The Phoenix Suns have a long and exciting history in the NBA. Here are the 30 best players to ever play for the Suns franchise.
Many NBA franchises can claim a rich and exciting past, which is part of the allure of the NBA to fans young and old. Many teams can trace their history back for decades, seeing the highs and lows, the triumphs and failures. While many things have changed, the game’s similarity across eras makes it easy to connect to the past and compare players across time.
The Phoenix Suns were founded in 1969 as an expansion team. They have won at a clip higher than most other franchises, as the team has sustained periods of success that extend longer than expected. After making the playoffs eight-straight seasons in the 1970s and 1980s, the team would make 13-straight postseason trips starting in 1988-89.
The stars to pass through town are numerous, from fan favorites such as Dick Van Arsdale, to NBA MVP winners in Steve Nash and Charles Barkley. A number of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame players suited up for the Suns. Some were in their prime, while others were not. The history of the Suns does not include an NBA title, but it does include plenty of players that were certainly capable of winning one.
Evaluating who the greatest players are is a difficult task, and often is dependent on one’s methodology and the tools at their disposal. This list of the franchise’s 30 greatest players seeks to strike a middle road between longevity and peak. However, it does lean towards celebrating the very best years, even if their time in Phoenix was not as long.
We begin our trip through the Suns’ past right here in the present, with a player seeking to make his mark on the history of Suns basketball.