27. Shawn Marion
With summer dragging on and on and on before the NBA tips off, we’ve decided to initiate a multipart series that will be the definitive look at the best players in the NBA today. Over the next month or so we’ll run down the 50 guys that we think are the 50 best players, right here, right now. Today, youtube takes a look at Shawn Marion…
With summer dragging on and on and on before the NBA tips off, we’ve decided to initiate a multipart series that will be the definitive look at the best players in the NBA today.
Over lunch at the Outback Steakhouse (word to Steve Irwin), your crack SLAMonline.com staff sat down and ranked the 50 best players in the NBA today. We realize that’s kind of ambiguous, but that’s how basketball is and that’s how we like it. Basically, though, we tried to list the 50 guys we think have the most value to their teams, right now, at this moment. This doesn’t mean they’ll never be traded, and it doesn’t mean they’re due tremendous contract extensions, but it does mean — since value is king in the NBA — that over the next month or so we’ll run down the 50 guys that we think are the 50 best players, right here, right now.
Before long it’ll be time for our annual NBA team previews. Right now it’s time for some law and order…
27. Shawn Marion
By Youtube
In honor of google’s acquisition of youtube, we’ll let the video speak for itself. On the court Marion is one of the best rebounders in the league by the numbers but those can be misleading. He is able to hit three point shots, but you wouldn’t think so by looking at his shot. His game needs to be seen in action to be appreciated. HIGHLIGHTS!!! And with the google and youtube news dominating the internet, this is only right. How timely! Enjoy the Matrix.
61 Responses to “27. Shawn Marion”
Oct.10 at 2:16 pm
Maurice says:
Let the video speak!
Oct.10 at 2:21 pm
Aaron says:
I think you all might even be underestimating Shawn’s importance to the Suns. If this is about importance, Shawn rebounds like a center, slashes like a small-forward and plays defense on 3’s, 4’s and 5’s. He is a huge asset to the Suns and last year was a prime example of this without Amare around.
Oct.10 at 2:23 pm
redb21 says:
all this just begs the question…why #27?!??!
Oct.10 at 2:25 pm
Bryant Reeves says:
I agree with Aaron, the Matrix might be more important to the Suns than Amare. I’m sure that might be blaspheme to some, but the numbers (his stats and the win totals) do speak for themselves. If anything, Marion is one of the best fantasy bball players out there…
Then again, much like Nash, Marion’s success might be due to the Suns’ offence more than anything else.
Oct.10 at 2:31 pm
t dot j. says:
marion is one of those players that has gone from being super underated to a tad bit overrated…dont get me wrong i love his game he rebounds with the best of them, has amazing athleticism, gets blocks, runs the break, finishes ally oops, plays tough as defense….but one thing he cant do is: create his own freakin shot…its true and dunks and layups on fast breaks dont count…so with all this said i still think marion should be in the top 20
Oct.10 at 2:39 pm
Hype says:
Youtube, good writeup man, very convicing!
Oct.10 at 2:47 pm
TrippleX says:
My Top 5: Nash, Dirk, Gasol, Ak47, and Kobe
Oct.10 at 2:49 pm
Aaron says:
Marion was putting up numbers prior to this system Bryant. But, I do agree with t dot about Marion not being able to create his own shot. He isn’t a go to guy like that but he is an amazing role player. He is a top twenty player period and in terms of importance, it could be argued, top 15.
Oct.10 at 2:50 pm
Jason says:
I think the entire top 50 should be written by YouTube.
Oct.10 at 2:53 pm
Bernie in Phoenix says:
Wow, only #27??? Marion should easily be in the top 20. This cat does it ALL on the court. He was putting up good numbers before Nash and D’Antoni were runnin’ things, so his numbers aren’t inflated simply because of the Suns current offensive system. Being #27 is a joke. Yeah, he can’t create his own shot, but that’s probably the ONLY thing he can’t do on the court.
Oct.10 at 3:22 pm
Bryant Reeves says:
what about assists? you guys are right though - his numbers have been really consistent, so his current success likely has nothing to do with the system…
Oct.10 at 3:25 pm
Shiz says:
Marion is by far THE most underrated player in the League. I’m sayin it right now, right here! Who can’t create their own shot?! Matrix can get his shot off any time he wants…now, it going in is always a crap shoot with that “hot potato” release, but damn if it don’t drop more often than not. Rebounds waaaay bigger than his size and is by far more important to the team than Stoudamire. He’s in a class with only a couple other dudes like AK47 who could get like a quadruple double with steals/blocks and assists. Without Matrix, the sun aint shit. He’s the glue that holds the whole ship together. Nash may be the wind in the sail, but without Matrix, the ship would sink any way. Way underrated and underrated for this list, but hey thats just me. Im glad to see that crazy jumper hasn’t changed a bit. The couple games I saw when he was at UNLV I was like “God, its gonna take at least 5 years just to correct that shot” but it must be like the Matrix, he just has to believe.
