Shawn Marion Fan Online

A quick and explosive small forward who moves like a pogo stick, Shawn Marion has quickly established himself as one of the game’s premier young talents at only 25 years of age. Nicknamed “The Matrix,” the 6-7, 215-pound Marion is a dazzling finisher on the fastbreak and should be a dynamic partner for Suns playmaker Stephon Marbury for many years to come… In only his fourth season in the NBA in 2002-03, the multi-talented forward made the first of what should be many All-Star appearances and was the only player ranked in the top 20 in points (17th, 21.2) and top 10 in rebounds (8th, 9.5) and steals (3rd, 2.28)… Known for his exceptional athleticism, the former Runnin’ Rebel played just one year of Division I basketball before declaring himself eligible for the 1999 NBA Draft after his stellar junior year at UNLV… The Suns selected the sleek forward with the ninth selection, a lottery choice the Suns acquired from the Dallas Mavericks on June 24, 1998 along with the draft rights to Pat Garrity, Martin Muursepp and Bubba Wells in exchange for veteran guard Steve Nash… Marion had piqued the Suns’ interest for quite

some time after Suns Vice President of Player Personnel Dick Van Arsdale watched a junior college tournament that Marion participated in during the 1997-98 season in the Valley of the Sun. Van Arsdale knew Vincennes (Ind.) coach Danny Sparks, and was so intrigued by Sparks’ glowing description Marion, that he went out for an early look at the Mesa Rotary Shootout… Marion, who is often compared to a young Scottie Pippen because of his long arms and incredible jumping ability, paid immediate dividends for the Suns by making the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 1999-2000, but injuries limited him to just 51 games… Marion’s game continued to soar as an NBA sophomore as he averaged a double-double for the season (team-leading 17.3 points and 10.7 rebounds)… The All-Star forward played on Team USA at the 2002 World Championships and won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2001 Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Australia when he paced the squad with 13.4 points and 7.6 rebounds.

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2002-03:
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Was only player ranked in the top 20 in points (17th, 21.2) and top 10 in rebounds (8th, 9.5) and steals (3rd, 2.28)… Made first All-Star appearance and had 8 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals in 23 mins and also guarded Michael Jordan at end of regulation and late in both overtime sessions… Picked 3 or more steals in 8 of the last 9 games… Scored 20-plus points in 32 of last 50 and 40 of last 61 games… Suns were 31-19 when he had 20-plus points and he had 30-plus points 9 times… Recorded 38 double-doubles and 24 games with 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds (5 with 30 points, 10 rebounds)… Scored in double figures in 79 of 81 games (8 at Toronto on Feb. 21 and 2 in season finale at Seattle) and paced team in scoring 35 times… Led team in rebounding 44 times, had team best in steals 48 times and team high in blocks 36 times… In team’s wins averaged 23.3 points, .490 FG, .446 3FG and 18.7 points, .408 FG, .326 3FG in losses… Had a steal in 72 of 81 games with 2 or more steals in 48 of last 68 games (30 of last 39 games)… Hit season-high 36 points (2 short of career high) vs. Chicago on Feb. 3 with 21 points in second half… Posted eighth 30-point game of the season with 31 points, 15 rebounds, 3 steals vs. Dallas on April 9 with 11 points, 8 rebounds in third quarter… Tied his career high with 7 steals at Lakers on April 6 and added 18 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists… Had 33 points (12-19 FG, 5-8 3FG) vs. Denver on April 1… Grabbed season-high 18 rebounds for second time in three games (one short of career best) and scored 21 points at Memphis on March 26… Pulled down 18 rebounds and added 21 points at Dallas on March 22… Posted 30 points, 10 rebounds vs. Toronto on March 17 with 19 points after halftime… Had 27 points, 11 rebounds vs. Sacramento on March 13 and tallied 18 points in third quarter… Had 31 points (10-19 FG, 3-5 3FG, 8-8 FT) vs. Utah on Jan. 12… Had 30 points for fourth time in December (scored Suns’ first 13 points of game) and added 11 rebounds, 5 steals vs. Seattle on Dec. 23… Posted season high in points for second-straight game with 32 points vs. Memphis (13 points in fourth quarter) on Dec. 4. 2003 PLAYOFFS: Marion averaged a double-double (18.5 points, 11.7 rebounds) in the Suns’ first round playoff series with Spurs while logging 47.0 minutes per game… Also added 1.83 blocks and 1.83 steals… Marion scored a playoff-high 24 points in Game 1 at the SBC as the Suns upset the Spurs… He later matched that total in Game 6 and added a postseason-high 15 rebounds.

