The Matrix says he’s hanging up his sneakers once the season ends.
Shawn Marion, a 15–year NBA veteran, wants to spend more time with his family.
Drafted in 1999 by the Phoenix Suns, the 36-year old Marion went on to become a four-time All-Star.
Per the AZ Republic:
When the Suns drafted Marion in 1999, Marion set a goal to play 15 seasons. The 36-year-old believes he could play another three seasons but being away from his first child, 8-month-old Shawn, has convinced him to retire after this season with the Cavaliers. […] “I wanted to go out on my terms,” Marion said. “The biggest thing is having a son. I got attached to him. Seeing him periodically is hard. Watching him grow up on pictures and videos is hard.”
“I was able to grow as a player and watch the city grow at the same time,” Marion said of his time in the Valley. “I really wish I could’ve won a title in Phoenix. When you spend that much time with an organization and do what I did there, you feel like it’s part of you. The fans there know I came to play and laid it on the line. […] It was a special time. Those were special fans in Phoenix. It’ll always have a part of me. I’m always going to keep a place there.”
Marion averaged 18.4 points and 10.0 rebounds during his time with the Suns and is a fixture among the franchise’s career leaders. Only Alvan Adams recorded more rebounds, steals or minutes played with the Suns than did Marion, who also ranks third in blocked shots, third in field goals made, fourth in points and fourth in 3-pointers made.