Oct.10 at 3:37 pm
t dot j. says:
yo wut da hell??? someone jacked my name and is postin comments??? wut kind of looseball crakhead ways is dat??? yo wa’ gwan’ starr!!!
da real t dot j!!!! tdot……………..
Oct.10 at 4:03 pm
Myung says:
one of you is bold and one is un-bold tdot j. someone once posted with the name “not myung” and just wrote “blah blah blah.” i admit it was a little amusing, though i cried a little bit on the inside for getting my feelings hurt. jk. youtube is a better writer than that guy who wrote “no apology necessary” 40 times (the jason richardson entry), though youtube isn’t very approachable and personable.
Oct.10 at 4:26 pm
Shiz says:
Damn…internet swagger jackin…
Oct.10 at 4:29 pm
Jonathan says:
Shawn has ugliest jumper in the NBA currently with shot put jump shot. The only nastier shot that I’ve seen before was Bill Cartwright’s jumper.
Oct.10 at 4:30 pm
Simmy Sosa says:
27!!! Someone please name twenty people in the league better than Shawn Marion.
Oct.10 at 4:31 pm
Simmy Sosa says:
I would love to see a players poll of the top 50.
Oct.10 at 4:46 pm
Sam Rubenstein says:
Marion is tough to place, cause he plays with the MVP and one of the most physically gifted big men ever. Last year, with no Amare, Shawn was an MVP candidate for a while. But it’s still hard to understand how good he is because of the D’antoni system. He was good before D’antoni, but not this good. Is he a franchise player? How do we know or not know?
And T Dot J’s, I checked it out and there are two of you. Like Myung says, one is bold, one is not.
Oct.10 at 4:57 pm
t dot j. says:
well u know wut they say “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”. so whoeva u r i got no hate, just cheesed when i first saw it na’ mean? maybe i can start a whole army…….
hahahahahahahahahaha tdot……………
Oct.10 at 5:08 pm
Shiz says:
Sam: what neither of them know is that I got a whole batch of t dot j clones in a vacuum sealed vault in Detroit…Im just waiting for the right time to invade Toronto…Im thinkin Caribana….
Oct.10 at 5:09 pm
IllyPhilly6 says:
Missing highlight:
Al Harrington gets ________. (Slamadamonth #52)
Oct.10 at 5:14 pm
Shiz says:
nobody fills a lane (or a stat sheet)like Marion. How many guys can you say that about? He’s definitely not a franchise guy in the most traditional sense cuz his game is so unorthodox. He’s like Drunken Master or somethin. How many other guys that can bang on big guys throw up floaters from the free throw line? And I love his commercial. Gets done destroyin some regular shmoes that was too amped cuz they had some new jordans…then he takes off the weighted vest and just looks at the guys like “just tryin to make it fair”… Note to self: never challenge the Matrix to 1 on 1. His J will infuriate you, his defense will deny you, his dunks will humiliate you, and as a slap in the face, he’ll be rockin some 15 lb. vest as he’s jumpin all over you. He’s a superfreak and I can gaurantee that he’s better without Amare than Amare is without him. And his love for attacking the offensive glass is rubbing off on Bo…you gotta love that.
Oct.10 at 5:17 pm
Myung says:
You’re hilarious, Shiz.
Oct.10 at 5:37 pm
Darksaber says:
Shiz really is amusing. But to more urgent matters, Marion at 27 is a mess, a damn shame. Yeah, yeah, the 1.6 billion dollar bought site has the highlights, seen em all and they just underline the fact that the man is a top 20 player in this league. Who else guarded the following in the span of 4 weeks last playoffs: Cuttino / Radmanovic / Kobsmushodom/ Brand and Magette / damn near the whole Dallas Team from SG to PF AND that freak of nature Nowitzki.
All this while grabbing rebounds, scoring off the ball and generally being nearly as thin as reggie Miller was. this is ridiculous, “youtube” indeed.
