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NBA Draft 2016: Every team’s most underrated pick ever

By Brad Rowland

Feb 27, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) during the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 27, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) during the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 10, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Shawn Marion (31) acknowledges the crowd as he is honored during a timeout in the first half against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 10, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Shawn Marion (31) acknowledges the crowd as he is honored during a timeout in the first half against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /

Phoenix Suns: Shawn Marion, No. 9 pick, 1999 NBA Draft

After four All-Star appearances and three All-NBA inclusions, it is somewhat difficult to be overrated. Shawn Marion pulls it off in grand style.

Basketball diehards undoubtedly appreciate the legacy of Marion as an astonishing, entertaining and valuable player, but that is only a small segment of the NBA’s viewing population. Over a seven-season sample from 2000 through 2007, Marion averaged 19.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.4 blocks per game, and if that was not enough, the talented forward did it with high-end efficiency. During that same time period, Marion converted 48 percent of his field goal attempts and nearly 35 percent of his three-point offerings, combining real value offensively with terrifying defense and all-court excellence.

Yes, Marion’s jump shot was never a sight for sore eyes, and I maintain that he is downgraded unfairly as a result. It was, however, effective enough to sustain the rest of his fantastic game in every other aspect, and Marion was one of the top ten players on the planet at one point during his prime in Phoenix.

Steve Nash gets the lion’s share of the credit for what happened under Mike D’Antoni with the Suns, but Shawn Marion deserves more love for what transpired.

Next: Portland Trail Blazers

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