Former NBA champion Shawn Marion, affectionately known as “The Matrix,” has seen the evolution of professional basketball up close during his celebrated 16-year career. In a recent interview, Marion offered his candid thoughts on today’s NBA, the enduring GOAT debate, the secret to the Dallas Mavericks’ 2011 title run, and the point guards who helped shape his game.
Born Too Early? Marion on Today’s Game
The pace and financial landscape of the modern NBA often lead fans to tell players of Marion’s era they were “born too early.” While acknowledging the sentiment, Marion is appreciative of his time in the league.
“A lot of people tell me that… that I was born too early. But you know what? It is what it is and I was blessed to play in a great era too as well,” Marion shared with a laugh. He pinpointed the main differences between then and now: “The game is probably a little bit faster and they’re making a lot more money!”
Beyond Jordan and LeBron: Challenging the GOAT Narrative
The omnipresent debate over the greatest of all time often centers on Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Marion believes this narrative is a media construct that fans internalize, but it doesn’t represent the full spectrum of player admiration.
“That’s the narrative that the media creates and we play into it,” he asserted. “A lot of fans out here believe that there are a lot of other players as their favorite player—it’s not Michael Jordan. It’s not LeBron. It’s somebody else. It could be Shawn Marion. It could be Tim Duncan or whoever… if that’s who they chose to be their GOAT, that’s what it is.”
Marion revealed his own childhood favorite, a player who inspired his jersey number, was Pacers legend Reggie Miller. “Reggie Miller WAS the reason why I wore number #31… I just loved the way he played and the way that he approached the game.”
The Uniqueness of the Shot Form
Discussing the unconventional shooting forms of himself and Reggie Miller, Marion dismissed the idea of a single “picture perfect form.”
“Don’t nobody shoot the same if that’s the case,” he reasoned. “Who actually came up with the picture perfect form and what is that, though? Technically it’s somebody’s opinion… Listen, as long as it goes in that’s all that matters.”
Amar’e Stoudemire: A Perfect Fit, Not Ahead of His Time
When asked if his former teammate Amar’e Stoudemire was a forward ahead of his time, Marion disagreed, viewing Stoudemire as the ideal dominant power forward for his era.
“I would say he played center and power forward but he was what you call a dominant power forward at that time,” Marion explained. “He’s big, you know? That’s what power forwards were known as—playing powerful… He fit PERFECTLY for the game.” Marion distinguished Stoudemire from today’s versatile ‘Three and D’ or ball-handling bigs, noting that historically, few big men outside of a player like Shaquille O’Neal had truly versatile ball skills.
The 2011 Mavericks: A Championship of Belief
Marion was a pivotal defensive force for the 2011 Dallas Mavericks, who famously defeated the heavily-favored Miami Heat ‘Big Three’ for the title. Marion insisted the external predictions weren’t personal to the team.
“No it wasn’t personal. We knew what we were capable of doing,” he stated. He compared the shock of that series to the recent Denver Nuggets’ championship: “They play team basketball… A lot of teams just focus on playing pick-and-roll iso and that’s it.”
What set the Mavericks apart? Belief and teamwork.
“We knew what our ultimate goal was,” Marion stressed. The defining factor was the team’s collective mentality. “EVERY player on the team whether you play or not contributes to winning a championship… We rose to EVERY occasion and every obstacle that was in front of us.”
Marion pointed to the ultimate sign of their confidence: Jason Terry getting a championship tattoo before the season. “You really have to BELIEVE that you’re capable of doing it getting a tattoo on your damn arm; like c’mon man. If that doesn’t say the mindset that we had… I don’t know who the hell to talk to.”
Adjusting to Greatness: Nash and Kidd
Marion played alongside two legendary point guards, Steve Nash and Jason Kidd. He credits his team-first attitude for his seamless adjustment to both.
“When you’re a team-first guy it’s easy to adjust to anything,” he said, recalling Kidd taking him under his wing his first two years. “I just flowed right in and I knew how to train mentally, prepare myself to get ready for the season… they helped me adjust to that and just gave me the confidence to go there and know that I deserved to be there.”
He was able to adapt because of a core strength: “I could get 20 without having a play called for me so it is what it is… I adapted and adjusted to every team and every situation that I was in and that’s what made me who I was, the Matrix and that’s what it was.”
At Peace with His Legacy
Now an owner of three professional teams, Marion has gained perspective on media narratives, acknowledging how images and thought processes are created and pushed. But he is content with his contributions to the game.
“I’m truly blessed man and I can honestly say that I’m at peace because I know what I did for this game and I know what I brought to this game,” Marion concluded. “We’re watching a big portion on what the game was today and I had a big staple on that.”
For Marion, his legacy is clear: “I am who I am and I’m truly blessed and happy that I can be around these guys and these legends here that paved the way for us and for me to be here talking to you.”
