Like Johnson, Bell was a deadly outside shooter, and in fact drained far more threes (578 to 335) at a higher percentage (41.9 to 39.6). Accomplishments: Four-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, 1967 NBA champion. Twice he led the Suns out of the first round, averaging 20.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.9 blocks during the playoffs. The NBA's 75th anniversary team was selected by a blue-ribbon panel of media, current and former players, coaches, general managers and team executives. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, 1968-69 All-NBA, 1968-69 MVP, 1968-69 Rookie of the Year, 1978 Finals MVP, 1974-75 rebounding champ, 1978 NBA champion. On an episode of Throwing Bones in December, Green listed his top five players of all time, and Curry ranked fourth on the list. Or maybe it's his 51.8 FG percentage and 83.3 FT percentage. Rather than being too small to play power forward and too slow and offensively limited to play small forward, Robinson was strong enough to dominate bigger guys on the glass and had the shooting and ball-handling ability to tear up wing defenders. At his peak, Stoudemire was one of the best offensive players in the league. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive team, three-time MVP, two-time Finals MVP, 1979-80 Rookie of the Year, 1982 All-Star MVP, three-time NBA champion. But even while in his 30s, Lucas managed to average 15.4 points and 9.7 rebounds on 48.2 percent shooting. Stats: 26.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.8 APG in 10 NBA seasons with San Antonio Spurs (1976-77 to 1984-85) and Chicago Bulls (1985-86); also played four ABA seasons with Virginia Squires (1972-73 to 1973-74) and San Antonio Spurs (1973-74 to 1975-76). Stats: 18.7 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 1.8 APG in 10 seasons with New York Knicks (1964-65 to 1973-74). Stats: 10.8 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 3.9 APG in 13 seasons with Baltimore/Capitol/Washington Bullets. Adams went on to put up impressive numbers long after his rookie year. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, 1992-93 MVP, 1991 All-Star MVP, 1986-87 rebounding champ. The first star of the Suns, Dick Van Arsdale spent nine years in Phoenix. Land of Basketball is a fan website, for official NBA information visit National Basketball Association's website. The starting backcourt consists of the dynamic combination of Steve Nash and Paul Westphal. Three All-Star, five All-NBA and 11 playoff appearances later and K.J. Even on a franchise that has seen so much incredible two-way play and do-it-all-ness, Shawn Marion's versatility stands out. Paul Westphal, Barkleys former coach, was once quoted as saying, next to Shaq, Charles may have been the worst player in history at defending the pick-and-roll. Stoudemire and Nash were poor defenders as well. WebPhoenix Suns All-Time Players. Hornacek was eventually traded for Charles Barkley, but is forever a Phoenix legend, remembered as one half of the Suns' best backcourt of all-time (alongside Kevin Johnson) and one of the most efficient scorers of his generation. 9. Larry Nance is perhaps best remembered as the NBA's first slam-dunk champion, but he was far more than a high flyer for Phoenix. For a fifth straight year, the NBA's Most Valuable Player award will go to someone born outside of the United States. NBA 75 panel:And theyre revealed 5 Knicks vs. No. Shawn Marion, the starting small forward, will play a key role as the main (and only) defensive stopper in the starting lineup. With plenty of time to go in Phoenix most likely, Booker already has made the most three-pointers in team history with 1,089, made the fourth most made free throws with 2,693, dished out the seventh most assists with 2,521, and scored the fourth most points with 12,688.If Booker keeps this pace up, he has a chance to find himself at number one on this list, as well as the Basketball Hall of Fame. Walter Davis, the franchises all-time leading scorer, will also see heavy minutes as the best shooter (outside of Nash) on the team. Kevin Durant becomes 3rd NBA player to sign lifetime deal with Nike The 13-time All-Star joins Michael Jordan and LeBron James in inking a lifetime contract with Nike. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, five-time All-Defensive team, nine-time assists champ, two-time steals champ, 1993 All-Star MVP. He made the All-Defensive team with Phoenix twice, and as a result, helped lead the Suns twice out of Round 1 and once to the Western Conference finals. His 3.2 defensive win-shares per season are a major reason why the Suns made the playoffs every year with Robinson on the roster, and his appearance on the 2000 NBA All-Defensive team is a testament to that. Stats: 20.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 5.6 APG in 15 seasons with Portland Trail Blazers (1983-84 to 1994-95) and Houston Rockets (1994-95 to 1997-98). He shot a ridiculous 47.8 percent from deep, draining 177 triples in the process. Johnson felt like the perfect piece to pair with Charles Barkley that continued his run even after Barkleys departure. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, 1974-75 MVP, 1972-73 Rookie of the Year, three-time scoring champ, two-time NBA champion. Full of brilliant play makers. For the first time in Stephen Curry's career he went down 0-2 in a playoff series. Zach Lavine - All-Time Chicago Bulls. While on the Suns, the Hall of Famer showed off his all-around game by averaging 17.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.7 blocks on 45.5 FG shooting and 80.7 FT shooting. Nash led the Suns from a secondary playoff team fighting to stay in, to a title contender often contending for the one seed. Steve Nash. Phoenix ended up finding huge success with Stoudemire as the teams best scorer when Steve Nash joined the franchise. Stats: 25.0 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.6 APG in 19 seasons with Utah Jazz (1985-86 to 2002-03) and Los Angeles Lakers (2003-04). The NBA defines clutch time as the last five minutes of a game when the margin is five points or fewer. Cameroon-born Embiid (the league's leading scorer), Serbia's Jokic Curry leads the Warriors, and ranks fourth among all NBA players (minimum four games), with 31.4 points per game through five playoff contests. WebNBA Classic Teams: Players Added to All-Time Teams in NBA 2K22. During that time, he also was named to the All-NBA team, was named the 1993 MVP, and had the third-highest game score average in team history. Glenn Robinson - Milwaukee Bucks. The Suns have a rich tradition, currently Checkout the latest and historical year by year stats of Phoenix Suns along The two MVP Awards stand out even above the six All-Star appearances and five all-NBA selections to show how much he impacted the game. In that time, he made the 1976 All-Star team, 1976 All-Rookie First team, and won the Rookie of the Year award in 1976.That same year, in 1976, he led the Suns to their first Finals appearance, where they ultimately lost to the Celtics. Dwyane Wade Mark West is a return to the Gar Heard-model with a little Paul Silas thrown in. 10 Best Players In Toronto Raptors History, Stoudemire was one of the best at his position, scoring 70 points for a shocking career high, Phoenix made a big move acquiring Barkley, 10 Lesser Known Pro Wrestling Terms That Even Casual Fans Should Know About, 10 Wrestlers In AEW Right Now Who Are Most "Over" With Fans, 10 Wrestling Finishers That Have An "Upgraded Version". During his final three years, however, he became an all-round force. As you may have noticed by now, the list of the greatest Suns of all time is riddled with ridiculously versatile players. Exciting. The nine-time All-Star also has limitless range. Dig in below for a deep dive on the best 75 of all time. In 1996, the Suns took Nash with the fifteenth overall pick in the NBA draft.He played two seasons for them (1996-1998) before leaving for the Dallas Mavericks.He returned in 2004 and played eight more seasons in the desert (2004-2012).It was during this second stint that Nash made his mark in Phoenix. 25 25. Even when projected over 36 minutes, His 11.1 points and 10.8 rebounds aren't too impressive considering his 41.5 shooting percentage. Van Arsdale is fourth on the Suns' all-time games played list, fifth in scoring and third in offensive win shares. Theres little drop off to the guards on the bench. He played alongside multiple generations of Suns starsfrom Connie Hawkins and Paul Silas to Charlie Scott to the 1976 finals team with Paul Westphal, Alvin Adams and Gar Heard. Stats: 24.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 6.5 APG in 11 seasons with Golden State Warriors (2009-10 to 2020-21)*. Stats: 25.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 6.5 APG in 12 seasons with Oklahoma City Thunder (2009-10 to 2011-12), Houston Rockets (2012-13 to 2020-21) and Brooklyn Nets (2020-21)*. The on-court success of Booker was always there despite the lack of team results, as seen with him scoring 70 points for a shocking career high. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, 1950-51 rebounding champ, 1955 NBA champion. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive team, 1993-94 MVP, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, two-time Finals MVP, two-time rebounding champ, three-time blocks champ, two-time NBA champion. Stats: 25.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 9.5 APG in 14 seasons with Cincinnati Royals (1960-61 to 1969-70) and Milwaukee Bucks (1970-71 to 1973-74). Marion is fourth on the Suns all-time offensive win-shares list and second on the defensive list. WhatIs The Best Team In The NBA Right Now? Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, two-time Finals MVP, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, 2020 All-Star MVP, 2014-15 steals champ, two-time NBA champion. Still, Davis never quite lived up to his Rookie of the Year campaign in 1977-78, when he averaged a career-high 24.2 points and 6.0 rebounds. His limited offensive game and minutes led to averages of only 6.9 points and 6.0 rebounds in 21.6 minutes with Phoenix, but he did shoot an outstanding 62.5 percent from the field (in contrast to Heard). Phoenix retired Johnsons jersey after his long stint with the franchise ended with four All-Star appearances and five all-NBA selections. Formed in 1968, the Phoenix Suns have had a long history of success. Such is life for a championship-less franchise. Chambers even managed to receive two all-NBA selections at the peak of his career. Though he wasnt the athletic marvel that he was in Philadelphia, he was still one of the best players in the league on the Suns, and provides them with a dominant low-post scorer. He wound up playing his first eight NBA seasons with the team (2002-2010).After winning the Rookie of the Year award and making the All-Rookie First team in 2003, Stoudamire went on to make five All-Star teams (2005, 2007-2010) and four All-NBA teams (2005, 2007, 2008, 2010) with the Suns.. While the team ultimately came up short in the 1993 Finals, Chambers' skills and leadership played a key role in getting them there. 18. LeBron James has become the player with the most playoff series won in NBA history, tied with Derek Fisher at 40. On the Suns all-time leaderboards, Davis ranks number one in points scored (15,666), number five in free throws made (2,557), number four in assists (3,340), number three in steals (1,040), and number two in games played (766).Davis also helped the Suns reach the playoffs in seven straight seasons, twice losing in the Conference Finals (1979, 1984).While he may not have made it into the Basketball Hall of Fame, Davis helped to bring some success to the Suns and helped set them up as a great team going forward. A player who really took off once he got to Phoenix is Kevin Johnson.Johnson was initially drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers but was traded to Phoenix during his first season in 1988.He went on to play all twelve of his NBA seasons in Phoenix (1988-1998, 1999-00).His first full season in the desert, he won the 1989 MVP Award, increasing his point production from around 9 per game to over 20 per game.Furthermore, he made five All-NBA teams (1989-1992, 1994) and three All-Star teams (1990, 1991, 1994).. Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive team, 1972-73 MVP, 1973 All-Star MVP, 1970-71 Rookie of the Year, two-time NBA champion. All-time greats like George Mikan, Rick Barry, George Gervin, Allen Iverson, Isiah Thomas, Scottie Pippen and Kevin McHale all fell just short of making it, which should illustrate just how accomplished the 25 who made the list had to be. Stats: 20.8 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 4.0 APG in nine seasons with Philadelphia 76ers (1965-66 to 1971-72; 1974-75 to 1975-76); also played two ABA seasons with Carolina Cougars (1972-73 to 1973-74). One of the first great stars for the Suns was forward Walter Davis.The fifth overall pick in the 1977 NBA draft by Phoenix, Davis played the first eleven seasons of his career with the Suns from 1977-1988.He won the 1978 Rookie of the Year and was named to the 1978 All-Rookie First team. Six All-Star Selections (2005-2008, 2010, 2012), Four All-Star, All-NBA Team Selections (1993-1996), Six All-Star Selections (1978-1981, 1984, 1987), Three All-Star Selections (1990, 1991, 1994), Five All-NBA Team Selections (1989-1992, 1994), Five All-Star Selections (2005, 2007-2010), Four All-NBA Team Selections (2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, Four All-Star Selections (2003, 2005-2007). The big man averaged 19.2 points and 8.6 rebounds during his tenure with the Suns, but more impressive than that were his 56.8 FG percentage, 1.2 steals and 2.1 blocks. The Suns viewed Chambers as one of their most reliable players when on an upswing. Stats: 19.0 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 3.0 APG in 19 seasons with San Antonio Spurs (1997-98 to 2015-16). Bob Pettit held the record from 1964 to 1966 and is the first player to eclipse 20,000 career points. Steve Nash is not as easy a choice for No. Is it his 22.5 PPG and 5.6 APG? Tom Chambers, But like Stoudemire, injuries held back what could have been the career of the greatest player in Suns' history and one of the best point guards of all time. This helped guide the Suns to the postseason during each of his three seasons in Phoenix, where Lucas improved to 17.3 PPG and 9.7 RPG on 50.8 percent shooting. During that clutch time criteria, Fox, 25, led the league in scoring at 5.0 points per game and shot 52.9% from the field, 31.8% on 3-pointers and 86% on free throws. Suns Points Leaders:Regular Season, Career Total. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive team, 1985-86 Rookie of the Year. How Many Championships Does Kobe Bryant Have? Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, four-time All-Defensive team, 2017 All-Star MVP, three-time blocks champ, 2020 NBA champion. Having said that, Johnson enjoyed a strong three years in Phoenix, capped off by a 2004-05 season that saw him average 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.0 steal. Charles Barkley only spent four total seasons with the Phoenix Suns, but he was a superstar for the entire stint. Accomplishments: Nine-time NBA All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1980 All-Star MVP, four-time NBA scoring champ. The seed of the rivalry between both franchises traces back to the 1980s when the Showtime Lakers controlled the NBA matches. The Suns ended up with four former players on the all-time list in O'Neal, Barkley (21st), Jason Kidd (33rd), Steve Nash (37th) and one current one in Chris Paul (38th). While the league has not yet announced the winner of the Michael Jordan Trophy, the finalists are Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. This career year facilitated a trade that netted the Suns Kevin Johnson, Mark West and Dan Majerle, all three of whom appear on this list. He responded with a season-saving game, dropping 36 points on 6-of-12 from three. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, 1971 All-Star MVP, 1969-70 assists champ. Johnson rarely put up superstar stats, but his presence helped the Suns during arguably their best time as a contender. His 25.0 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 5.3 APG and 1.7 SPG are simply not rivaled by anyone else outside of the top 10, and his three All-Star appearances in his three seasons with Phoenix accurately illustrate his unlimited ability. The second is his playoff legacy. Stats: 14.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.5 BPG in 21 seasons with Golden State Warriors (1976-77 to 1979-80), Boston Celtics (1980-81 to 1993-94), Charlotte Hornets (1994-95 to 1995-96) and Chicago Bulls (1996-97). Stats: 14.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 8.5 APG in 18 seasons with Phoenix Suns (1996-97 to 1997-98; 2004-05 to 2011-12), Dallas Mavericks (1998-99 to 2003-04) and Los Angeles Lakers (2012-13 to 2013-14). Stats: 20.9 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 4.5 APG in eight seasons with Milwaukee Bucks (2013-14 to 2020-21)*. Stats: 18.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 7.5 APG in 14 seasons with Boston Celtics (1950-51 to 1962-63) and Cincinnati Royals (1969-70). Personally, I always considered them to be an offensive-minded franchise, but that has not always been the case, as seen in their year-by-year ranks in offensive and defensive rating: Sure, theyve had more years where they were dominant on the offensive side of the ball, but they have had periods where they were able to compete at a high level defensively, as well. Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1955 All-Star MVP, four-time NBA champ. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, four-time NBA champion. He appeared on two All-Star teams, one All-NBA first team and three All-NBA Defensive first teams. Stats: 18.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 6.1 APG in 13 seasons with New York Knicks (1967-68 to 1976-77) and Cleveland Cavaliers (1977-78 to 1979-80). Accomplishments: 13-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, two-time All-Defensive team, four-time MVP, 1972 Finals MVP, 1959-60 Rookie of the Year, 11-time rebounding champ, seven-time scoring champ, 1967-68 assists champ, two-time NBA champion. Stats: 18.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.9 APG in 13 seasons with Baltimore Bullets (1967-68 to 1971-72) and New York Knicks (1971-72 to 1979-80). Stats: 17.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.7 BPG in 13 seasons with Boston Celtics (1980-81 to 1992-93). You might have seen the articles being passed around over the last several weeks. Stats: 16.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 6.7 APG in 15 seasons with St. Louis Hawks (1960-61 to 1967-68), Seattle SuperSonics (1968-69 to 1971-72), Cleveland Cavaliers (1972-73 to 1973-74) and Portland Trail Blazers (1974-75). Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, three-time scoring champ, 2016-17 assists champ, 2017-18 MVP, 2011-12 Sixth Man of the Year. All-Time Houston Rockets vs. Accomplishments: Four-time All-Star, 1968-69 All-NBA, 1967-68 Rookie of the Year, 1973 NBA champion. He has fewer win shares than Marion or Johnson and never led his team to the finals like Barkley did. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, 1976-77 scoring champ. Stats: 23.9 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 2.3 APG in nine seasons with New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans (2012-13 to 2018-19) and Los Angeles Lakers (2019-20 to 2020-21)*. In his four healthy seasons (after his rookie year), Stoudemire averaged 23.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks with a 57.0 FG percentage, 25.0 PER and an astounding 51.1 win shares. The primary reason that Cliff Robinson beats out his close competitors for this final spot is his two-way game and the impact that it had on his Suns. He provides this team with great flexibility, since he can play either forward position. On the surface, Charlie Scott looks like one of the greatest Suns of all time. Oftentimes the best players have modest rookie seasons and break out a couple years down the line, whereas superstar-level rookies can struggle to build on or even match their early productivity. Our experts predict every series, 2023 NBA playoffs: Second-round series, Finals, MVP odds, 'He looks better than ever': Why the Orlando bubble was 