Steve Nash: The Best Phoenix Sun Ever?

Considering that Nash has only been here six seasons thus far, I’d have to give the edge to KJ or Walter Davis….

Then again Paul Westphal & Nash are great candidates as well…

I guess I will chave to choose KJ for his 10+ great years of service..

1. KJ
2. Walter Davis
3. Steve Nash
4. Paul Westphal
5. Alvin Adams
6. Charles Barkley
7. Shawn Marion
8. Amare Stoudemire
9. Dan Majerele
10. Dick Van Arsdale

and pick Nash. He has defined the team since 2004, and few would disagree that HE makes the Suns who they are more than any other player. Nash is the reason we’ve withstood such turnover, and made 3 conerence finals in 6 years.

As far as star power, as far as “glowing” memories, Barkley and Nash top the list.

But longevity should play a part when you think of all-time Suns favorite. Barkley only had, what, 3 seasons here? And Nash only 6. Chambers started in Seattle and most other all-time Suns only spent a portion of their careers here.

I’d have to say Walter Davis or Alvin Adams, because they really only played for the Suns and had long successful careers here.

This question is too difficult to answer.

Then probably WD and Nash. BUT, while I was a big fan of KJ and numerous other Suns, Nash is my favorite all time Sun. I don’t think it’s because he’s playing now (Barkley was my all time until Nash), but I guess we’ll see.

I’ll pass, too

Maybe you could spice things up by having a poll…Probably need to add a caveat for fans to do their homework before voting…Don’t need to many votes for Grant Gondrezic

Hands down. This is the golden age of the Suns orginazation. While there hasn’t been a Finals appearance, since ‘04 this has been the most successful era of the franchise’s history. The memories we will look back on 25 years from now will serve the test of time. In ’06 he dragged a team that started Diaw and Tim Thomas in the frontcourt all the way to the WCF. The comeback from a 3-1 playoff series defecit against the hated Lakers. Finishing off a sweep of the Spurs with his frickin eye sealed shut. This is the brightest prolonged stretch in Suns history, and Steve Nash engineered it.

For further evidence on his impact which will prove very historically significant, look at how many fans we have on this site that started following the team because of Nash and SSOL.

Barkley didn’t stick around long enough and only had one season where he stayed healthy. The old teams of the ‘70s and ’80s were not consistently successful, even with greatly fewer teams in the league, so with respect I can’t single out any of the old timers. I grew to dislike KJ considerably after Barkley came to town and he not-so-graciously took the role of second banana, plus his off-court shenanigans really gave me the creeps, so it’s Nash without a doubt for me.

And it took me less than 15 sec to come to that conclusion…that’s how far ahead Nash is in my mind from the list of players he was compared to.

In all fairness, I didn’t really see, or at least appreciate seeing the older players like Alvin Adams, Dick Van Arsdale, or Paul Westphal…but compared to any of the newer players such as KJ, Barkley, Majerle, etc…Nash is at the top by a long shot.

Nash also won two back-to-back MVP awards, something never before done by any Suns player. This is yet another feat which lends credence to his legendary status as a Phoenix Sun.

The Nash era has been hugely successful and entertaining. Look at all the stats, records, career highs etc that have been set during it. It’s all because of Nash and the way he runs the system.

Two MVPs, two Conference Finals appearances…for a franchise that has no titles, this is pretty much the best (moreso than 1 MVP and 1 Finals I’d say).

Not only that but the fact the Suns actually drafted Nash and he began his career with the franchise gives him more of a legendary status to me.

It’s Nash for me – but that’s easy, because I’m a Suns fan because of Nash. I don’t have the years of watching the Suns that others do, although I was a Barkley fan when he was in Philly, and consequently, when he was a Sun.
     However, it’s his personality and what he stands for that make him head and shoulders above other candidates, and makes me say Nash is the best ever. I’d rather root for a classy guy without a ring than have to compromise my principles and support a total jerk, even if he’s talented.

It’s Nash and it isn’t even close.
And no memory fog, I saw all these guys play.
Alvan Adams was a great player but never in MVP consideration. Nash won it twice.
Barkley parachuted in and gave us a magical season. But sadly, he broke down from age and injuries pretty quickly.
Walter Davis would have been a contender for greatest Sun ever, except for his tragic addiction issues and the fact that he was the central figure in a drug scandal that almost cost us the entire franchise.
You can make a case for KJ on productivity/longevity, and he gets extra points from me for bravely coming out of retirement for the playoffs when Backcourt 2000 broke down. But while he was probably Nash’s equal as a pure point guard, he never shot 90-50-40, which Nash has done I think five times now.

RMason, I understand that when a franchise hasn’t won any championships yet, you can’t use them to say whether a franchise is in a golden age. But I respectfully disagree that this is the only golden age of the Suns. I would call it the Second Golden Age. The first three years of the Charles Barkley have just as much right to be called the First Golden Age.

You also said that the ‘07 and ’05 teams were as good as the ’93 Finals team. I disagree, because 1993 in the NBA—that entire era—offered much, much better competition and more teams that the Charles Barkley Suns struggled with. I also think Barkley and his teammates had more desire to win than any of the recent Suns except Steve Nash and Grant Hill. Nash and Hill and probably Kurt Thomas are worthy of theat team and the eighties before it, but Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, Joe Johnson, Quentin Richardson, Barbosa, and Diaw aren’t worthy. They didn’t have the ruthlessness or the willingness to control their egos and their greed.

