Former Phoenix Suns forward Shawn Marion confirms retirement plans to ESPN

As planned, and even announced a few months ago, forward Shawn Marion has decided to retire from the NBA. He did not get a chance to play in the Finals for the Cleveland Cavaliers but in 2011 he helped the Dallas Mavericks win the championship.

Yet Shawn Marion will always be known for his stint with the Suns, which covered the first 8.5 years of his career. His best season was when he played small-ball power forward during the 2006-06 as the Suns best rebounder.

His versatility, which in retrospect dwarfs Draymond Green's contributions to Golden State this season, helped the Suns make consecutive Conference Finals in 2005 and 2006. He was a 20/10 player on most nights while also defending the opponents best offensive player from power forward to point guard.

Matt Peterson of the Suns summarizes Marion's accomplishments here.

More to come from Bright Side over the coming days to delve into Marion's Suns career.