Several Former Suns Land On Top-100 NBA Players of All Time List

Bleacher Report created a new top-100 NBA players of all time list this week that has a lot of people talking.

Former Phoenix Suns players Shaquille O'Neal, Kevin Durant, Charles Barkley, Chris Paul, Steve Nash and Grant Hill all were a part of the list, which had Michael Jordan first, LeBron James second, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar third, Magic Johnson fourth and Bill Russell fifth.

Here's where the former Suns found themselves on the list:

No. 6: Shaquille O'Neal

O'Neal, who played for the Suns from 2008-09, came in at No. 6, right after Russell and ahead of Tim Duncan (7th). This is what the list said of O'Neal:

"What happens when the unstoppable force is the immovable object?

"That would be Shaquille O’Neal.

"There has perhaps never been a more imposing possession-by-possession force. Early-era Shaq is probably the closest comp we have to a Peak Zion Williamson Who Plays Defense. Even in later years, as his conditioning came under fire, he remained unguardable on the block and when going downhill. To call him overpowering would be a disservice. So many of his offensive touches felt completely hopeless for the defense.

"Many believe Shaq’s all-time standing would be higher if he maintained a more maniacal approach to preparation throughout his prime. Perhaps that is true. Whatever you think of his work ethic, lasting in the NBA for nearly two decades qualifies as overwhelming longevity.

And it says a great deal about his immovable unstoppability that his 58.3 percent clip on twos to this day ranks as the highest among everyone to tally at least 25,000 career points."

No. 13: Kevin Durant

The most recent Sun, Kevin Durant, who was traded to the Houston Rockets this offseason after 2.5 seasons in Phoenix, ranked No. 13 on the list between Hakeem Olajuwon (12th) and Oscar Robertson (14th).

Bleacher Report wrote of Durant:

"Durant has a case as the greatest pure scorer in league history. Listed at 6’11”, KD operates with a smooth perimeter game that most guards would envy. Capable of killing opponents from deep and at the rim but uniquely gifted as a mid-range shooter, Durant is the only player to average at least 27.0 points for his career while making at least 50.0 percent of his shots overall and 39.0 percent of his threes.

"Durant’s itinerant career and failure to lead a team to a championship as a true alpha hurts his legacy—as does sharing an era with James, Curry and Jokić. It’s possible that KD could have taken the Thunder to the promised land if he’d stayed put, and he probably left another championship or two on the table by departing Golden State when he did.

"None of that detracts from one of the most effective and efficient offensive careers the league has ever seen. And KD, who averaged 26.6 points on a 52.7/43.0/83.9 shooting split as a 36-year-old last season, is nowhere near finished."

No. 25: Charles Barkley

Another former Suns player in Charles Barkley placed in the top-25, sandwiched between Giannis Antetokounmpo (24th) and Elgin Baylor (26th). Barkley played for Phoenix from 1992-96 and helped the Suns reach the Finals in 1993, also winning NBA MVP that season.

Bleacher Report said of Barkley:

"Charles Barkley’s resume feels incomplete without a title. Over time, it feels like the absence of one has eroded his standing in these all-time discussions.

"And yet, you don’t win an MVP award during Michael Jordan’s prime (1992-93) by some fluke. Barkley was a superstar, with one of the most well-rounded games to ever grace the hardwood. 

"The range of his skill set is reflected in the list of contemporary players for whom he’s used as a comparison. Blake Griffin, Zion Williamson, Draymond Green, Julius Randle—they have all been considered, to some degree, facsimiles of Barkley. 
Heck, even The Chuckster’s intangibles are versatile. His Basketball-Reference page is inundated with what might be a record number of nicknames, and he can be first and foremost associated with any of the franchises he suited up for: the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets."

No. 30: Chris Paul

Paul has a very decorated NBA career, but has never won a championship. The closest he got to winning a ring was in 2021 with the Suns, when they lost in the NBA Finals to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Paul played for Phoenix from 2020-23, helping change the culture of the team in a short time in the Valley. B/R has him on the list at No. 30 between John Stockton (29th) and John Havlicek (31st), writing:

"John Stockton owns one of the NBA’s least breakable records. And “least breakable” may be putting it charitably. 

"In a hair under two decades, Stockton amassed 15,806 total assists. The next closest player to him is Chris Paul…with 12,499. That 3,307-dime difference is at least three seasons’ worth of in-your-prime playmaking. Given that CP3 will be entering Year 20 in 2025-26, Stockton’s record figures to be safe for a while—or forever.

"And look, regardless of the era you’re playing in, bagging five All-Defense nominations while standing 6’1” is unfathomable. Mookie Blaylock (six), Norm Van Lier (eight) and CP3 himself (nine) are the only players 6'3" or shorter with more such selections."

No. 35: Steve Nash

Arguably the most decorated Suns player of all time in Steve Nash placed 35th on the list with James Harden (34th) ahead of him and Allen Iverson (36).

Nash won two MVPs with the Suns, who he played with from 1996-98 and 2004-12.

B/R wrote on Nash:

"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.

"It’s hard to say whether Nash arrived at just the right time to take advantage of the pace-and-space era, or if he was a hair late. A career 42.8 percent three-point shooter (11th all-time), Nash attempted just 3.2 triples per game during his career. That’s less than a third of the 11.3 attempts Stephen Curry averaged in 2024-25. 

"Upon retirement, Nash acknowledged he probably should have shot the ball more.

"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."

No. 79: Grant Hill

Hill, who was with Phoenix for five seasons from 2007-12, lands a little bit further down the list at No. 79 between Paul George (No. 78) and Nate 'Tiny' Archibald (No. 80).

Here is what Bleacher Report said of Hill:

"Grant Hill exploded onto the scene as an All-Star and Rookie of the Year in 1994-95 with the Detroit Pistons, and he put together a half-decade opening run to his career that stands up against anyone’s from the modern era.

"A 6’8” forward with a point guard’s mindset and exceptionally quick off-the-dribble moves, Hill made All-NBA teams and finished ninth or better in MVP voting every year from his second season to his sixth.

"Ankle injuries derailed everything in 2000, and while Hill managed to remake himself as a defensive-minded role player who even addressed his biggest weakness by becoming a capable three-point shooter, he was never a star again."