I’m going to pick Steve Nash. We still got about two more years in this era. The 07-08 and 08-09 seasons were just flukes. Let Nash play his game and we will be in the playoffs. Also, I feel like our current team still has the potential to be a contender. I don’t think Turk is a bad backup plan for losing Amar’e. Sarver has always wanted him and he’s finally gotten him. The thing I most like about Turk is his ability to lead a team, not take plays off, be consistent and clutch. He just needs to buy into the “gang rebound” mentality. I want to see him hustle and not settle for too many out-side shots.

Also, I feel like Lopez will improve considerably next year if he can just stay healthy for at least 60 games. One thing I really like about this Suns team is that Nash, Turk, Hill, J-Rich, Dudley, Dragic and I believe Lopez are all built for the playoffs. Unlike Marion, JJ, Q… who would not show up when it mattered most.

The Nash era ain’t over till its over. We still got a chance to make a run for a Championship. I’m not going to listen to anyone who says we can’t including Suns fans. I did that last year throughout the majority of the season while inside I really knew that if the team played to their potential they were a contender. They only proved me right.

Not to be nitpicky, but if so many people are going to give credit to Alvan Adams, let’s keep in mind that his name is Alvan, not Alvin.
Sorry, I’m done now.

guess I’ll wait and see what nashty nash and nashmv3 do first

Doesn’t exactly “blow my skirt up”, but oh well.

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/68532/20100804/phoenix_signs_matt_janning/

I don’t think I need to explain what he’s done for this team on the court. We all know, and it’s been outlined on this page many times, in a much better fashion than I could do myself.

But I also have to credit Nash’s off-court contributions. You can say all of his off-court qualities are irrelevant, but I strongly disagree. Being “the best” is about more than what you do on the court, IMO. I know most people disagree, and you don’t become an MVP for having a great attitude (granted, Nash did it twice for being the best on the court and having a great attitude).

Steve Nash is an extremely smart dude. He has a great personality, he has a great attitude, he’s loyal, he’s humble, he’s admirable, he’s a great role model, he’s hilarious, he’s involved in the Phoenix community, he travels around the world promoting what he believes in, he skateboards and plays soccer and makes short films (sorry, I had to throw those in there, cause I love skateboarding and soccer and making short films). I could go on and on.

He’s a class A renaissance man, and I think everything he does, both on the court and off the court, contributes to him being the greatest Phoenix Sun of all time.

Even though I am a old school guy.
1. Nash
2. Alvan Adams
3. KJ
4. Sweet “D”
5. Barkley
6. Westphal
7. Thunder Dan
8. Amare

I was born in 1981 so I don’t have as much experience as some of the vets here on the site but I have enough to state my opinion. I followed the Suns as soon they got Kevin Johnson.

I was young… Don’t remember what got me watching (parents didn’t watch basketball) but before I knew it I was watching every game of that 1987 – 88 season. He was my hero as a little kid and was the first thing I can remember getting me into basketball. From then forward it’s been a life long basketball / Suns fan obsession which lead me here a couple year ago.

So gotta give my vote to the one and only KJ

My dad talks about Alvan Adams and Walter Davis like they were God and Jesus Christ, respectively.
I was a Suns fan because of KJ. Wore #7 through high school. The highlight of my life may be KJ’s dunk over Hakeem. Most underrated dunk ever.
But Nash is better. Some numbers:
In KJ’s 10 seasons as a Sun, he was a 3 time all star, 5 time All-NBA, playoffs in all ten years. Also led the Association in turnovers twice. Best shooting season: .495, .440, .850
In Nash’s EIGHT years as a Sun, he was a 5 time all star, 5 time All-NBA. playofffs in 7 of eight years. Led the association in assists 4 times. Has shot 50-40-90 4 times.

Pretty even, right? Also, Nash is a two time MVP, possibly the best shooter in the history of the game. His best teammate has been Amare, who you could make a pretty good case has had the same level career as Tom Chambers. KJ also had Majerle and a guy name Chuck.

Through in KJ’s choke job in 93, and Nash’s consistent playoff heroics . . . why is everyone so desperate to say someone besides Nash?

im only 22 so i havnt seen a lot of the geezers with my own eyes. So i have to go with nash, they were pretty aweful the year before nash came, and every year since they have had a winning record, and many times 50+ wins.

Off the subject,i have spent many hours thinking to myself and speculating how our rotation will work out to be next year given the players we have. is Hedo really going to play big minutes at the 4, any chance grant hill goes to the bench? how do childress and warrick fit in; what do u guys think, maybe BSOTS ppl can post a topic about how the rotations for next year might look like.

I only truly started to follow basketball around 2005 and that was when Steve Nash joined the Suns. After being amazed by him on TV, I followed the Suns and became a fan ever since. I’m still not completely edumacated in the Suns’ history so I’m not in any place to decide. So I’ll stick with what I know and choose my mancrush Steve Nash.

FYI
tweeted KJ yesterday and he says his favorite sun is….
Cotton