Oct.10 at 5:37 pm
albie1kenobi says:
amazingly, i think Shiz nailed it with the whole drunken master thing. his style is so out there but ridiculously effective. suns is nowhere near where they are right now without him (even with a healthy Amare), because he is the guy who does everything. he doesn’t need any play run for him to produce fill those stat sheets. it’s true that he’s not a franchise guy (how many of them are out there though?), but put him in any teams (okay, not blazers) and that team will instantly become a top team in the L.
oh yeah his dunk range is ridiculous. 2 steps from the 3 point line and BOOM! In your face.
Oct.10 at 5:39 pm
albie1kenobi says:
i can’t justified marion being at 27, but i can’t justified kidd being at 34 either. so i’m just trying to ignore the number as much as possible.
Oct.10 at 6:01 pm
chronically_ill says:
True, Marion dosent really create his own shot or create for his teamates. But he dosent have to, since that’s not his role on the team. He could get 20 points just by running the break and scoring off put-backs (which he is doing right now). Heck, he could probably average the numbers he’s averaging right now playing with Kobe or A.I., since he dosent need the ball in his hands all the time to be effective.
Oct.10 at 6:06 pm
DVLb0y613 says:
Marion should be known as “the phoenix” coz HE RISES!
Oct.10 at 6:13 pm
Darksaber says:
And i just got back from seeing the man and his team lose a tight game to the suns here in cologne. Was very impressed to see how fast the Matrix really is in person. Amare looked ok, not at all limping or gimpy, but he didn’t play the whole game. Apart from Allen Iverson’s speed (didn’t naysayers predict he’d slow down by now? Fools) and Igoudala’s defense, i gotta say my eyes were on the Matrix. He was always in movement. But lordy, that jumper sure is umm, unorthodox.
Oct.10 at 6:15 pm
Darksaber says:
oops, i meant of course, they lost to the sixers. Whew, exciting stuff seeing the NBA players in person. U people in the states (with tickets) sure are lucky.
Oct.10 at 6:18 pm
albie1kenobi says:
i was confused for a second when Darksaber said the matrix lost to the suns. but ish cool, i just checked nba.com and they played the sixers. shoulda run a game report here, Darksaber. sounded like a lot of fun.
Oct.10 at 6:39 pm
IndianIverson says:
ive been cool with this list uptill this…im not against it but ill have to see whos considered more important than him to pass judgement
Oct.10 at 7:15 pm
t dot j says:
caribana, ya bwoy!!!!
shiz, you come up and i’ll show you da best clubs up here girlz of every diffrent color up here. hahahahahahahahahaahahaha tdot…………….
Oct.10 at 7:37 pm
serbia23 says:
the only thing i dont like bout marion is he plays for the suns, everything else he does pro
Oct.10 at 8:04 pm
T dot C...arlos says:
T dot. Jaying all the way from NYC to Toronto! sorry dude i couldnt resist the name, well its too catchy…plus i love your signature tdot…….
Oct.10 at 8:18 pm
Rob Stewart says:
I just saw Rodney Carney hit a big jumpshot to clinch a loss for Shawn Marion and the Suns. Marion is consistently forgotten and underated. I guess because of Nash and Amare.
Oct.10 at 8:33 pm
matt says:
how much wuld marion score if he played 4 a shit team n tha only other playa was a point guard with nashs passing ability? 50ppg?
Oct.10 at 11:45 pm
JG says:
Shawn Marion at 27!?!? oh my god. Slam, you’re the best magazine out there, but I CAN’T WAIT to see 26 players better or more important than marion. Seriously
Oct.11 at 12:48 am
scott says:
The matrix at #27? I dont think there are 26 players ahead of Marion. I wouldn’t say Marion is more valuable to Phoenix then Stoudemire or Nash but still Marion should be closer to the top 20. Don’t forget about Stoudemire. If Amare is back to his 2004-2005 don’t forget how he was playing against Duncan and the Spurs. Could be the second coming of Moses.
Oct.11 at 12:49 am
Teddy-the-Bear says:
Shawn Marion at 27. A little bit high for him, he should be lower than 20, but I can live with it. Try playing all videos at once. Its Gankzta! I predict Brad Miller at 26 >_
Oct.11 at 1:35 am
Maha10k says:
I agree with most of the points here. Marion does seem even faster when you see him play in person. Why are people BLAMING the Suns system for guys having good numbers? Gotta have skills to put up numbers. Basketball teams need systems to win games. Showtime, the triangle, the Pistons’ televised mugging etc are all examples of how a team committed to playing a particular style can win games and eventually championships. I love Marion’s game. His activity is a major part of what makes D’Antoni’s system work. He’s everywhere making plays and those plays add up to wins. Hopefully they’ll get those extra 16 wins so we can have a party in the 115 degree AZ heat.
