When did you become a Suns fan and why?

[bwgood77]

I vaguely kind of knew about the Suns as a very little kid, as my dad gave me Suns posters and stuff when I was like 5..with Davis, Adams, Nance on them. But I'm sure you can guess, when they made the trade for KJ, and had that first season with him, with like a 27 win turnaround (much like when Nash became a fan), I was amazed at how fun that team was to watch, even being so young.

[lilfishi22]

Before I became a serious basketball fan, I used to watch Philly because of AI and my streetball roots. But as I became more exposed to basketball and the NBA, I realised that this style of basketball just isn't that fun to watch for an 82 game season. As I was still watching the NBA as a general fan of basketball, Nash was signed by the Suns and turned what I thought was a talented but severely underachieving team into a legit contender. When I found the player I wanted to play like (Nash) and not how I actually played (AI - iso ball) and found the team I loved watching; Nash became my favourite player and Suns became my team.

I was late to the game as a Suns fan

[GMATCallahan]

I vaguely kind of knew about the Suns as a very little kid, as my dad gave me Suns posters and stuff when I was like 5..with Davis, Adams, Nance on them. But I'm sure you can guess, when they made the trade for KJ, and had that first season with him, with like a 27 win turnaround (much like when Nash was traded for), I was amazed at how fun that team was to watch, even being so young.

If the NBA was better then (which I believe was the case), the greatest factor in my opinion was that players would usually spend four years in college (rarely less than three) and already know the game at a pretty high level by the time that they entered the NBA. Thus they could be ready for "prime time" more quickly.

Now, some aspects of today's NBA have improved, most notably ball-handling (which is clearly better than it has ever been), three-point shooting off the dribble, and perhaps three-point shooting overall. However, those progressions have been balanced by an erosion in post-up skills, mid-range ability, passing accuracy and skill, and ball movement and body movement (although there have been some advancements in those last two areas over the last few seasons, mainly influenced by San Antonio and now Golden State). Overall, I would say that the late 1980s and the first six seasons or so of the 1990s offered the greatest blend of all these elements.

Plus, the money being much less than it is now created a greater incentive for competitiveness (and I am not referring to 'woofing,' but a heightened focus and high intensity level in more aspects of the game) and, to some extent, teamwork, as $70M contracts were not right around the corner for a player who happens to simply post solid statistics.

The current Suns, conversely, are like some hybrid of a low-level NBA team and an NCAA squad. There is talent on this roster, but what does it amount to now? What will it amount to in the future, and when will that future be? Denver is in a similar position, if a little ahead of Phoenix's curve.

[sunstrooper]

'92...you know why

[TeamTragic]

I've been a fan since 93. Bulls/Suns in the Finals. Barkley. KJ. Ainge. Majerle. The rest is history. Don't forget Ceballos. Chapman. Nash. J-Rich. I've never loved a team more (besides the DFB) #SUNSFOREVER

[Qwigglez]

Since about 97-98. Started playing basketball that year and the hometeam was the Suns so I just started watching them.

[Kyler Murray]

During SSOL years, 04-05 or something, thats when I was exposed to the NBA and I just loved the ways Suns played.

[bwgood77]

I vaguely kind of knew about the Suns as a very little kid, as my dad gave me Suns posters and stuff when I was like 5..with Davis, Adams, Nance on them. But I'm sure you can guess, when they made the trade for KJ, and had that first season with him, with like a 27 win turnaround (much like when Nash was traded for), I was amazed at how fun that team was to watch, even being so young.

If the NBA was better then (which I believe was the case), the greatest factor in my opinion was that players would usually spend four years in college (rarely less than three) and already know the game at a pretty high level by the time that they entered the NBA. Thus they could be ready for "prime time" more quickly.

Now, some aspects of today's NBA have improved, most notably ball-handling (which is clearly better than it has ever been), three-point shooting off the dribble, and perhaps three-point shooting overall. However, those progressions have been balanced by an erosion in post-up skills, mid-range ability, passing accuracy and skill, and ball movement and body movement (although there have been some advancements in those last two areas over the last few seasons, mainly influenced by San Antonio and now Golden State). Overall, I would say that the late 1980s and the first six seasons or so of the 1990s offered the greatest blend of all these elements.

Plus, the money being much less than it is now created a greater incentive for competitiveness (and I am not referring to 'woofing,' but a heightened focus and high intensity level in more aspects of the game) and, to some extent, teamwork, as $70M contracts were not right around the corner for a player who happens to simply post solid statistics.

The current Suns, conversely, are like some hybrid of a low-level NBA team and an NCAA squad. There is talent on this roster, but what does it amount to now? What will it amount to in the future, and when will that future be? Denver is in a similar position, if a little ahead of Phoenix's curve.

I think Denver is loaded with talent. But they need that ONE star and I think they are in a very good position to trade half of their players (2 wings because they have 4 good ones), and one center (they have 2 solid ones) and picks (they have all their own and a Memphis 1st rounder). We have a lot of assets but not nearly the level of players to make a trade for a big difference maker (and Boogie is the only one that MIGHT be on the table at some point and I'm not sure if he will lead a team to much of anything unless he pairs with Wall).

[bwgood77]

I've been a fan since 93. Bulls/Suns in the Finals. Barkley. KJ. Ainge. Majerle. The rest is history. Don't forget Ceballos. Chapman. Nash. J-Rich. I've never loved a team more (besides the DFB) #SUNSFOREVER

Do you remember Richard Dumas?

[kennydorglas]

I became a Suns fan when Leandrinho joined the team. I watched his amateur/early pro career here in Brazil.

