high draft picks in Suns history

elindholm

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Beasley's addition inspired me to make this list. These are players who were taken with high draft picks who ended up wearing a Suns jersey at some point. Except for a couple of noteworthy exceptions (which will be obvious), I went back only to the 1980 draft, and I may have missed someone, or several someones.

#1 overall
Joe Barry Carroll (drafted 1980)
Danny Manning (1988)
Shaquille O'Neal (1992)

#2 overall
Wayman Tisdale (1985)
Armon Gilliam (1987)
Jason Kidd (1994)
Antonio McDyess (1995)
Stromile Swift (2000)
Tyson Chandler (2001)
Michael Beasley (2008)

#3 overall
Penny Hardaway (1993)
Grant Hill (1994)

#4 overall
Alvan Adams (1974)
Xavier McDaniel (1985)
Dennis Scott (1990)
Jim Jackson (1992)
Stephon Marbury (1996)
Wesley Johnson (2010)

#5 overall
Walter Davis (1977)
Charles Barkley (1984)
Vince Carter (1998)
Jason Richardson (2001)
Nikoloz Tskitishvili (2002)
Alex Len (2013)

I don't think this list means anything, but I felt like making it. Feel free to point out any errors.
 
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mojorizen7

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I'm surprised there's so many.


Lol Wayman Tisdale. I couldn't stand to watch him play.

I honestly had no idea that JRich was taken 5th overall. Weird.

Danny Manning was such a special player. If only...
I remember being so pumped up when McDyess first arrived. If only...

Which Suns team had the X-man? Who else was on that team?
 

Chaz

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Beasley's addition inspired me to make this list. These are players who were taken with high draft picks who ended up wearing a Suns jersey at some point. Except for a couple of noteworthy exceptions (which will be obvious), I went back only to the 1980 draft, and I may have missed someone, or several someones.

#1 overall
Joe Barry Carroll (drafted 1980)
Danny Manning (1988)
Shaquille O'Neal (1992)

#2 overall
Wayman Tisdale (1985)
Armon Gilliam (1987)
Jason Kidd (1994)
Antonio McDyess (1995)
Michael Beasley (2008)

#3 overall
Penny Hardaway (1993)
Grant Hill (1994)

#4 overall
Alvan Adams (1974)
Xavier McDaniel (1985)
Dennis Scott (1990)
Jim Jackson (1992)
Stephon Marbury (1996)

#5 overall
Walter Davis (1977)
Charles Barkley (1984)
Vince Carter (1998)
Jason Richardson (2001)
Nikoloz Tskitishvili (2002)

I don't think this list means anything, but I felt like making it. Feel free to point out any errors.

Great list.

Can you confirm how many were drafted by the Suns?
I think it is just Gilliam, Adams, and Davis. There are not too many top picks in Suns history I suspect.
 

Griffin

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#2 overall
Wayman Tisdale (1985)
Armon Gilliam (1987)
Jason Kidd (1994)
Antonio McDyess (1995)
Michael Beasley (2008)
Stromile Swift (2000)

Hope Beasley's stint with the Suns goes a little better.
 
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elindholm

elindholm

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Great list.

Can you confirm how many were drafted by the Suns?
I think it is just Gilliam, Adams, and Davis. There are not too many top picks in Suns history I suspect.

Yes, that's right. The Suns have had only one top-five pick of their own in the last 35 years. I'd be very surprised if any other franchise has been similarly deprived.

Stromile Swift (2000)

Wow, I had already forgotten that he was temporarily with the Suns.
 

BC867

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Yes, that's right. The Suns have had only one top-five pick of their own in the last 35 years. I'd be very surprised if any other franchise has been similarly deprived.
Following the Suns since 1970, I'll say it again. Their goal has always been to:

Put on a good offensive show at home . . .

Don't embarrass yourself on the road . . .

Make an appearance in the playoffs.

And with the departure of Jerry Colangelo, not even that is left.

The Suns only identity (albeit an incomplete one) has totally disappeared, leaving nothing.

Hell, if it could happen to TWA and now American Airlines, it could happen to the Suns.
 

BC867

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Wait, have you made these points before? When?
Oh, as often as they have done it. Or as often as someone has said . . .

elindholm said:
Yes, that's right. The Suns have had only one top-five pick of their own in the last 35 years. I'd be very surprised if any other franchise has been similarly deprived.
Or as they said about $arver in West Side Story, "He's deprived an account of he's depraved." :)

Or posted about maybe not following the Suns anymore. Do you recall who that was . . . Eric? :)
 

Bufalay

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Following the Suns since 1970, I'll say it again. Their goal has always been to:

Put on a good offensive show at home . . .

Don't embarrass yourself on the road . . .