Oct.11 at 1:49 am
Ekam says:
Marion nuts
Oct.11 at 1:53 am
Mike says:
i think its crazy that he played with 3 All-Star points.
Oct.11 at 2:55 am
Vinsanity says:
Marion should be higher but after watching the matrix/reing man youtube clip, Shawn Kemp should be top 10.
Oct.11 at 3:11 am
Gilbert0 says:
marion at 27? worst selection so far. how he is not top 20 at least is beyond me
Oct.11 at 4:13 am
the de la menthe says:
I think they’re messing around with the real order just to mess with our heads and provoke discussion. After all, that’s what this list is about huh? Im no Marion fan, , but he’s too low here. Who next? Hughes? Odom? Baron? Jefferson? not better than shawn. And i do think he could create his own shot if it was necessary.
Oct.11 at 4:26 am
bja says:
Wait for 26 players better than Marion? Impossible. I’m just waiting for Shiz to invade Toronto.
Oct.11 at 6:00 am
gilly says:
How can people go on about how marion can’t create his shot when he has never played on a team where he has had to? With his explosive speed and jump i reckon if he was called on to become a franchise player and big time scorer he could. And can amare stoudemire really create his own shot coz most of his points, like marion, come straight after a nash assists.
Oct.11 at 11:36 am
t dot c.arlos says:
I came forward t. dot. Its sad to see that Butler, g. wallace, and possibly odom(who should not be ranked this high), and Richard Jefferson who i expected btwn 35-30 may not be on the list
Oct.11 at 1:06 pm
robbie says:
i think its kinda dissapointing that two mvp candidates from last season, especially marion are ranked so “low” of your top 50. i´m not a big fan of either but i´m interested how you rank number 25 to 1. ricky davis for 26
Oct.11 at 1:35 pm
MD Shuai says:
I would say that yeah, he probably could create his own shot, but…he has never had to yet. I love the guy, even though I hate the suns, maybe cause he’s the only guy on the team who can guard a guy without grabbing the back of his jersey and pulling him to the floor on a rebound(you hear that nash? I’m onto you! Although, the fact that he manhandled Dirk like that, someone 1 foot taller than him - not to mention one of his best friends - I find that highly amusing. Just not when they’re playing in a tight playoff series). Eric Dampier for #1! Who doesn’t love big, lazy, $72 million dollor drains with tiny hands and chicken legs?
Oct.11 at 1:58 pm
Maurice says:
next please…
Oct.11 at 4:31 pm
justin says:
wow to say matrix is only 27 has got to be a joke…. all of you who say he doesn’t create his own shot are foolish… he is the only person in the L who puts up 20 a night while only having one play designed for him… coach mike has even said that he has only one play designed for marion….so by putting marion at 27 you are saying that you dont respect hard work
Oct.11 at 9:33 pm
Justin H says:
We need more videos like this
Oct.13 at 6:05 am
Reidar says:
Shawn Marion at 27…. Buuuuullllsh******t. How much alcohol was involved in that lunch?? he is way better than 27!!!
Oct.13 at 6:12 am
Reidar says:
Shawn Marion at 27…. slam is the best b-ball mag out there, but seriously… how much alcohol was involved in that lunch?? How are going to find 26 better guys??
Oct.13 at 8:11 pm
suns champs 07 says:
you dudes at slam are making the dumbest top list ever shawn is at least 15 the man is one of the best rebounders in the league he can guard 2,3,4, and even most 5s he is only about 6′6 i asked him. he is not a one on one player doesnt get any plays ran for him and he still puts up more than 20 points a game not to mention he gets about two steals a game any one want to differ holla at cha boy
Oct.15 at 3:01 pm
Adam says:
i’m pissed that nash is gonna be ahead of stoudamire, wouldn’t mind if marion is behind him but amare! thats just a disgrace would have also been awesome if bell or leandro got on it
Nov.4 at 8:27 pm
Micah says:
This is wack!!! im a fan of slam but u guys need to get some new people to pick the top players!!! Pau Gasol and Tony Parker r not better than Marion.. They’re good but not like Marion is..
Oct.27 at 1:02 pm
ray says:
MARION IS BY FAR THE BEST THERE IS IN THE LEAGUES RIGHT NOW! 20 N 10 GUY THAT GOES OUT EVERY NIGHT AND HUSTLES FOR THE BALL!! MATRIX IS BETTER THAN lebron!! WHO CAN GUARD TONY PARKER ON NIGHT, THEN GUARD YAO MING THE NEXT?
27……BULL$H!7!! TOP NUMBER ONE ON MY LIST!!