Last Tuesday, former Phoenix Suns forward Shawn Marion played his final game at US Airways Center — and not just because it will change its name to Talking Stick Resort Arena next season.
As first reported by the Arizona Republic‘s Paul Coro, Marion said that he plans to retire at the end of the 2014-15 season, effectively ending his 15-season career after one season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“The Matrix” spent eight and a half of his 15 seasons in the NBA with the Suns, and is by all rights one of the greatest players in franchise history. As soon as the news broke, Twitter became a hotbed for takes on whether he’s done enough in his long career to earn a spot in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame one day.
Known now as a role player, Marion was something of a role player even in his prime with the Suns. But he was about as close as you get to being a superstar role player and though this will be hotly debated, the Matrix has a fighting chance for earning more than a spot in the Suns Ring of Honor.
Marion still has some basketball to play in his final season, but with the Matrix well past his prime, here’s a look at his Hall of Fame case as it currently stands.
Next: Marion's Prime