Top 5 Players in Phoenix Suns History

For the last several seasons, the Phoenix Suns have been an organization that values great point guard play. From the 1987-88 season to date, the Suns' point guard has averaged less than 8.0 assists per game only once and more than ten per game a total of 11 times. Among the best players in Phoenix Suns franchise history are three of the NBA's elite point guards of the last two decades, including current floor general Steve Nash.

Steve Nash:

The current engine of the team, Steve Nash is one of the top players in Phoenix Suns franchise history. Nash has consistently turned his teams into high-powered offenses with an up-tempo style that has proven unstoppable time and again. Nash was originally drafted by the Suns, spending two seasons off their bench before being traded to Dallas. After developing into an All-Star-caliber point guard, he returned to Phoenix where he became a two-time NBA MVP. In his six seasons since rejoining the Suns, Nash has averaged a double-double in five of them, leading the league in assists four times. In NBA history, he currently ranks eighth in assists with 8,397 and 13th in three point makes with 1,484.

Charles Barkley:

Sir Charles spent four of his best seasons in a Phoenix Suns uniform. In 1993, Barkley led the team to one of its two NBA Finals appearances and he won his only NBA MVP Award in the same year. With the Suns, Barkley averaged 23.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. He is one of the NBA's greatest rebounders of all time, grabbing a total of 12,546 in his 16-year career. In 2006, Charles Barkley was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Walter Davis:

Among the best players in Phoenix Suns franchise history is former high-scoring swing man Walter Davis. Davis was drafted by the Suns in 1977 and spent 11 years with the team en route to becoming its all-time leading scorer with 15,666 points. Davis won the 1978 NBA Rookie of the Year Award as he led the Suns to an outstanding 15-game improvement from the previous season. He posted a career high 24.2 points per game in his rookie season, finishing with 20.5 points along with 4.4 assists for the whole of his Suns career.

Kevin Johnson:

A top point guard in Phoenix Suns history, Johnson played all but 52 games of his career with the organization. The Suns were Johnson's team in the 1990s and he carried them to the playoffs in every season of his career. Johnson boasts the seventh highest career assist average (9.1) in NBA history and is the Suns all-time leader with 6,518 total. In his Suns career, Johnson averaged 18.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 9.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per contest. His accolades include five All-NBA selections and the 1989 NBA Most Improved Player Award.

Jason Kidd:

Continuing the trend of great point guards in Phoenix Suns history is the NBA's active assist leader, Jason Kidd. Kidd's greatness lies in his play both as a playmaker and as a defensive player, as well as in his longevity as a player. Of the five seasons Kidd spent with the Suns, he was the NBA's assists leader in three of them. His averages in Phoenix include 14.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 9.7 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. Kidd is one of the NBA's greatest point guards of all time.

Other top players in Phoenix Suns franchise history include Connie Hawkins, Dennis Johnson, Shawn Marion, Gail Goodrich, Paul Westphal, Amare Stoudemire, Dan Majerle, Larry Nance, and Tom Chambers.