The Matrix's Revolution

Tweet How a change in attitude made a difference in the legacy of Shawn Marion.

 For those of you who have read 7 seconds or less, or are avid followers of Bill Simmons, what I am about to say will sound familiar.  Back when Shawn Marion was on Phoenix he had incredible athleticism and talent.  He was so explosive and quick that the nickname "matrix" almost didn't do him justice.  Despite all of the things he could do, there was one he could not.  That was the ability to lead a team.  earlier in his career Marion would often get jealous of the attention his teammates (especially Amar'e Stoudamire and Steve Nash) would get while he (in his mind) did not get enough credit.  In one interview he famously stated that he would not mind being a big fish in a small pond, something that the aforementioned Simmons ripped into him for.  It is of little surprise then, that the Suns did not win a title during their 4 year run; they did not have enough guys willing to sacrifice their own intentions for the greater good of winning a title.  If his career had ended then, he would have been remembered as an all stats no heart player, basically another Vince Carter.

But then he got traded to Miami, a truly awful Miami team, then he even had a stint in Toronto on another team that had no chance at making it to the playoffs before he arrived to Dallas.  Whether those 2 seasons on horrible squads taught him not to take his career for granted, or whether Rick Carlisle had an influence on him, I do not know.  What I do know is that the Shawn Marion that just won a title is a completely different player and person than his previous self.  I'm not just talking about how his athleticism and shooting touch disappeared, or how he reinvented himself as a great defender with an awkward yet solid post game.  I am talking about his attitude and approach.  In his time in Dallas, not once did I hear him complain about his role, or question whether he should be getting more looks.  He was happy with guarding the other teams best player, being the third option most times down the court, and playing the passing lanes.  In other words, Marion sacrificed the stats he could be getting, for the wins he was getting.  Now he was the best defensive player on a team that won a title, and was good enough on offense enough times to allow Nowitzki to work one on one.  In this post-season, when Marion played well Dallas won.

Now, Shawn Marion's legacy changes.  Bill Simmons (who in my opinion has an excellent insight in the world of the NBA) said that Marion could have cracked the top 100 all time NBA list.  Pretty good for a guy who couldn't lead a team.  I sincerely hope that more players do what the matrix did when he was faced with a choice: keep putting up good numbers on bad teams, or find a way to win at all costs.  if more player's are in Shawn Marion's position they need to realize that they can't be "the man", realize that despite that they can still help tremendously, and bust their ass to win. 

Dallas was very fortunate to discover a reinvented Matrix, somewhere out there Steve Nash may wonder what his legacy would be like if he had this Shawn Marion vs. the one he lost with.