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2001-02:
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Was one of only two NBA players to be ranked in top 40 of seven of the league抯 nine major statistical categories (Kevin Garnett)… Placed 27th in scoring (19.1), tied for eighth in rebounding (9.9), 34th in FG percentage (.469), tied for 24th in FT percentage (.845), 12th in steals (1.84), tied for 34th in blocks (1.06) and tied for 18th in minutes (38.4)… Scored 30-plus points four times… Posted 20 points and 10 rebounds in a game 27 times… Averaged 20.7 points, 10.6 rebounds, 40.1 minutes after Frank Johnson took over, higher than his season averages… Won Western Conference Player of the Week on April 1 with 28.3 points and 14.0 rebounds in a 3-1 week… Tied season bests with 32 points (13-21 FG) and 18 rebounds vs. Lakers on March 27… Picked career-best seven steals at San Antonio on Feb. 26… Grabbed 17 rebounds vs. Clippers on March 29… Had 27 points, 13 rebounds vs. Charlotte on March 10 with 11-11 FT to match career high for FTM (Feb. 20, 2001 at Orlando).

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2000-01:
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In only his second pro season, Marion emerged as one of the game’s elite small forwards, finishing eighth in the NBA with 10.7 rebounds a game despite being an average of three inches shorter and 35 pounds lighter than the other players in the top 15… He also became the first Suns player to average over 10 rebounds since Charles Barkley in 1995-96 and just the sixth player (11th time) in franchise history to average 10-plus boards in a season … Marion also finished among the league leaders in points (17.3, 37th), steals (1.67, 12th), field goal percentage (.480, T-22nd) and blocks (1.37, 29th), and nearly earned a spot on the NBA All-Defensive Second Team finishing one vote short… The energetic youngster finished fourth in voting for the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award that went to the Magic’s Tracy McGrady… He placed sixth in NBA with 47 double-doubles and had double-doubles in 24 of his last 35 games… Marion was named NBA Player of Week on Feb. 26 after leading Suns to 4-0 week with wins at Orlando, Miami, New York and a home win over Utah, averaging 21.8 points, 13.5 rebounds and .576 shooting from the field… In 31 games after the All-Star break, he averaged 20.2 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals, while shooting .526 from the field and .827 at the line… When Marion shot 50 percent in a game, the Suns were 28-7, compared to 22-22 when he didn’t… He grabbed a personal-best 19 rebounds three times, the most recent vs. Sacramento on April 15… The forward tied his career high with six steals vs. Washington on March 20 and added 24 points, 11 rebounds… Marion missed three games from Feb. 28 ?March 3 due to a concussion and sprained right wrist suffered with 52.2 seconds left vs. Utah on Feb. 25. In that game, he recorded 24 points and 13 rebounds before he was undercut while leaping for a rebound, and hit his head on the hardwood floor… He became only the second NBA player in 2000-01 to post career highs in points in back-to-back games (Matt Harpring) with 28 points at Golden State on Feb. 13 and 38 vs. Minnesota on Feb. 14… He scored the game-winning lay-up with 2.1 seconds left vs. Miami on Nov. 11 and finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds… During the Schick Rookie Challenge at All-Star Weekend in Washington, D.C., Marion tallied 18 points (9-12 FG), three rebounds, two assists and two steals for the victorious Sophomore Squad. 2001 PLAYOFFS: Marion averaged 14.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks in 34.8 minutes per game against the Kings in the First Round of the NBA Playoffs. He scored a postseason career high 21 points, including 10 rebounds and three blocks in the Suns’ Game 1 victory at Arco Arena.

