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Apr. 25, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash in the first quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at the US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

5 Former Suns Ranked As Top-25 NBA Players

Originally posted on Phoenix Suns on SI | By Brendan Mau | Last updated Aug 20, 2025 3:00 PM ET

Although the Phoenix Suns have never won a championship, they have had no shortage of talent come to the desert.

CBS Sports listed five former Suns in their rankings of the top-25 NBA players of the 21st century compiled by their NBA experts.

Which Suns Made The List?

Shaquille O'Neal, who played with the Suns for 1.5 seasons and made the All-Star Game with Phoenix in the 2008-09 season, was the first of these stars listed at No. 5, coming in behind LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Tim Duncan and Nikola Jokić.

"Superman. Diesel. The Big Aristotle. Call him what you want, but Shaq was one of the most dominant basketball players to ever take the floor," CBS Sports' Colin Ward-Henninger wrote. "His grace and agility were unprecedented for a man of his massive 7-foot-1, 300-plus pound frame, and the fearsome combination led to four NBA championships, three Finals MVPs, one regular-season MVP, two scoring titles, three All-Defensive selections and 14 All-NBA appearances.

"This all came from a player who many believe didn't necessarily dedicate himself 100% toward basketball. He'd be higher on this list if it encompassed his early career with the Orlando Magic, but his most impressive accomplishments came after the turn of the century as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat. He is fifth all-time in career player efficiency rating, according to Basketball Reference, trailing Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Michael Jordan and Nikola Jokić."

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Kevin Durant, who was just traded away from Phoenix this offseason after 2.5 seasons in the Valley that included two All-Star appearances, ranked at No. 8 on the list after Kobe Bryant and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

CBS' Sports Jasmyn Wimbish said of Durant:

"Throughout Durant's 17-year career he's continuously been on a very short list of the game's best players. It didn't take long for him to establish himself as one of the greatest scorers the league has ever seen, thanks to the fact he's able to pull up from just about anywhere on the floor while standing at 6-foot-11. He ushered in a wave of modern forwards, and now every year we're seeing guys enter the league with a KD-like build doing things we'd never expect them to do."

Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Next up for former Suns on the list was Chris Paul, who helped lead the Suns to their 2021 NBA Finals appearance, at No. 12 with Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade between him and Durant.

CBS' Sports Brad Botkin wrote on Paul:

"Pay no mind to the no-ring absolutists out there. Paul, who is second only to John Stockton in career assists, is one of the five greatest point guards to ever play. He's made 12 All-Star teams, 11 All-NBA teams and eight All-Defense teams. Six times he led the league in steals. Ten times he finished top-10 in MVP voting, including four in the top five. Most importantly: Paul has played for seven teams in his career, and those seven teams have improved by a combined 64 wins in the first year he arrived. That tells you everything you need to know."

Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

The most decorated player during his time with the Suns, two-time MVP Steve Nash, ranked at No. 14 on the list behind Kawhi Leonard.

"Generally speaking, Nash's career is underrated," Wimbish wrote about Nash. "His shooting numbers were historically elite, as he's the only player in league history to have more than two 50-40-90 seasons (he has four).

"His assist numbers were also historic, as there's only two other players to average 11+ assists in a single season five or more times, the other two are John Stockton and Magic Johnson. There haven't been many players in the last 25 years who have been more impactful to their team's success than Nash, and his two MVP trophies are a testament to that."

Russ Isabella-Imagn Images

Rounding out the Suns players on the list was Jason Kidd, who was a three-time All-Star for Phoenix across 4.5 seasons from 1996-2001, at No. 17. James Harden and Luka Doncic ranked between Nash and Kidd.

Here is what Ward-Henninger wrote on Kidd:

"Look up 'point guard' in the basketball dictionary and you'll find a photo of Kidd -- probably looking to the right as the words fly swiftly and accurately to the left. The Bay Area product ranks third all-time in career assists, and you'd be more comfortable with the ball in his hands than arguably any player in basketball history. His impact on this century largely came in two phases -- first as the engine of a New Jersey Nets team that made consecutive Finals appearances in the early 2000s, and then as t he elder statesman on the 2011 champion Dallas Mavericks.

"A testament to his work ethic, Kidd went from a virtual non-shooter early in his career to the top 10 in career 3-pointers made at the time of his retirement. Whatever your team needed, on either end, Kidd gave it to you with maximum effort and precision."

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Only the Lakers (seven players including O'Neal and Nash) and Rockets (six players including Durant and Paul) were represented more on these rankings than the Suns, while the Mavericks, Clippers and Thunder all tied the Suns with five players.