Who was the best defensive player in Phoenix Suns history?
Many options emerge fairly quickly, especially when you specifically look at individual positions. At point guard one would be hard-pressed to say anyone other than Jason Kidd. Shooting Guard? Probably Raja Bell. There is no argument that Shawn Marion was the best defensive small forward in franchise history. At power forward there have been a number of very good defensive players. Larry Nance would be a solid option. Gar Heard though, was probably better. The Suns have never really had a dominant center in their history. If you put Mo Lucas there, you can make a very good argument. Obviously Tyson Chandler wouldn’t be a terrible answer. Heck, you could even mention Rich Kelley.
But for one year, one player, on the ball, was far and a way better than anyone else, and if only he could score well enough (and be what the franchise needed) to stay on the Suns – if not the league – long term, he might have been known as the best defensive player in franchise history.
That player was the Tasmanian Devil himself, Ron Lee.
For many of us (readers and writers) of the Valley of the Suns, we never knew Ron Lee. In fact he had retired several years before I was even born. But growing up in a family of huge Suns fans, I have heard many discussions about players of the past, and Ron Lee and his defensive (and hair) greatness, is regularly brought up.
The stat that places him number one on this 12 Days of Christmas list of Obscure or Lost Suns stats?
He holds the season record for most steals per game in franchise history at 2.7 set in 1977-78 -and yet that’s not even the most impressive part.
You see, Ron Lee wasn’t the team’s regular starter that year. That distinction belonged to veterans Paul Westphal and Don Buse (although he would start in 34 games overall).
Lee averaged his franchise high 2.7 steals per game that year off the bench – in only 23.5 minutes per game.
What if Lee had been the regular starter and played 36 minutes per game? He would have averaged a mind-boggling 4.2 steals.
He was literally The Glove before that moniker had ever been given to anyone.
Lee rounded out his sophomore stat line with 12.2 points per game, 3.7 assists, and 3.1 rebounds. Not too shabby.
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Unfortunately, not only would those stats be the peak of his career (as a whole), he was traded to the Jazz as part of a package for power forward Truck Robinson – part of Jerry Colangelo’s eternal search for size in the front court.
Quite the season for Ron Lee, who in 1977-78, becoming the number 1 steals leader in franchise history, the obscure stat worth revisiting on this Twelve Days of Christmas list.