Cleveland Cavaliers forward Shawn Marion announced on Wednesday that he will retire following the season.
The four-time All-Star and NBA champion (2011 Mavericks) is in his 15th NBA season, but the pull of family was too strong, he told Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
When the Suns drafted Marion in 1999, Marion set a goal to play 15 seasons. The 36-year-old believes he could play another three seasons but being away from his first child, 8-month-old Shawn, has convinced him to retire after this season with the Cavaliers.
“I wanted to go out on my terms,” Marion said. “The biggest thing is having a son. I got attached to him. Seeing him periodically is hard. Watching him grow up on pictures and videos is hard.”
Marion signed with Cleveland over summer to be closer to his son, who lives in Chicago, and because the Cavaliers looked like contenders.
Marion will be best remembered for his role on the revolutionary Phoenix Suns teams that featured Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire. His length, athleticism, and balanced game made him a great fit for those teams and led the revolution of the "small-ball four".
"The Matrix" is averaging 5.6 points and 4.0 rebounds in 22.8 minutes a game this season, but is averaging 15.4 points and 8.8 rebounds in 34.8 minutes a game.
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