Canadian Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player for the 2004-05 season on Sunday, edging out Miami Heats Shaquille O'Neal.

The 6-foot 3-inch point guard, who returned this season to Phoenix where he spent the first two years of his career, became the first non-American to earn the league's most prestigious individual honour.

He also became the first point guard to win the award since Magic Johnson in 1990.

In one of the closest votes for MVP honours, Nash received 65 first place votes and 1,066 points in balloting carried out by sportswriters in the United States and Canada while O'Neal totalled 58 first place and 1,032 points.

Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks was a distant third with 349 points.

"I understand the people of Canada are fired up and that's great," said Nash. "I'm happy they're excited.

"There's no better feeling to make your whole country proud."

After six seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, Nash signed a five-year, $65-million deal with Phoenix and transformed the Suns into a championship contender and the NBA's most explosive and entertaining team, averaging over 110 points a game.

With the 31-year-old Canadian directing the offence, Phoenix went from just 29 wins last year to a league best 62-20 record this season.

The Suns swept the Memphis Grizzlies 4-0 in their Western conference best-of-seven quarter-final and now face Nash's former team, the Mavericks, in the next round.