LeBron James is gearing up for another run with the Los Angeles Lakers as he looks ahead to the NBA playoffs picture. In the meantime, he reflected on figures who helped shape the modern game—and highlighted two names he believes haven’t received the credit they deserve.

In the latest episode of the Mind The Game podcast, LeBron praised his co-host Steve Nash for the impact his playing style had in transforming the league—along with former Phoenix Suns coach Mike D’Antoni. “I don’t think that you—and I don’t think Mike—get enough credit for revolutionizing the game to where it is today,” James said.

Nash played for the Suns during his early NBA years, from 1996 to 1998, and returned for a much more impactful run between 2004 and 2012. It was during that second stint that he teamed up with D’Antoni through 2008. Those were Nash’s peak seasons, when the former point guard won back-to-back league MVP awards in 2005 and 2006.

“They always talk about players. They talk about how transcendent a player can be: Magic (Johnson), (Larry) Bird, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe (Bryant), Michael (Jordan), Steph Curry,” LeBron said. “You guys were before his time. The true essence of before his time,” he added. “First of all, your style of play, how you and D’Antoni mirrored so easily to transcend the game—that is the game today.”

Steve Nash #13 of the Phoenix Suns during a game against the San Antonio Spurs on March 27, 2012.

Steve Nash #13 of the Phoenix Suns during a game against the San Antonio Spurs on March 27, 2012.

LeBron gives Nash his flowers

In the same conversation, James emphasized how Steve Nash’s elite shooting numbers helped set the standard for NBA players in the early 2000s. “It wasn’t really talked about much about guys doing the 50-40-90 thing,” the forward recalled. “I think Reggie (Miller) did it once maybe in the 90s, I think (Larry) Bird did it. I’m not quite sure if Ray (Allen) had done it yet.”

And Bron continued: “It became a thing when you were doing it, because it was like, ‘Oh, (expletive), every year.’ Once you got into your pocket, it was like 50 from the field, 40 from the three, 90 from the free throw line. And everybody was trying to figure out how they could attain that. Everybody was trying to do that now.”

That Phoenix team helped change the NBA

LeBron James also acknowledged how modern team strategies were influenced in part by those Suns squads. “Not only 50-40-90, but everyone is now playing four out, one in. Or five out. And trying to figure out how to create space,” he said. “In 2004, 2005, when you were in Phoenix: San Antonio, two bigs. Detroit, two bigs, Miami played with two bigs, Sacramento two bigs. Everybody were playing two bigs.”

Nash looked back on those years and shared some of the challenges they faced. “We were small, there were rim protectors, you got Timmy (Duncan), you got Shaq (O’Neal). We didn’t have that,” he said. “So, how can we cope defensively not being a rim protection team… and on the offense side, how can we blow teams away?”

And he finished by explaining how the league’s shifting rules played into their success. “The league wanted to make it more free flowing open, highlight the athleticism… You couldn’t have two hands on a guy anymore,” Steve said. “I think it was right at the right time, because the rules were changing too.”