Phx-Suns.Net

ShelC wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 09, 2025 6:46 am

He changed the game.

I know he walked so others could run, but I still wish he had shot more.

ShelC wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 09, 2025 6:46 am

He changed the game.

Also I want to say it was on reddit, but I read somebody's take that Steve Nash was only as good as he was with us, because of all of the rule changes in the NBA during the offseason of which he was reacquired.

Please tell me there's no truth to this, shel!

Not I.

They did change some of the hand checking rules that year, but Dallas had the number 1 ranked offense the year before with Nash at the helm

I seem to have missed the #12 post for yesterday (Fri), so here it is a day late. #12 really doesn't have a lot of distinguished Suns. Pat Riley briefly wore it for the Suns in the '70s; Toby Bailey, Mickael Pietrus, Kendall Marshall, Torrey Craig (for a year; not his primary number), Richard Dumas (same); a few others. Currently Collin Gillespie wears it. But probably the two guys below are the most interesting to me. TJ Warren was a role player who never really amounted to much, but he gave us about 5 good years and was a capable scorer. Ish Wainwright was just an end-of-the-bench guy, but he was tough and strong and a good locker room presence.

At #11, I'm going to go with Wesley Person. He played with us from 1994-97, and he had a reputation as a deadly marksman, much like his brother "The Rifleman" Chuck Person. Yes, another case of the Suns taking the inferior brother, but Wesley was a really good role player alongside those mid-90s contender teams. Other maybe-notable #11s: Clem Haskins, Zarko Cabarkapa, Pat Burke, Markieff Morris, Brandon Knight, Jamal Crawford, Abdel Nader, Bol Bol.

I missed yesterday's pic again, but for Sunday at #10, there is one clear choice: The Brazilian Blur, Leandro Barbosa. Played with the Suns from 2003 - 2010 and briefly again in 2014; a key bench figure during the Nash / D'Antoni runs. Had a bit of tunnel vision and made a lot of mistakes, but he was one of the fastest players I've ever seen and could turn an entire game around with his bursts of scoring. Not quite the ideal backup PG to Nash, but a great player who helped us in some of our best ever seasons as a franchise. His best season was probably 2006-07 when he averaged 18.1 ppg and 43.4% 3pt. Meep meep!

For today (Mon) at #9, you better believe there is only one choice, literally the only man who has worn #9 for the Suns, with his jersey retired and hanging in the rafters: "Thunder" Dan Majerle. Played for us in 1988–1995, and briefly came back in 2001–2002. Key component and third-man in the KJ/Barkley early-to-mid-90s contender teams. A Phoenix icon to this day.

No honorable mention for Malauch who is the 10th overall pick and wears #10?

pickle wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 13, 2025 7:42 am

No honorable mention for Malauch who is the 10th overall pick and wears #10?

I think and I'm hopeful that he will be at the forefront of our minds in future countdown years.

And very cool that we are less than 10 days away from the start of the season and I will be there on opening night!

pickle wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 13, 2025 7:42 am

No honorable mention for Malauch who is the 10th overall pick and wears #10?

Maluach probably deserved mention just because he's a current noteworthy player. Hopefully in a few years he'll be the guy we list at #10 above Barbosa!

Barbs could be frustrating for sure, but he really was a fun player.

Today at #8 we have a few interesting candidates. First I'll go with Eddie Johnson, who played for us from 1987 - 1990 and is still a Suns announcer and mainstay with the team. A bit before my time as a fan, but I know his shooting and scoring off the bench were always a welcome sight. More recently, Channing Frye played for us from 2009 - 2014 and was a sharpshooting big man who was a surprisingly big part of the late-Nash-era teams. Currently our own Grayson Allen wears #8. Lots of other honorable mentions: Rick Robey (1983-86), Tim Kempton (1992-94), Oliver Miller (1999-2000), Jalen Rose (2006-07), Tyler Ulis (2016-18), Frank Kaminsky (2019-2022). Who's your fave?

A lot of great memories at number 8. It's wild that Oliver Miller only played for us for a year. He had a big, no pun intended, impact for us in that year.

Superbone wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 14, 2025 9:05 am

A lot of great memories at number 8. It's wild that Oliver Miller only played for us for a year. He had a big, no pun intended, impact for us in that year.

I think my message was misleading. Oliver Miller's heyday as a Sun was from 1992-94, but he wore #25 during that time. He came back to us for part of a season, 1999-2000, at which time he wore #8 because another player (I think Don MacLean?) was already wearing #25 at that moment.

At #7 I think the choice is clear: Kevin Johnson, "KJ," one of the most decorated Suns and the right-hand man of Sir Charles Barkley on the 1990s contending teams. Played for us from 1988–1998, and then came back again briefly in 2000 on the weird team that had all three of KJ, Jason Kidd, and Steve Nash (!). His #7 now hangs in the rafters in the Suns arena. KJ's legacy is more complicated nowadays, but there's no denying he was one of our greatest players ever in franchise history.

Mori Chu wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 15, 2025 6:12 am

Superbone wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 14, 2025 9:05 am

A lot of great memories at number 8. It's wild that Oliver Miller only played for us for a year. He had a big, no pun intended, impact for us in that year.

I think my message was misleading. Oliver Miller's heyday as a Sun was from 1992-94, but he wore #25 during that time. He came back to us for part of a season, 1999-2000, at which time he wore #8 because another player (I think Don MacLean?) was already wearing #25 at that moment.

Ah, OK. That makes sense. I wasn't even paying attention to the years. I knew he was there in our Finals season.

At #6 today it is the only Sun to wear that number, which is now retired: "Sweet D" Walter Davis. Played with us from 1977-88, scored 24.2 ppg right out of the gate his rookie season earning him 1978 Rookie of the Year. Second only to one Devin Booker in total points scored as a Phoenix Sun, with 15,666 (behind Booker's 16,452 and counting). End of his career was a little tainted by drug scandals and even testifying against fellow players in exchange for legal immunity; oops. The '80s were quite a time. Anyway, Sweet D, The Man with the Velvet Touch, was one of the all-time great Suns and deserves his jersey retirement and his place in our Ring of Honor. He died just 2 years ago at age 69; RIP.

Marty, thanks for carrying this entire countdown thread.

Mori Chu wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 16, 2025 6:15 am

... Anyway, Sweet D, The Man with the Velvet Touch, was one of the all-time great Suns and deserves his jersey retirement and his place in our Ring of Honor. He died just 2 years ago at age 69; RIP.

You missed "The Greyhound," which was an Al nickname that I always thought was perfect for Davis.