'just the beginning' for Jamal Murray, Pregame chats, language arts and 'a lot of fines': Inside NBA player-ref dynamics, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Accomplishments: Two-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, two-time All-Defensive team, 1977-78 MVP, 1977 Finals MVP, 1985-86 Sixth Man of the Year, 1976-77 rebounding champ, 1976-77 blocks champ, two-time NBA champion. Stats: 17.0 PPG, 15.6 RPG, 3.3 APG in 11 seasons with Cincinnati Royals (1963-64 to 1969-70), San Francisco Warriors (1969-70 to 1970-71) and New York Knicks (1971-72 to 1973-74). Kerr is the all-time NBA leader in career 3-point percentage (45.4), and holds two of the five best single-season 3-point shooting percentages in league history (52.4 in 1994-95 and 51.5 in 1995-96). The Suns tenure saw all four All-Star appearances and both all-NBA selections coming with the squad before falling off after leaving. Who Is Better: Lebron James Or Wilt Chamberlain? Charles Barkley is widely considered (no pun intended) the greatest Phoenix Suns' power forward by a long shot, but Amar'e Stoudemire makes the debate closer than one might believe. He ultimately had to settle for being a six-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA player and the leading scorer in Suns history. Amare Stoudemire, one of the great pick-and-roll big men ever in his prime, is the starting center. This page features a list with the leaders in points in NBA history Notes: - These stats were updated on May 1, 2023- Three-pointers were implemented in 1979-80. He also blocked 1.7 shots, which is 2.8-per-36 minutes. After averaging over 20 points and 10 assists during his first three seasonsa feat only done before by Oscar Robertson and Isaiah Thomasand nearly his fourth, Johnson played in only 339 of 492 possible games. The normally offensively-inclined Chambers continued to play as a two-way postseason force, twice more leading the Suns to the third round and once helping them reach the NBA Finals. WebComplete listing of all NBA Players and team rosters. Stats: 24.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 5.4 APG in 10 seasons with Atlanta Hawks (1970-71 to 1973-74), New Orleans/Utah Jazz (1974-75 to 1979-80) and Boston Celtics (1979-80). Your email address will not be published. He comes in only at No. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, 1986-87 All-NBA, six-time All-Defensive team, two-time Sixth Man of the Year, three-time NBA champion. Stats: 24.3 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 6.3 APG in 13 seasons with Boston Celtics (1979-80 to 1991-92). *All stats/accomplishments for active players are entering the 2021-22 season. The Phoenix Suns trusted Kevin Johnson to be one of the most important figures in franchise history. 1. Stats: 19.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 11.2 APG in 13 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers (1979-80 to 1990-91; 1995-96). Privacy and Cookies Policy. His 1.8 SPG aren't bad either, nor are his four All-Star and four All-NBA appearances. Accomplishments: 14-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, 2006-07 MVP, 2011 Finals MVP, 2011 NBA champion. Book. All times listed are Eastern. He averaged 20 points during his first five seasons and retired with a 17.6 point average, but his legacy is about far more than his averages. Chris Paul has only spent a few years with the Phoenix Suns so far, but he has made a huge impact. LeBron James has become the player with the most playoff series won in NBA history, tied with Derek Fisher at 40. Off the bench, Hall-of-Famer Connie Hawkins can play at either forward position. The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past four-plus seasons. Who are the best Phoenix Suns of all time? Regardless, their all-time team is one of the most fun in our tournament, and will present match up problems for their first round opponent. However, there are two things that make Heard a Suns' great. Soon Indiana pacers vs. Miami Heat game became a sought after game in the NBA, with fans and pundits anticipating another war of basketball. Some of the players who are often considered among the greatest of all time include: Michael Jordan: Jordan is widely considered the greatest NBA player of WebOn NBA 2K23, Kawhi Leonard is All-Time Toronto Raptors' highest rated player, followed by Vince Carter in second place, and Chris Bosh in third. Certain names created legacies that are beloved and respected by the entire Suns fan base. Tom Chambers was another offensively talented big man, and Alvan Adams, one of the great passing centers ever, rounds out the bench. RELATED: 10 Best Players In Oklahoma City Thunder History. Raja Bell assumed the role of Suns' starting SG after Johnson's departure in 2005. When it comes to Nashs career numbers with the Suns, he has the most assists (6,997), the second most three-pointers made (1,051), the tenth most steals (511), the eighth most points scored (10,712), and the third most games played (744).After an incredible career with the Mavericks, Suns, and Los Angeles Lakers, Nash was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018.