2002–03 Phoenix Suns season
The 2002–03 NBA season was the 35th season for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association. Frank Johnson returned as head coach, posting eight additional wins from the previous season to finish at 44–38. The Suns returned to the playoffs after snapping a streak of 13 seasons in a row the year before, a franchise record, and were supplanted by the play of rookie high school draft pick Amar'e Stoudemire. America West Arena hosted Suns home games.
Point guard Stephon Marbury and forward Shawn Marion provided a pair of 20–20 scorers, with Marbury leading the team at 22.3 points per game. The versatile Marion finished the season third in the league in minutes played, behind Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant, and third in steals per game while Marbury finished fourth in the NBA in assists per game. The 20-year-old Stoudemire was drafted to balance out a team that had been deep at the guard position in years past, averaging 13.5 points as a power forward per game and grabbing nearly nine rebounds per game. Marion would earn a trip to the All-Star Game along with Marbury, who ended the season a member of the All-NBA Third Team.
The Suns earned the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot and were matched against the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs. The Suns won Game 1 on the road, 96–95, but lost the series to the eventual league champions, four games to two.
In Stoudemire, who earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors and became the first high school draft pick to become NBA Rookie of the Year, the Suns had drafted an athletic big man to join the equally athletic Marion for the coming seasons.Offseason
NBA Draft
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College / Club Team |
| 1 | 9 | Amar'e Stoudemire | Forward | United States | |
| 1 | 22 | Casey Jacobsen | Guard | United States | Stanford |
Roster
Note
Bold = All-Star selectionRegular season
Standings
Record vs. opponents
Playoffs
Game log
Awards and honors
Week/Month
- Amar'e Stoudemire was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for January.
- Amar'e Stoudemire was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for April.
- Frank Johnson was named Western Conference Coach of the Month for December.
- Stephon Marbury was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played November 24 through November 30.
- Stephon Marbury was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played January 5 through January 11.
- Shawn Marion was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played April 7 through April 13.
All-Star
- Shawn Marion was selected as a reserve for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. It was his first All-Star selection.
- Stephon Marbury was selected as a reserve for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. It was his second All-Star selection.
- Amar'e Stoudemire was selected to play for the Rookie team in the Rookie Challenge.
- Stephon Marbury was selected to compete in the Skills Challenge. Marbury lost the competition to the player he was traded to Phoenix for, Jason Kidd.
- Amar'e Stoudemire was selected to compete in the Slam Dunk Contest. Stoudemire finished third, behind Desmond Mason and champion Jason Richardson.
Season
- Amar'e Stoudemire received the Rookie of the Year Award.
- Stephon Marbury was named to the All-NBA Third Team.
- Amar'e Stoudemire was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
- Shawn Marion finished 13th in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
- Joe Johnson finished 11th in Sixth Man of the Year voting.
- Stephon Marbury finished 14th in Most Improved Player voting.
- Penny Hardaway finished 26th in Most Improved Player voting.
Player statistics
Season
† – Minimum 300 field goals made.
^ – Minimum 125 free throws made.Playoffs
† – Minimum 20 field goals made.
^ – Minimum 5 three-pointers made.
- – Minimum 10 free throws made.
