If you read this blog regularly you know that I recently returned from a two-week trip to China. A few weeks before I left for my trip, I learned of a charity basketball game that was being organized by BDA Sports on behalf of two of their marquee clients, Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash and Houston Rockets center Yao Ming. A good friend of mine named Bill Sanders (a fellow graduate of Loyola Marymount) is the VP of Marketing for BDA Sports and when I told him of my pending trip to China, he gave me the heads up regarding the game.

I was bummed because the game was scheduled for only three days after I was departing Beijing for Shanghai for the remainder of my stay in China. After talking with Bill though, he told me what an amazing effort this was going to be and that it was also going to include Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets, Baron Davis of the Golden State Warriors, Leandro Barbosa of the Phoenix Suns and the Chinese National team which in addition to Yao would feature Milwaukee Bucks rookie Yi Jianlian. That was impressive, but the main question I had for Sanders was, "Can you land me an interview with Steve Nash?"

Because Nash isn't looking for attention, he rarely does media interviews. In fact, the only broadcast interview I've seen him do this offseason was with esteemed PBS-TV host Charlie Rose. I told Sanders that if he could set some time aside for me with Nash, that I'd change my travel plans and leave Shanghai early to return back to Beijing (no easy feat if you've ever been to the Beijing and Shanghai airports!). Sanders told me he felt very confident that he could get me some time with Nash. That was good enough for me. I immediately changed my airline and hotel arrangements to be back in Beijing by the time Nash arrived for the "Nash/Yao Charity Basketball Game".

Nash is someone I have always wanted to interview. First, because he's sort of a recluse (especially by superstar standards) and secondly because I think he's very bright. I don't often interview athletes on Sports Business Radio because frankly, most athletes aren't very engaging on radio. But Nash is someone who is very bright and I thought he'd have more to say about life outside the lines than inside the lines.

I've always admired Steve Nash from afar. I think he is the most unselfish player in the NBA. He makes everyone around him better. He's a tremendous leader. And if the two-time NBA MVP is leading the way in a gracious, low-maintenance manner, everyone else falls in to place. (Side story: I've spoken with people who work for the Phoenix Suns and they tell me how difficult it used to be to get Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion to cooperate when Stephon Marbury was the point guard for the team. Because Stephon was high-maintenance and difficult, Amare and Shawn thought that was the way to act so they followed his lead. But once the Suns got rid of Marbury and brought in Nash, Amare and Shawn totally changed their ways. They saw how cooperative and low-maintenance Nash was, so they followed his lead and became much easier to deal with. Once Nash had two MVP's under his belt, the rest of the Suns had no excuses not to work as hard and be as cooperative as the MVP). So some in the Suns front office might argue that Nash has been every bit as valuable off the court as he has been on the court for the team.

The other reason I always wanted to talk to Steve Nash is because I admire how socially responsible he is. From having BDA Sports put "social responsibility clauses" in his endorsement contracts (Clearly Canadian for example donates clean water to organizations Nash designates in Latin America per his deal with them) to building a meangingful foundation that will be his legacy long after his playing days are over, I've always liked how Nash conducts his life off the court. Honestly, the NBA should embrace Nash and his efforts much more because he is golden for the league. He epitomizes what every athlete should strive to be like.....on and off of the court.

So back to my meeting with Nash in Beijing. Sometimes when you have a vision of someone and you meet them in person, its disappointing. Its happened to me many times in my life. I've heard wonderful things about an athlete or celebrity and then when I meet the person, its a disappointment. They turn out to be nothing like their press clippings. Meeting Steve Nash was better than I could have ever expected though. He's got to be the most down to earth superstar in all of sports. He's polite, yet very funny. He's one of those people you get to talking to and you feel like you've been friends forever. He immediately makes you feel at ease and there isn't even a slight hint of arrogance with him.

(Another side story: During the two days in Beijing for the Nash-Yao game, there were several things out of everyone's control that happened. Traffic was terrible and almost caused the team bus to be late for the tipoff of the charity game. Once we were at the arena, the team locker room was the size of an average high school locker room and was far from NBA standards. But Steve Nash never complained once. As a matter of fact, I'm convinced that because Nash, the two-time MVP never complained the rest of the guys on the team didn't dare utter a complaint.)

I first met Nash on the team bus after the dinner gala on night one of the player's trip to Beijing. It was late at night and Nash had just been suffocated by probably 75 Chinese media before stepping on to the bus. Bill Sanders introduced me and mentioned that we have a common friend - former Phoenix Suns player Brian Grant, who during his one season in Phoenix (2005-06) became fast friends with Nash. Grant, a player who likes to cut it up and seems to share Nash's sense of humor, is a close friend of mine and a former client. Nash immediately lit up when talking about Grant. Sanders told Nash that I host a national radio show and that he wanted to connect the two of us the following day. Nash said that would be fine.

So the next day, I sat in the last row of the team bus, where Nash placed himself every time we rode the bus during the two-day trip in Beijing and I interviewed him for this weekend's edition of Sports Business Radio. I think you'll really enjoy our conversation and you'll find Nash's outlook on the world refreshing.....not only for an athlete, but for anyone. After listening to the interview, tell me he doesn't make YOU feel like becoming a better "Citizen of the World", as he called himself. I guess that's fitting for a guy who was born in South Africa, was raised in British Columbia and just traveled halfway around the world to raise money for Chinese children he had never met. Inspiring for sure.

Nash realizes how fortunate he is to have been born in to a middle class family. He knows how fortunate he is to be a professional athlete making millions of dollars. And he's chosen to spend his life off of the basketball court giving back to those who aren't as fortunate as he is. And he doesn't talk much about his efforts because he's not an arrogant person. His sense of perspective is really amazing.

I'm very glad I finally caught up with Nash and had a chance to speak with him. It was well worth the return trip to Beijing. Enjoy our conversation this weekend.

If you miss our show this weekend, access Sports Business Radio ON DEMAND via our podcast.

NEW: See pictures of Nash's trip to China via Suns.com here.