Roasting LeBron James Over His Age, Steve Nash And Kevin Durant Recall Bring Infuriated Over Missing 50-40-90 Club By 1 Percent

As much as moments define basketball and make it as exciting as it is, stats also play a vital role. Some of the greatest ballers to ever grace the court have, at times, become bigger than the sport itself. One particular club that separates legends from merely great players is the 50/40/90 club, and only nine NBA players have ever made it onto that list.

Larry Bird, Mark Price, Reggie Miller, Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Stephen Curry, Malcolm Brogdon, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant are the only players who can claim to have shot at least 50% from the field, 40% from beyond the arc, and 90% from the free-throw line in a single season. And the player with the most 50/40/90 seasons of all time? Steve Nash, with four.

It’s crazy that Kid Canada not only tops that list, but nearly added more to it. The Hall of Famer recorded those four incredible seasons between 2005 and 2010. But in the 2006–2007 campaign, he fell just short, missing the 50/40/90 mark by 1% on free throws (he shot 89.9%). Had he made just one more free throw, he wouldn’t just have five 50/40/90 seasons to his name, which would’ve all come consecutively.

Nash spoke about this historic miss during a recent episode of Mind The Game alongside co-host LeBron James and special guest Durant. “We were talking about it. My first year with the Lakers here at the end I was f***ing 100 years old,” said the Canadian legend before preparing a joke aimed at LeBron. “No offense,” he jokingly said to the King, which made all three men laugh. “I think I missed it by a layup. One field goal.”

Nash, after his subtle dig at James’ old age, then recalled the infamous 2006-2007 season when he was one free throw away. “So I don’t think about the four times doing it, I think about the two times (that I didn’t),” added Nash.

Regardless, it’s not a stat that holds him back from legendary status in the NBA. Four 50/40/90 seasons are still extraordinary — six would’ve been downright inhuman. The two-time MVP may never have won a ring, but don’t let ring culture fool you. He was one of the greatest point guards the league has ever seen.

In fact, Nash was just 1% away from averaging 50/40/90 over his entire career. His field goal percentage sat at 49%, which turned out to be the only thing keeping him from the feat. He averaged 42.8% from three and 90.4% from the free-throw line.

Kevin Durant could have had four 50/40/90 seasons, too

As close as Nash came to adding even more 50/40/90 greatness, Durant is right there with him on the “what could have been” list. On the same podcast, LeBron asked KD how close he was to adding more to his resume, since he currently has two such seasons. The 15-time All-Star reflected on his time with the Brooklyn Nets.

“I was like 39% from the 3 going into the last game. I had to make like 4 out of 6. I was like 1 for 8, and I was thinking about it too. I wanted it so bad,” Durant admitted. He took a moment and brought attention to what Mind The Game was all about.

“That’s another part of the mental game. You can get in your own way,” he said before revealing that his other missed chance dated back to his Oklahoma City Thunder. “There was another time in OKC, where I think it was free throws, I might have missed.”

No one’s going to knock KD for coming up short, except, of course, Durant himself. No one seems to be a harsher critic of their game than the player living it. In that sense, Nash, LeBron, and Durant make a solid trio. They’ve had their detractors and their supporters, but all of that is just white noise. At the end of the day, the only opinions that matter to them are those of their peers and their own.