Keyword
NBA
Scores
Schedule
Standings
Statistics
Transactions
Injuries
Players
Message Board
NBA en espanol
CLUBHOUSE


SHOP@ESPN.COM
TeamStore
ESPN Auctions
SPORT SECTIONS
Thursday, August 8
 
Marion says he loves Phoenix

Associated Press

PHOENIX -- With a mixture of sadness over a death in the family and elation over his professional future, Shawn Marion signed a six-year, $79 million contract extension with the Phoenix Suns on Thursday.

Shawn Marion
Marion

The 24-year-old forward said he never thought about going anywhere else.

"I love Phoenix -- the weather, the fans, the organization,'' he said after signing the contract at a news conference at America West Arena. "Why wouldn't I want to stay here?''

Marion joins Baron Davis of New Orleans as the only players from the 1999 draft to sign contract extensions.

Marion came to Phoenix to sign the contract directly from the funeral of an uncle who had served as a father figure and had nurtured him through his development as a professional athlete.

Joseph Wayne Nelson, who was with his nephew in New York City the day Marion was drafted, died after a long battle with cancer.

"He basically made me understand about being a man,'' Marion said, "to make sure you can get to a point where you can take care of yourself and help your family. If I needed somebody to talk to, he was there. ... Now I can take care of my family for the rest of their lives.''

Marion, the ninth pick overall in the 1999 draft out of UNLV, has averaged 16.3 points and 9.4 rebounds in his three NBA seasons. Last year, he averaged 19.1 points and 9.9 rebounds.

Marion and Stephon Marbury are part of the young foundation of the rebuilding effort for the Suns, who failed to reach the playoffs last season for the first time since 1988.

"We've got a core of young talent now,'' Suns president Bryan Colangelo said. "We're going to stick with that core and develop that core. We're excited. We've got a lot of positive things going on.''

As part of the contract, Marion will donate $1 million to United Way with a special emphasis on cancer research and youth sports.

Marion is part of the U.S. team that will compete in the World Basketball Championships Aug. 29-Sept. 8 in Indianapolis. Training begins Aug. 17. The leading scorer and rebounder on the gold medal-winning U.S. team at last year's Goodwill Games, Marion knows this will make for a long season, but feels it's a necessary step to be on the U.S. Olympic team in 2004.

"When I was young, I used to watch the Dream Team,'' Marion said. "They got Olympic gold.

"I've got a gold medal, but I want Olympic gold.''




 More from ESPN...
Marion gets six-year, $79M extension from Suns
Shawn Marion will be sticking ...

 ESPN Tools
Email story
 
Most sent
 
Print story