Johnny V: Suns fans want a guy to call their own

I thought Amare Stoudemire was going to be that guy and why wouldn't I think that?

He burst on to the scene with all the talent in the world to be one of the top players at his position. He won Rookie of the Year, scored 50 points in a game in his third season, posterized players on a nightly basis, and every year showed flashes of improving different parts of his game.

He was great in the community, showed up at other sporting events wearing the home team's colors(D-backs, Cards, ASU) was happy to call Phoenix his home, and the fans here were happy to have him.

For the first six years of his NBA career STAT put up numbers that earned him All-Star games and his offensive game would give Suns fans hope they had a chance to win every night. Even with obvious questions about his lack of desire on defense, his career averages of 21 points and 9 rebounds were enough for the league to always showcase him when they talked about Phoenix.

But have we seen the last of Amare Stoudemire in a Suns uni?

Are Suns fans still going to have to wait on "that guy"?

Not since Alvan Adams proudly wore the purple and orange for 13 seasons have Suns fans been able to call a player their own. You know, the player that when you think of your team, he comes to mind, the face of the franchise, played his whole career in one uniform. Having grown up in the Valley and followed Suns basketball for over 30 years I know the fans starve for that player again.

We've had the candidates, Dan Majerle, although his selection booed on draft night(Cotton clued the fans in later), was a crowd favorite and so popular on and off the court he definitely was heading down that path. Then the Suns still in search for that coveted big man shipped him to Cleveland for Hotrod Williams.

Suns fans were bummed, "Thunder Dan" gave them seven solid seasons then he was gone. Majerle did return to the desert to play one final year for the club then hung up the sneakers.

Shawn Marion is another one, played 8.5 season with the Suns, made All-Star teams, and ESPN highlight reels with all his above the rim game that earned him the nickname "The Matrix". He played hard on both ends of the court, gave a lot of his time and money to charity of the court.

I know Gar Heard will always have "the shot" that Suns fans will always remember, Trix will have "the rebound" (offensive board against Lakers in game six, kicks over to Tim Thomas who hits tying 3, Suns win overtime, force game 7, win game 7). Unfortunately Marion whined to much about not being appreciated (even though he was making $13M) and thought he should be a max guy again in his next contract, so the front office had enough and traded him to Miami for Shaq. (But even with that parting I would be shocked if he didn't end up in the ring of honor, he deserves it, the numbers don't lie).

I'm sure you are wondering where Kevin Johnson fits in all this, one of the most popular players to ever call "The Madhouse on McDowell"/"Purple Palace" his home. Yes, KJ did play 11+ years with Suns and helped revive a team in this city after an ugly drug scandal that dragged them to their lowest of times. And yes he was traded for halfway through his rookie season (for Larry Nance, another worthy candidate) and played for nobody else after he retired (for the second time) in 2000.

But I'm going to be technical here, I'm talking about that player, the one on draft night that holds up your team's jersey, with a Kool-Aid smile to match. That one that when he finally calls it a career, he does it with the team he started the career with. These players nowadays are rare, you know the ones, the Magic Johnsons, the Larry Birds, the Reggie Millers, the John Stocktons, maybe Kobe Bryant??, LeBron - NOT. For the first time in over 20 years I thought the Suns fans would finally have another guy, other then the "Oklahoma Kid" to call their own. If the rumors are true from what was being reported on draft night, and that in my mind would be a shame, then Suns fans will have to keep waiting.