Make an appearance in the playoffs.

And with the departure of Jerry Colangelo, not even that is left.

The Suns only identity (albeit an incomplete one) has totally disappeared, leaving nothing.

Hell, if it could happen to TWA and now American Airlines, it could happen to the Suns.


How do you feel about the Miami Heat winning the championship without playing a center in the finals?
 

Gaddabout

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Land of the Eternal Reclamation Project. We're always interested in the flawed player we were enamored with in previous drafts. That's been going on for almost the entire history of this team.
 

BC867

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How do you feel about the Miami Heat winning the championship without playing a center in the finals?
Certainly, if we had a combination of LeBron, Wade and Bosh leading us to a championship (our first after all these decades), I'd be cheering, with an * -- * = collusion on the part of the players.

Just as we'll never forget the combination of RJ, Schilling and Gonzo leading our D'backs to the greatest sports championship in Arizona history (without an * ).

But the Suns FO satisfied with small ball and fifty win seasons over and over has left them without a championship, so it is a moot point.

Besides, the 2011-2012 Miami Heat had a roster filled with big role playing Centers which got them to the Finals, just as Michael's Bulls.
 
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JCSunsfan

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The Suns have had an ability to obtain good players in spite of rather poor draft positions historically. Not all of those players were washouts either.


Manning, Kidd, McDyess, McDaniel, Marbury, and Barkley were all very much coveted players when they came here.

Tisdale, Shaq, Hill, and Richardson were past their prime value but still very productive. Kind of like Nash will be with the Lakers.
 

Gaddabout

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Certainly, if we had a combination of LeBron, Wade and Bosh leading us to a championship (our first after all these decades), I'd be cheering, with an * -- * = collusion on the part of the players.

Do you remember how we got Danny Manning? Promised him a max deal if he signed a 1-year contract with us (only way to do it back then). People were very upset. Felt like it violated the spirit of free agency. Then Manning blew out his knee, but Colangelo kept his promise and gave him the deal anyway. Earned Colangelo about a decade of good will with other players. (It ended up not being a very good deal for the Suns, but I always thought the reputation would pay off. It may have if the free agency rules hadn't changed).
 

Mainstreet

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Let me think, did the Heat draft Wade, Lebron and Bosh? No, just Wade. There are different ways to build a contender as so many other teams have proved before. Give me a good FO and just a little bit of luck. Mostly give me the good FO.
 

Phrazbit

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Jordan,Kobe, and now LeBron. If you dont have a stud big you'd better have one of these guys. Elite Point guards are nowhere to be found either. Look it up ...
;)

Kobe has never won without a stud big. He couldnt get out of the first round without one.
 

BC867

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Kobe has never won without a stud big. He couldnt get out of the first round without one.
Michael ("We knew Michael, and Kobe is no Michael") didn't have stud bigs, unless you squeeze Rodman's rebounding into the category.

But Michael had rotating role playing Centers anchored in the middle. Without them, he wouldn't have been quite so successful. Very successful, but not quite so.
 

Griffin

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Here's a few more players that will probably find their way into a Suns uniform at some point in the future:

Hasheem Thabeet (#2, 2009)
Adam Morrison (#3, 2006)
Shelden Williams (#5, 2006)
Raymond Felton ($5, 2005)
Ben Gordon ($3, 2004)
Darko Milicic (#2, 2003)
 

mojorizen7

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Here's a few more players that will probably find their way into a Suns uniform at some point in the future:

Hasheem Thabeet (#2, 2009)
Adam Morrison (#3, 2006)
Shelden Williams (#5, 2006)
Raymond Felton ($5, 2005)
Ben Gordon ($3, 2004)
Darko Milicic (#2, 2003)
I really thought he was going to find a nice defensive/shot blocking role with a team coming out of college.
I was WRONG. He's been a non-factor :(
 
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elindholm

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Bumped to add Len and Okafor. I'll re-edit if either of them never suits up in the regular season.
 

Errntknght

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In the early years Jordan had some good bigs on the team - Horace Grant at PF was probably the biggest stud those years. Bill Cartwright was on the first threepeat group, as well. Stacy King, Scotty Williams and Will Perdue were lesser lights. Interestingly, Cartwright was the only one that didn't have a very high offensive efficiency rating among those five - with Horace Grant leading the bunch.

Luc Longley and Dennis Rodman (who is a stud in my book) were on hand for the second threepeat along with Wennington, C, and Dickie Simpkins, PF. Notably, Toni Kukoc, a 6'10 SF was on those teams. (Bigs who played briefly during this time were John Salley, Robert Parish, James Edwards and Joe Kleine.) Jason Caffey, PF, played a significant role in the second of the three years.
 

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