The 9th annual Steve Nash Foundation Showdown took place at a park in Manhattan's Lower East Side on Wednesday afternoon. With the sides split Team USA vs. Team World, the game raises money for Nash's foundation through various VIP packages that range from $250 to stand around the outside of the field to $25,000 to play in the game itself alongside people like Italian legend Alessandro Del Piero; sorta-Italian-sorta-American player Giuseppe Rossi; U.S. National Team player Geoff Cameron; and basketball hall of famer, St. John's men's basketball head coach, and world renown footballing god Chris Mullin. Also playing was the Aussie who stole America's heart with his gritty performance in the NBA Finals, Matthew Dellavedova.
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Amazingly, Luol Deng was the best player on a field.(All photos by Joseph Swide)
Dellavedova (left) sits on the Team World bench during a break in play with Del Piero (center) and Nash (right).
Team USA poses for a team photo before the game. From left: Mullin, Rossi, Cameron, former Vancouver Whitecap and American international Jay DeMerit, and goalkeeper Mike Quarino, a front office employee for NYCFC. Fans of the U.S. Men's National Team will note that although Rossi—born in Teaneck, NJ—represents Italy in international soccer, he represents the United States at the Steve Nash Foundation Showdown.
Deng brings a ball down on his foot in stride, one of his many dazzling displays of his footballing skills throughout the day.
The media area was filled to capacity with everyone from sharply dressed members of the Italian press to one sweaty but still quite handsome VICE Sports blogger.
Under Armour is one of the event's several corporate sponsors. Another was a new drink company threatening a coup d'etat of the sports beverage tyrants. The weapon for its revolution is a mix of coconut water and cane sugar with some potassium and whatever else mixed in. I sampled various flavors. They were all delicious. But there are no free ads here. Please contact the VICE marketing department.
John Nash, Steve's father, would go on to win the Showdown MVP award for his strong performance as a second half substitute to lead Team World to a narrow victory.
In Northeast Ohio, nothing is given. Everything is earned.