Some athletes aren't truly appreciated until after they retire. That may well be the fate of Miami Heat forward Shawn Marion, whose all-around game ranks right at the top of the NBA but isn't fully appreciated by all NBA fans and collectors.
Marion was certainly a highly regarded prospect during his college career at UNLV, and his hometown Phoenix Suns made him the ninth overall selection in the 1999 NBA Draft. Marion started about half the games his rookie season and became a fixture in the lineup during his second year.
During eight seasons in Phoenix, the man nicknamed The Matrix showed his ability to fill a stat sheet like few others could. A typical season included scoring and rebounding averages right around 20 and 10 per game respectively, along with two steals and a blocked shot or two every night. Marion guarded players at just about every position and even became a threat from three-point range despite owning one of the funkiest shooting releases in the NBA.
Marion's ability was recognized with four All-Star selections and a spot on the 2004 U.S. Olympic team, but he toiled in the shadows of teammates like Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire - or so he thought, anyway. He went public with his wishes for a trade before the 2007-08 season, though it was still somewhat surprising when he and Marcus Banks were sent to the Miami Heat in February 2008 in exchange for Shaquille O'Neal.
Marion won't be the top draw for fans or basketball card collectors in Miami - that spot belongs to Dwyane Wade - but he may still get more of the attention he seems to crave. Anyone wanting to start a Marion rookie card collection can pick from over 30 different options (all of which are valued at under $100), including his lone autographed 1999-2000 issue, his SPx # 99.
Shawn Marion 1999-2000 Rookie Cards
- Black Diamond # 99
- Bowman's Best # 109
- E-X # 68 - #'d to 3499
- Finest # 121
- Flair Showcase # 125 - #'d to 2000
- Fleer # 215
- Fleer Focus # 117 - #'d to 3999
- Fleer Force # 215 - #'d to 1600
- Fleer Mystique # 121 - #'d to 2999
- Hoops # 181
- Hoops Decade # 95
- Metal # 160
- SkyBox APEX # 159
- SkyBox Dominion # 216
- SkyBox Impact # 81
- SkyBox Premium # 109
- SP Authentic # 99 - #'d to 1500
- SPx # 99 - autographed, #'d to 2500
- Stadium Club # 184
- Stadium Club Chrome # 140
- Topps # 120
- Topps Chrome # 120
- Topps Gallery # 134
- Topps Gold Label Class 1 # 94
- Topps Tip-Off # 120
- UD Ionix # 69
- Ultimate Victory # 129
- Ultra # 130
- Upper Deck # 164
- Upper Deck Encore # 99 - #'d to 1999
- Upper Deck Gold Reserve # 249 - #'d to 3500
- Upper Deck Hardcourt # 85
- Upper Deck HoloGrFX # 67
- Upper Deck MVP # 217
- Upper Deck Ovation # 69
- Upper Deck Retro # 99
- Upper Deck Victory # 438