[Allahu Akbar]

barkley era

[phnart]

I have a picture of myself from 1970 and I'm wearing a Suns t-shirt. I was probably 9-10 months old. We had season tickets when I was a kid and I would go to lots of games with my dad and grandpa. Walter Davis was my first "favorite" player, but I also loved Westphal and Adams, Hawkins and Van Arsdale, too. There have been some rough spots and tough times to be a Suns fan, but I am sure I will always root for them more than any other team, even if I was to leave Phoenix today and never return. We need a championship soon before we turn into the next Chicago Cubs.

[TeamTragic]

I've been a fan since 93. Bulls/Suns in the Finals. Barkley. KJ. Ainge. Majerle. The rest is history. Don't forget Ceballos. Chapman. Nash. J-Rich. I've never loved a team more (besides the DFB) #SUNSFOREVER

Do you remember Richard Dumas?

Absolutely. Dumas was a damn good player. I loved his attitude but he loved drugs more than playing apparently

[GMATCallahan]

Do you remember Richard Dumas?

Absolutely. Dumas was a damn good player. I loved his attitude but he loved drugs more than playing apparently

... possibly so, but Dumas first tried alcohol at the age of five and marijuana at the age of nine. The adults and community around him really let him down, and he just could not fully overcome that kind of past.

http://archive.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/20130520former-phoenix-suns-forward-richard-dumas-enjoying-life-now.html

[Frank Lee]

Watching the Sunderella doc.... fan in 73 when the Suns summer camp was in Lake Havasu. Open practice in the evening. They let us kids shag free throws afterwards. Then 76 sealed it. What a likable squad. Al McCoy at his best too.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

Moved to Phoenix in '91. All the kids were playing the sport. I remember flipping through the channels one day to see Thunder Dan finish a fast break, and I never turned the channel. Been hooked ever since.

[Barkley_34]

I was 8 years old and saw the slam of Tom chambers in Mark Jackson's face. I fell in love. Everything was strengthened in the era of KJ and Barkley. Miss you.

[darealjuice]

I have toddler pictures of me wearing various Suns jerseys from the Barkley era, so pretty much since birth lol. I was probably too young to really consider myself a true fan, so I'd say I really got into the Suns on my own during the Backcourt 2000 period. We were really fun to watch when healthy, and I loved Penny and Kidd. I remember being heartbroken when we traded Kidd after the domestic abuse incident, he was my favorite player at the time and I was so disappointed in the entire situation.

My peak fandom was definitely the return of the prodigal Sun, Steve Nash. That was when I was starting to play basketball seriously in the AAU and school ball scene, and I basically idolized him and tried to emulate his game on the court, so naturally I watched a ton of Suns basketball and Steve Nash mixtapes when Youtube came about. I abstained from the Suns during the 2012-2013 season because I was heartbroken (again) that we traded him, especially to the team I was taught to fiercely hate my entire life. Then, I remember tuning into the draft after that season, and I was insanely excited because Ben McLemore AND Nerlens Noel somehow both dropped to us at #5. I thought we could do no wrong picking between those two, until Stern walked out and announced we had taken Alex freaking Len from Maryland over my 2 favorite prospects of the year, after which I went on a Twitter rant that I still completely stand by.

BMac would have been good ANYWHERE but the place prospects go to never develop and eventually leave for greener pastures: Sacramento. Yes, I'm still mad.

[GMATCallahan]

I have toddler pictures of me wearing various Suns jerseys from the Barkley era, so pretty much since birth lol. I was probably too young to really consider myself a true fan, so I'd say I really got into the Suns on my own during the Backcourt 2000 period. We were really fun to watch when healthy, and I loved Penny and Kidd. I remember being heartbroken when we traded Kidd after the domestic abuse incident, he was my favorite player at the time and I was so disappointed in the entire situation.

My peak fandom was definitely the return of the prodigal Sun, Steve Nash. That was when I was starting to play basketball seriously in the AAU and school ball scene, and I basically idolized him and tried to emulate his game on the court, so naturally I watched a ton of Suns basketball and Steve Nash mixtapes when Youtube came about. I abstained from the Suns during the 2012-2013 season because I was heartbroken (again) that we traded him, especially to the team I was taught to fiercely hate my entire life. Then, I remember tuning into the draft after that season, and I was insanely excited because Ben McLemore AND Nerlens Noel somehow both dropped to us at #5. I thought we could do no wrong picking between those two, until Stern walked out and announced we had taken Alex freaking Len from Maryland over my 2 favorite prospects of the year, after which I went on a Twitter rant that I still completely stand by.

BMac would have been good ANYWHERE but the place prospects go to never develop and eventually leave for greener pastures: Sacramento. Yes, I'm still mad.

You probably know this information already, but just to be clear, Nash left the Suns as a free agent and basically became a Laker by choice. He then went to Robert Sarver and personally requested the sign-and-trade to Los Angeles in order to to make the cap numbers work and receive the "market value" contract that he wanted. Reluctantly, Sarver agreed to facilitate Nash's desire.

For the record, I am not blaming Nash—I thought that he cut a great deal for himself. But he and the Suns just suffered a business disagreement that caused him to depart. The Suns made a wise business decision, and Nash—like most athletes (or people in general)—could not see matters objectively. But of course, seeing matters objectively is not the goal of a free agent, either.

As for Noel and McLemore, I doubt that Phoenix would be better off today with either one of them. Cousins has developed in Sacramento, and McLemore was a "shooter" who has not shot that ball all that well in the NBA. The atmosphere around him surely has not helped, but his prospect stock probably happened to be grossly inflated. When trying to assess players after only one year of college basketball, this kind of misjudgment will occur.

[GMATCallahan]

I was 8 years old and saw the slam of Tom chambers in Mark Jackson's face. I fell in love. Everything was strengthened in the era of KJ and Barkley. Miss you.

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