoffs were brutal on him — in 2003 with the Mavericks and 2006 in Phoenix, Nash advanced through the first two rounds by winning Game 7s, only to lose in the Western Conference Finals. In 2003, it happened after Dirk Nowitzki suffered an injury, and in ’06, Nash fell to his former teammates in Dallas.

Nash’s best chance was 2010, when the Suns were on the verge of overtime in Game 5 when an airballed jumper was put back in by Ron Artest to win. In defeat, the Suns fell down 3-2 and lost the series one game later. It was a heartbreaking way to lose.

There was also 2007, when the Suns lost a crucial Game 5 to San Antonio in the Western Conference Semifinals after Amar’e Stoudemire was controversially suspended for taking a step onto the court during a scuffle.

Of course Nash’s ring for being a consultant isn’t the same as winning one as a player, and he would probably be the first to tell you that. But Nash was a revolutionary point guard, a sure Hall of Famer, and someone who suffered countless playoff heartbreaks over his career. There’s no shame in not making it out of the Western Conference during the mid-to-late 2000s when it was at its very best.

You don’t have to like the Warriors, but we should all be happy for Nash. He deserves this.