The Phoenix Suns haven't won the NBA Finals in their franchise's history yet, but that doesn't mean that they haven't had talented players suit up for their team throughout the years. The Suns have managed to have some stars take the court wearing their jersey for them throughout their history thanks in part to some great drafting. So with that in mind, let's take a trip down memory lane and pick out the ten best draft picks in the Suns' history, starting with an honorable mention who surely cannot be forgotten.
10 best draft picks in Suns history, ranked
Honorable Mention – George Gervin (3rd Round, #40 overall, 1974)
George Gervin wasn't included in this list because after being drafted by the Suns in the 1974 NBA Draft, he would stay in the ABA with the Virginia Squires, before eventually finding his way to the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs. However, Gervin had to be added due to the subject matter of the article and his greatness. Gervin stayed in the ABA for four more seasons and was a two-time All-ABA player, but when he made the jump to the NBA, his career took off, and he earned a handful of accolades. Gervin was a four-time scoring champ, nine-time All-Star, and seven-time All-NBA member. He was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1996 and was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary team. His averages in the NBA were 26.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game on 51.1 percent shooting from the floor. Simply put, Gervin was a scoring machine.
10. Deandre Ayton (1st Round, #1 Overall, 2018)
Deandre Ayton has been a valuable player for the Suns since they took him with the first overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Averaging 16.7 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game on 58.9 percent shooting so far in his career, Ayton helped lead Phoenix to the 2021 NBA Finals, which was their first appearance since 1993. Recency bias could make you believe that Ayton should be higher on this list, but it's hard to call him a “good” draft pick. Among the top five picks in the 2018 draft, two other players have higher win shares than Ayton so far in their careers in Luka Doncic and Trae Young. While it's a bit of a toss-up between Ayton and Young, it is quite clear that Phoenix made the wrong decision in choosing Ayton over Doncic.
9. Alvan Adams (1st Round, #4 Overall, 1975)
Alvan Adams was a dependable player for the Suns, playing all 13 seasons of his career with them. Adams came out of the gates hot, averaging 19 points per game, winning Rookie of the Year, and earning his first All-Star honor. However, Adams failed to truly reach his potential after his rookie campaign, but he barely missed any games over his career and was generally a solid player. Adams would go on to average 13.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game on 50.2 percent shooting over the final 12 seasons of his career, which isn't too shabby. Adams very nearly helped Phoenix win their first championship in the 1976 NBA Finals, but they ended up falling short against the Boston Celtics.
8. Dan Majerle (1st Round, #14 Overall, 1988)
The 6-6 shooting guard from Michigan was just as valuable on the defensive end as he was on offense during his eight seasons with the Suns. Dan Majerle was named to three All-Star teams and two All-Defensive teams during his career, and his per game averages during his time with the Suns (13.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.1 APG, 44.3 FG%) show he was solid contributor on offense. His ferocity on the defensive end proved to be exactly what the Suns needed, as they reached the Western Conference Finals twice and the NBA Finals once during his time with the team.
7. Walter Davis (1st Round, #5 Overall, 1977)
Walter Davis was a six-time All-Star with the Suns, and generally had a successful 11-year stint in Phoenix before landing with the Denver Nuggets. During his time in Phoenix, Davis averaged 20.5 points, 4.4 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per game on 52 percent shooting from the field. Unfortunately, the Suns could never get over the hump while Davis was there, as they never made it past the Western Conference semifinals, and in the two seasons immediately after Davis left, they made it to the Western Conference Finals both years. Among his other notable achievements, Davis was also the 1977-78 Rookie of the Year.
6. Jeff Hornacek (2nd Round, #46 Overall, 1986)
The best value pick on this list for the Suns, Jeff Hornacek made the most of his career as a second round selection. He spent six seasons with the Suns, reaching two Western Conference Finals series with the team, and being named an All-Star for his dominant 1991-1992 campaign (20.1 PPG, 5.1 APG, 5 RPG, 51.2 FG%, 43.9 3P%), which was his final season with Phoenix. Hornacek would break out in his third season in the league after a fairly quiet start to his career, and through his six seasons with the Suns, he averaged 13.7 points, 5.4 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game on 51 percent shooting.
