Valley of the Suns
Fansided

Suns All-Decade Teams Part Two: 1980s

By Patrick Nash

SACRAMENTO, CA - 1987: Walter Davis #6 of the Phoenix Suns looks on against the Sacramento Kings circa 1987 at Arco Arena in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1987 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA - 1987: Walter Davis #6 of the Phoenix Suns looks on against the Sacramento Kings circa 1987 at Arco Arena in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1987 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
7 of 11
Next

BACKUP: MIKE SANDERS

PORTLAND, OR – 1987: Mike Sanders #11 of the Phoenix Suns rebounds against the Portland Trail Blazers during a game played circa 1987 at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1987 NBAE (Photo by Brian Drake/NBAE via Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR – 1987: Mike Sanders #11 of the Phoenix Suns rebounds against the Portland Trail Blazers during a game played circa 1987 at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1987 NBAE (Photo by Brian Drake/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Sanders joined the Suns in 1983 and played a total of five seasons. Over that time he averaged 8.9 PPG, 1.4 APG and 3 RPG while shooting 50% from the field. His best two seasons came in his final two with the Suns, after rarely seeing the court in his first three years. Setting a career-high in scoring in 1985-86, Sanders was Phoenix’s featured reserve, playing in every game over those two seasons, although starting only a total of nine. The Suns’ first two decades in the league showed very little depth in the small forward position. Fortunately since then, as you will see in the next three posts, there has been significant growth.

Home/Suns News