Shining Sun

Victoria Sun

Tuesday, Oct. 26, 1999 | 11 a.m.

Today's game

What: NBA exhibition game

Who: Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Where: Thomas & Mack Center

When: 7:30 p.m.

Radio: KENO 1460-AM

Tickets: $10-$75

Shawn Marion's teammates can call him "Rook" all they want.

They can remind him he's still a pup mixed in with the big dogs of the NBA by making him occasionally carry their bags on road trips and perform other tasks accorded most rookies.

They can even trick the former UNLV basketball player into running out onto the floor of different arenas while the rest of the team stands on the sidelines chuckling at the embarrassed "Rook."

Phoenix Suns head coach Danny Ainge seems to have other ideas.

After Marion scored 16 points and nabbed eight rebounds against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 13 in the Suns' first preseason game, Ainge has started the 6-foot-7 forward in three of the last five games.

Through Monday, Marion has averaged 17.1 points and 6.3 rebounds, including a 22-point, 10-rebound performance against the Philadelphia 76ers.

The effort hasn't gone unnoticed.

Instead of "Rook," Ainge has dubbed Marion "Mantis," which by definition means "any of an order of slender, elongated insects that feed on other insects and grasp their prey with stout, spiny forelegs often held up together as if praying."

It fits, because Marion has been feeding on opponents.

Tonight at 7:30, Marion will make his return to the Thomas & Mack Center when the Suns take on the Los Angeles Lakers.

Marion declared himself eligible for the NBA Draft after his junior year at UNLV and the Suns selected him with the ninth pick in June.

Playing on a team full of veterans such as Penny Hardaway, Jason Kidd and Tom Gugliotta has helped Marion make the transition from college to the pros.

"It's really exciting playing with them," Marion said. "They make you want to get better.

"I'm the only rookie so everybody is trying to help me do things. All of them throw little hints at me about defense, offense, everything."

From the looks of things, Marion's already learned a lot.

He has scored in double figures in every game except one, a 115-100 win over the Miami Heat where Marion had eight points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots.

Against the Lakers, Hardaway dribbled up court, stopped at about the three-point line and hoisted a perfect alley-oop pass to a streaking Marion, who ran past a few Lakers as if they were orange highway cones and took flight.

Two points Marion, assist Hardaway.

"I'm just going out and playing ball," Marion said. "It feels good (when players like Penny trust me on those plays)."

Though he is always striving for improvement on the court, there is one thing about him he thinks may never change

"I'm always nervous," Marion said. "That's how every game has been.

"I'm just always nervous. It's just a common thing. I just go out there and don't think about it. It's pregame jitters. I'm probably gonna always have them."

Before NBA commisioner David Stern called out his name on draft night, that feeling escalated.

"Hell, yeah everybody there was nervous," Marion said. "You don't know where you're gonna go.

"Just sitting there watching every one go in front of you is crazy. I didn't know where I was gonna go. I had to use the bathroom, but I didn't go. I didn't want to get called while I was in there."

A few days after the draft, there was another call Marion has shoved to the back of his mind. But many basketball fans haven't forgotten.

Marion was a guest on national sports talk show host Jim Rome's syndicated radio show.

The interview, conducted by phone, wasn't a success. Rome, known for his brazen opinions, called it the worst interview he has ever done.

"I was asleep," Marion explained. "I was half asleep and I couldn't hear him, we had a bad connection.

"It was too early in the morning. I don't know Jim Rome. I don't care about Jim Rome, but I got nothin' against him."

During this telephone interview, Marion was courteous and pleasant.

He may have more to learn about being media savvy, but he should get there one day. Despite the big numbers he has put up so far, he's still a 21-year-old rookie trying to fit into his new environment

"All of them are older than me," Marion said of his new teammates. "I'm the youngest one.

"In high school, I used to play video games and they're all on there. Gerald Brown and me, we were talking about how we used to put ourselves on the video game and play against different players. Now I'm actually on the team, it's like reality sets in. Anything is possible."