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1999-2000:
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Marion was selected by Phoenix with the ninth overall selection in the 1999 NBA Draft (pick obtained from Dallas in Pat Garrity/Steve Nash trade in 1998), becoming the Suns’ first first-round draft pick since 1996 and the first lottery choice since 1988 (fourth lottery pick in franchise history)… He was named to the 1999-2000 Schick All-Rookie Second Team after finishing fifth on the team in scoring (10.2), third in rebounding (6.5) and second in blocked shots (1.04)… Marion played in 51 games and recorded 38 starts, the most starts by a Suns rookie since Michael Finley started 72 games in 1995-96. In those starts (Suns 27-11), Marion averaged 10.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks… He scored in double figures in 32 of 51 games (Suns 24-8) with 10-plus points in 20 of his last 30 games. On the year, Marion posted seven double-doubles, fourth on the team, and had eight games with 10-plus rebounds. When he grabbed seven or more rebounds, the Suns were an impressive 20-4… After he was re-inserted into the starting lineup on March 11 following Tom Gugliotta’s injury, Marion averaged 11.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, .491 FG, 29.4 minutes in 21 games… He was placed on the injured list on Dec. 5 with chondromalacia patella in his left knee and underwent surgery on Dec. 23 to remove loose cartilage from underneath his kneecap. The injury sidelined Marion for 31 games, in which the Suns were 16-15 without him, compared to 37-14 with him in the lineup. He shot .409 from the field before the injury, but hit .502 from the field after his return… Marion grabbed a season-high 14 rebounds in back-to-back games vs. Golden State on March 26 (also 15 points, five blocks) and at the Lakers on March 24 (also season-high 42 minutes)… The forward posted a Suns’ season-high six blocks on Feb. 27 at Toronto, the most by a Suns rookie since Oliver Miller had seven on April 16, 1993… He had his finest game as a rookie at New Jersey on Nov. 27 with a season-high 27 points (11-19 FGs) and added eight rebounds and five blocks… Shawn made his NBA debut, totaling 14 points and 14 rebounds, in a 107-102 loss at Denver on Nov. 2. 2000 PLAYOFFS: Marion paced the team in the playoffs with 8.8 rebounds and averaged 10.5 boards against San Antonio in the 3-1 opening round victory. He posted a double-double with playoff highs of 16 points and 14 rebounds in a Game 3 win over the Spurs.

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COLLEGE:
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After earning top honors as the National Junior College Player of the Year in 1998, Marion transferred to UNLV and was widely regarded as the Runnin Rebels’ best recruit since former No. 1 NBA pick and college player of the year Larry Johnson in 1989… Marion played his junior year at UNLV, where he led the team in scoring (18.7 ppg) and rebounding (9.3 rpg), but opted to turn pro after only one Division I season. He blocked 54 shots and had 73 steals in 29 games… Marion’s breakout game was a career-high 34-point, 21-rebound, six-steal effort on national television on Feb. 22, 1999 in a 76-72 loss to Texas Christian… Marion played his first two seasons at Vincennes University in Indiana, where he was a two-time winner of the Allen J. Bradford NJCAA Region 12 MVP Award. As a sophomore at Vincennes, Marion was named 1998 NJCAA David Rowlands Male Student Athlete of the Year and First Team Junior College All-America after averaging 23.5 points, 13.1 rebounds, 2.9 blocks and 2.0 steals per game. He scored 37 points with grabbed 15 rebounds in a 103-89 win over Southern Union (Alabama) in the NJCAA Tournament… Marion was named MVP of the National Junior College All-Star Game after collecting 21 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists… As a freshman, he averaged 23.3 points and 12.8 rebounds per game. His point total of 838 was the second highest single-season total in school history, and he was named Second Team Junior College All-America.