Marion shows NBA form in charity game

Steve Addy

Monday, Aug. 21, 2000 | 10:14 a.m.

When the Phoenix Suns head to training camp in October, Shawn Marion will be a veteran, at least by the strictest NBA definition.

But in a way, the former UNLV star doesn't feel worthy of the title just yet.

Though he played in 51 games last season and averaged 10.2 points and 6.5 rebounds, Marion thinks his rookie year didn't fulfill its potential, largely because of a knee injury that knocked him out for two months.

The 6-foot-7 forward provided flashes of a terrific future before and after undergoing left knee surgery Dec. 23, but Marion says he merely scratched the surface and wants to prove himself over 82 games as a starter.

"I think I adapted to the (NBA) pretty quickly, but I need to round out my game," Marion said Sunday in a brief return to UNLV, playing in the third-annual Hoops in Las Vegas game at the Thomas & Mack Center.

"This season, I want to make sure everything is right. I'm going to be healthy going into camp and I'm going to keep working to be the best player I can be."

Though Sunday's game was hardly NBA caliber -- it was like a summer-league scrimmage, with almost no defense played -- Marion looked like he's ready for the season. He had 32 points to spark the Jammers to a 118-108 win over the Tracy McGrady-led Madballers.

The Clippers' Tyrone Nesby, also from UNLV, scored 18 of his 23 in the second half for the Jammers.

Eleven of Marion's 16 baskets were dunks, and his tremendous athleticism doesn't appear to have suffered from the surgery. He spent 65 days on the injured list last season, but came back from the kneecap operation in less than six weeks.

"We were patient with it," he said. "I worked pretty hard to rehab it, but we wanted to make sure it healed right. Sometimes, you come back too quickly and that makes it worse."

Before his injury rudely intervened, Marion quickly established himself as one of the best rookies in the league, even overshadowing Elton Brand and Steve Francis in early Rookie of the Year talk (the duo wound up sharing the award).