PHOENIX – Two former Phoenix Suns MVPs were featured in Bleacher Report’s Top 100 NBA players of all time, with Steve Nash and Charles Barkley both cracking the top 40.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Barkley came in at No. 25 and Nash followed at No. 35. Both are widely viewed as all-time greats, although their legacies have often been debated due to a lack of championships.
Mar. 27, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash prior to the game against the San Antonio Spurs at the US Airways Center. The Spurs defeated the Suns 107-100. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Bleacher Report on Nash’s impact on Suns:
“After leading some of the top era-adjusted offenses of all time with the Dallas Mavericks in 2002 and 2003, Nash landed in Phoenix and enjoyed one of the great late-bloomer primes in league history. He captained the “Seven Seconds or Less” Phoenix Suns to elite scoring marks, winning back-to-back MVPs in his age-30 and age-31 campaigns.
“What he sacrificed in volume, he made up for in efficiency. Nash’s four 50/40/90 seasons are the most in NBA history. Not bad for a guy who also ranks fifth in total assists.”
Feb 28, 1996: Minneapolis, MN, USA; FILE PHOTO; Phoenix Suns forward Charles Barkley (34) in action against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center. Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Nash was a two-time MVP and having the most 50/40/90 seasons by one player in NBA history. However, he found himself behind other point guards like James Harden, Jason Kidd and Chris Paul. Despite having more accolades than some of the names mentioned, the counting stats hurt Nash’s case to be ahead of them, something the 51-year-old has acknowledged in retirement.
Barkley was 10 spots ahead of Nash, with Bleacher Report highlight his versatility. The 11-time All-NBA member finished with career averages of 22.1 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists. At only 6’6, he is the shortest player in the top-20 all-time rebounding list, illustrating his dominance on the glass.
May 26, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; TNT analyst Charles Barkley during the TNT NBA Tip-Off pregame show before game five of the 2022 western conference finals outside of Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
The 62-year-old is constantly ripped about his lack of championships on NBA on TNT, but being in the same era as Michael Jordan made the task much more difficult. Regardless, Barkley is behind other power forwards like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Karl Malone in Bleacher Report’s rankings.
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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
