With a breakneck pace and a flair for showmanship, he revitalized a dormant Suns franchise and won back-to-back league MVP awards, but the postseason was a house of horrors

FEATURED LISTS
Lonely travelers: 27 countries that have produced only one NBA player
Testing the waters and creating a ripple: 15 free agency signings that changed the NBA
Fraudulent voting: 20 controversial NBA league MVP decisions
Short of the promised land: 26 greatest players who have never reached the NBA Finals
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- Active NBA player in his 40s
- All-time NBA leader in career free throw percentage
- As part of Lakers “super team”
- As part of 1996 NBA draft class
- As soccer player
- As Suns legend
- Born in South Africa
- Earning league MVP in a controversial voting (2005, 2006)
- Ending career with the Lakers
- Missing out on league MVP in a controversial voting (2007)
- Never named NBA All-Star MVP
- Never played in the NBA Finals
- Not named to the All-Rookie team
- One of the greatest players of the 21st century
- Signing with Suns (2004)
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FULL archive
Short of the promised land: 26 greatest players who have never reached the NBA Finals
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Lonely travelers: 27 countries that have produced only one NBA player
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Unrewarded exhibitionists: 12 greatest players who never earned NBA All-Star Game MVP
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