5. Larry Nance (1st Round, #20 Overall, 1981)
The father of current New Orleans Pelicans big man Larry Nance Jr., Larry Nance was an above-average player in his own right for the Suns. The power forward would split his 14-year career with Phoenix and the Cleveland Cavaliers, experiencing success with both teams. Nance was a three-time NBA All-Star throughout his career, but he received the honor only once while with Phoenix, while also bringing home three All-Defensive team honors. In his six-and-a-half seasons with Phoenix, Nance averaged 17.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game on 56.1 percent shooting.
4. Amar'e Stoudemire (1st Round, #9 Overall, 2002)
Amar'e Stoudemire was a fan favorite during his eight seasons in Phoenix, as he wowed fans with highlight reel dunks and pick-and-roll play with Steve Nash. Unfortunately, Stoudemire is a classic case of what could have been, as injuries would quickly derail his career, and he couldn't quite get back on track. During his time with the Suns, Stoudemire averaged 21.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 54.4 percent from the floor. Stoudemire had a massive impact with the Suns during his peak, and while they made it to the Western Conference Finals three times during his stint, he was unable to help lead them to ultimate glory.
3. Devin Booker (1st Round, #13 Overall, 2015)
If anyone has the potential to unseat our number-one pick on this list, it's Devin Booker. His eight-year career has seen him earn three All-Star selections, a 2021-2022 All-NBA honor, and a trip to the 2021 NBA Finals. His regular season numbers on his career are already really strong, as he averages 23.9 points, 4.8 assists, and 4 rebounds per game on 49.4 percent shooting. And even while those numbers are good, Booker manages to find another gear in the playoffs, as his career averages in the postseason (28 PPG, 5.2 APG, 5.2 RPG, 48.5 FG%, 39.2 3P%) are a notch above what he has done during the regular season so far. The Suns have never won an NBA title, but with Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal working alongside Booker, the 2023-24 season could prove to be their best chance at ending that drought.
2. Shawn Marion (1st Round, #9 Overall, 1999)
Shawn Marion, like Stoudemire, played a much bigger role for Phoenix than the numbers suggest. Marion spent nine seasons in Phoenix and is best known for his funky shot release, but as the numbers show he was a stellar player for them when all was said and done. Marion earned four All-Star selections while with the Suns, while also nabbing two All-NBA honors. He was another member of the Stoudemire teams that couldn't get over the hump and win a title, although he did pick up a championship ring in 2011 while with the Dallas Mavericks. His best individual seasons were in Phoenix, though, where he averaged 18.4 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 assists per game on 48.1 percent shooting.
1. Steve Nash (1st Round, #15 Overall, 1996)
With three of the four top players on this list all playing in the same lineup, many would figure that the Suns would have won the NBA Finals by now. But as we have previously established, that simply isn't the case. The Steve Nash draft selection is an interesting case for the Suns. Nash struggled out of the gate with Phoenix and was shipped off to Dallas, where he managed to break out. He earned the first two All-Star selections of his career with the Mavs, before he ended returning to Phoenix during the 2004 offseason. This is when the legend of Nash began to grow, as he won back-to-back MVP awards in his first two seasons back with the team. He also earned six All-Star selections during his second eight years back with the Suns.
While it didn't work out in Phoenix the first time around, it's hard to argue that the scouting team didn't make the right call in selecting Nash. When all was said and done, Nash piled up eight All-Star selections, seven All-NBA honors, two MVP awards, a spot on the NBA 75th anniversary team, and his own plaque in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Nash also helped bring basketball in Canada to prominence, and after a close look at the numbers, it's tough to argue against Nash being Phoenix's best draft pick of all time.
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