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D ( wyane Wade and Steve Nash don’t | need an introduction. They’re two I of the hottest guards in the NBA I and have chased each other up and I down the court countless times. So I a USA WEEKEND Magazine photo shoot takes on the feel of a friendly reunion as it unfolds in a New York studio. Wade is the first to arrive, in designer jeans, a black T-shirt and shiny Converses. Nash follows on no particular timetable, in an art deco-inspired T-shirt and faded jeans, true to his rep as a free spirit The two stars greet with smiles, shake hands and hug. When choosing jewelry for the shoot, Wade coyly says, “I usually only wear one ring on this hand.” The comment is met with laughs around the room, includ ing a chuckle from Nash. Wade is referring, of course, to the NBA championship ring he won as a Finals MVP for the Miami Heat in 2006. Nash, who plays for the Phoenix Suns, doesn’t have an NBA title, but he could rub it in that the score is Nash-2, Wade-0 when it comes to league MVP awards. Still, he takes the high road. “Been playing much?” he asks Wade, who has had shoulder and knee surgery in the off-season. “I’ve been taking it slow,” Wade says. “But I’ll see you on the court this year.” You can count on that Just like you can count on these two guys to set high standards off the court. Wade, just 25, firmly committed himself to community service long before he became a professional basket I3ig> MJ|H9HprT| In the court of popular opinion, Dwyane Wade and Steve Nash are go-to guards and standout good guys in their communities. By T.J. Walter and Dennis McCafferty 6 USA WEEKEND • Oct 12-14,2007 Most ball player. Nash, 33, a native Canadian, oversees a busy non-profit that’s addressing needs on a global level. “I never wanted my foundation to only benefit Canadian causes or American causes,” Nash says. “It has always been built on the belief that we are all one community. What happens in one part of the world af fects all of us.” To find out more about all the remarkable things Nash and Wade are doing, read on: ,-- BbSI Mr [ / IBMI ■l&ft j / , - v'V-JjSaSS IfBI • i ' iitlrr i /Iff * MRrw 3 ■? '■' '■' iHHHHHx \ 1/7 Jfla&l ■ I STEVE NASH: Making an impact globally Nash has never resembled a typical superstar athlete. He’s listed at 6-foot-3,195 pounds a scrappy whirl wind of a player as opposed to a dominating dunker. His hair often long and scraggly flies wildly as he races about the court. And although not preachy, Nash has used his fame to raise discussion about world Cover and cover story photographs by Brad Trent for USA WEEKEND Grooming by Kelly Stedman; styling by Rodney Hall The Cannot: Foundation and USA WEEKEND a re giving $5,000 to each of these athtetes charitable foundations to help them continue doing gooci.