Which Suns Player Will Reach the Hall of Fame Next?

Hall of fame season is officially here, and it is proving to be a busy time for the Phoenix Suns.

Another Phoenix-area legend (Larry Fitzgerald) was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, while Suns legends in head coach Mike D'Antoni and 2003 rookie of the year Amar'e Stoudemire are slated to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame next week.

Stoudemire's induction is a culmination of an arc where he and the Suns repaired a damaged relationship, which will allow for fans to celebrate the special moment. 

This joyous time also raises questions - particularly on who will be the next member of the Suns to earn this once-in-a-lifetime honor. 

The most obvious candidate to be the next Sun inducted is legendary point guard Chris Paul. While Paul only played three seasons with the Suns and the pairing experienced a less-than-ideal separation, it seems as if Phoenix is the franchise on the best terms with the 12-time All-Star. Paul's contributions to the Suns will not be forgotten, and he will be a celebrated first-ballot entry in five years. 

The under-the-radar candidate is Shawn Marion. Marion has been eligible to be a selection since 2020, but less-than-stellar individual accolades in his career has seemingly held him back from being chosen. Still, Marion possesses a unique statistical profile for his career as one of three players to score 17,000 points, grab 10,000 rebounds, block 1,000 shots, and drain 700 three-pointers. Marion was recently introduced into Phoenix's ring of honor as well in another olive branch that had been extended by governor Mat Ishbia, making this another intriguing wait for Suns fans.

11-year veteran shooting guard Devin Booker is the shoe-in choice. Booker is currently the franchise's leading scorer, while also being on pace to finish around the top 10 in NBA history on the leaderboard. He is also a five-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection, which effectively puts him on pace to have the personal accolades needed to be inducted. 

The most overlooked part of Booker's career is just how much he has impacted the city of Phoenix. The city has been a basketball-driven one by nature for decades, but the flame got dimmed at various points in the post Steve Nash era. Booker held things together during uncertain times, and the result has been reviving the franchise as one that is a destination for superstars, including former Sun Kevin Durant.