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The Phoenix Suns started as an expansion team in 1968 and they had very little success during their first seven years of existence in the NBA, making the playoffs just once. Their fortunes changed in the mid-70s to the mid-80s when they were perennial playoff contenders with players such as Walter Davis and Alvan Adams, leading them in their first NBA Finals appearance in 1976.
After a few bad years from 1986 to 1988, the Suns acquired Kevin Johnson from the Cavaliers and he led them to the playoffs until 2000. Of course, the trade for Charles Barkley in 1993 helped the team in a big way that led to their second NBA Finals appearance.
From 2005 to 2010, Phoenix was led by Steve Nash, who bagged back-to-back NBA MVP Awards. But the departure of Nash meant that the Suns became a mediocre team. Ever since he left, the Suns have not made the playoffs.
With ten players already on their Ring of Honor and ten getting inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, the Suns have produced a lot of great players. Here are the five who made it into their all-time starting five.
Center – Amar’e Stoudemire
Drafted ninth overall in 2002 out of high school, Amar’e Stoudemire established himself as one of the most explosive power forwards in the NBA. He won Rookie of the Year and he became a five-time All-Star. The arrival of Steve Nash pretty much unlocked his offensive potential, helping the Suns make the playoffs from 2005 to 2010.
“STAT” ranks sixth in the Suns all-time scoring list with 11,035 points. He also ranks eighth in total minutes played, third in rebounds, and fifth in blocks. He missed the entire all but three games in the 2005-06 seasons due to a knee injury. With his contributions to the Suns, he will surely join their Ring of Honor in the near future.
Honorable Mention: Center – Alvan Adams
Already a member of the Suns’ Ring of Honor, Alvan Adams played his entire 13-year career in Phoenix. Adams is the team’s all-time leader in games played, as well as rebounds and steals. He also ranks second in points, third in assists, and fourth in blocks. He won the 1976 Rookie of the Year award and was an All-Star in the same year.
Forward – Shawn Marion
Shawn Marion was another integral player in the Phoenix Suns’ run-and-gun team of the 2000s that made the playoffs from 2005 to 2008. Marion was drafted ninth overall in 1999 and he became a four-time All-Star with Suns. “The Matrix” was traded to the Miami Heat at the 2008 February deadline as part of a trade for Shaquille O’Neal.
Marion, who will surely get into the team’s Ring of Honor, ranks sixth in total games played, second in minutes played, fourth in points, second in rebounds and steals, and third in blocks. Despite his unorthodox shot, he sits third in total field goals made, fourth in three-pointers made, and tenth in free-throws made.
Honorable Mention: Forward – Walter Davis
A notable omission on the all-time starting five, Walter Davis was the first franchise player for the Suns. Davis led the team eight straight playoff appearances and he was an All-Star six times. He ranks fifth in points, fourth in assists, and third in steals, and he is also a member of the Ring of Honor.
Forward – Charles Barkley
Already a future Hall of Famer when he arrived in Phoenix in 1993 via trade, Charles Barkley had his best years with the Suns. Barkley only played four seasons in Phoenix but he was named NBA MVP in 1993 and he was an All-Star four-times while with the Suns.
Barkley helped the Suns make the playoffs four times during his stint there. He even led them to the NBA Finals in 1993 but they lost to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in six games. Barkley was inducted into the Suns Ring of Honor in 2004 and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Honorable Mention: Forward – Tom Chambers
A beloved player in Phoenix, Tom Chambers spent five seasons with the Suns making five playoff appearances during his tenure. Chambers was also a three-time All-Star while he was in Phoenix and a two-time All-NBA Second teamer. He is already a member of the Ring of Honor but he is the only 20,000-point scorer in NBA history who has not been inducted to the Hall of Fame.
Guard – Kevin Johnson
Spending 11 and a half years in Phoenix, Kevin Johnson is a true Suns legend. Acquired from the Cavaliers during his rookie season in 1988, Johnson instantly became the team’s franchise star. He was a three-time All-Star and a five-time member of the All-NBA team. He also won the Most Improved Player of the Year award in 1989.
Johnson was inducted into the Ring of Honor in 2001 for his contributions and achievements as a member of the Suns. He ranks fifth in total games played, third in points, second in assists, fourth in steals, and first in free-throws made.
Honorable Mention: Guard – Paul Westphal
Having two stints with the Suns as a player, Paul Westphal sits seventh in total points scored in the Suns all-time leaderboard, sixth in assists and steals, seventh in field goals made, and sixth in free throws made. Westphal also coached the Suns from 1992 to 1996, leading them to an NBA Finals appearance in 1993.
Guard – Steve Nash
Originally drafted by the Suns in 1996, Steve Nash played just two seasons in Phoenix initially due to Jason Kidd being at the point guard position at that time. Nash honed his game in Dallas before coming back to Phoenix as a free agent in 2005. He helped the Suns make the playoffs every year until 2010 before leaving for the Lakers in 2012.
Nash was a two-time NBA MVP in Phoenix and a six-time All-Star. He ranks sixth in points, third in games played, first in assists, tenth in steals and three-pointers made. Nash was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor in 2015 and it is only a matter time before he gets called to Springfield.
Honorable Mention: Guard – Jason Kidd
Despite spending just four and a half seasons with the Suns, Jason Kidd established himself as the best point guard of his generation while in Phoenix. Kidd helped the Suns make the playoffs five times. He was also a four-time All-Star as a member of the Suns. He ranks fifth in assists and eighth in steals in the Suns’ all-time leaderboard.
