The Phoenix Suns selected Deandre Ayton with the No. 1 pick the 2018 NBA Draft..
The inaugural NBA Draft Lottery dates back to 1985. In Phoenix’s 57 seasons, the Suns have made 20 selections in the lottery, highlighted by franchise pillars like Devin Booker and Amar’e Stoudemire. Their most recent pick was in 2020, so let’s dive in and take a quick look at each player’s time in the desert.
Jalen Smith – 2020 (10th Overall)
The Maryland product appeared in just 56 games over the course of his two-year tenure with the Suns. He averaged 4.1 points and 3.1 rebounds in 9.6 minutes during that span, but Phoenix traded him to the Indiana Pacers midway through the 2021-22 season. Smith stayed in Indy through the 2023-24 campaign, then joined the Chicago Bulls in 2024-25.
Jarrett Culver – 2019 (6th Overall)
Culver’s draft rights were traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Dario Šarić and the 11th overall pick on draft night in 2019. He never played for the Suns, but he spent two years with the Wolves and one season each with Memphis and Atlanta before heading overseas after the 2022-23 season.
Deandre Ayton – 2018 (1st Overall)
Phoenix made Ayton their first-ever No. 1 overall draft pick in 2018, where he suited up for his first five professional seasons and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting in 2019. In 303 career games as a Sun, the Nassau, Bahamas native posted averages of 16.7 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.0 blocks while shooting 59.7% from the field, helping them reach the NBA Finals in 2021. He was traded to Portland in the summer of 2023, having spent the last two seasons as a Trail Blazer.
Josh Jackson – 2017 (4th Overall)
The second straight fourth overall selection by the Suns, Josh Jackson played just two seasons in the desert before suiting up for Memphis, Detroit and Sacramento. The Kansas alum appeared in 156 games for Phoenix and averaged 12.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 25.3 mpg. He called it retired after the 2021-22 season at age-24.
Dragan Bender – 2016 (4th Overall)
Bender played three of his four NBA seasons with the Suns after being selected fourth overall in 2016. The 7-footer from Bosnia and Herzegovina made 64 starts in his 171 appearances for the purple and orange, recording 5.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists in a little over 20 mpg. He also played in 16 games for the Bucks and Warriors during the 2019-20 campaign.
Georgios Papagiannis – 2016 (13th Overall)
Devin Booker – 2015 (13th Overall)
Booker has been loyal to the Phoenix Suns after being selected 13th overall back in 2015. He’s spent his entire 10-year career in ‘The Valley’, compiling averages of 24.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists on 46.4 / 35.4 / 87.3 splits in 673 games played. Booker was the driving force behind the Suns’ Finals run in 2021 and is a four-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection (one First Team).
T.J. Warren – 2014 (14th Overall)
Unfortunately for Warren and the Suns, injuries derailed a promising career for the NC State product. However, he spent his first five full seasons with Phoenix before signing with the Pacers in 2019-20, and had short runs with Brooklyn, Minnesota and Phoenix again in 2022-23. Warren’s more productive years came with the Suns, as he tallied 13.8 points and 4.1 rebounds across 277 combined games.
Alex Len – 2013 (5th Overall)
A 7-footer from Ukraine, Len played five seasons with the Suns from 2013-14 to 2017-18. The Maryland center made 140 starts in his 335 games in Phoenix, compiling averages of 7.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 19.9 mpg. He’s since bounced around the league, suiting up for Sacramento, Atlanta, Washington, Toronto, and most recently, the LA Lakers.
Kendall Marshall – 2012 (13th Overall)
The guard out of UNC saw his NBA career come to an end after only four seasons, playing one year each with Phoenix, the LA Lakers, Milwaukee and Philadelphia. In 48 games with the Suns in 2012-13, Marshall averaged 3.0 points and 3.0 assists in 14.6 minutes a night.
Markieff Morris -2011 (13th Overall)
Morris, the fourth and final 13th overall pick on this list, has enjoyed a lengthy 14-year career that started in Phoenix. He spent his first four and a half seasons with the Suns, where he finished fourth in Sixth Man of the Year voting in 2013-14 after putting up 13.8 points and 6.0 rebounds in 81 contests. He averaged 11.4 points and 5.4 rebounds in 345 total outings with the franchise. The 35-year-old has spent time with Washington, the LA Lakers (twice), Dallas, Detroit, Brooklyn, OKC and Miami, winning the 2020 NBA Title with the Lakers.
Earl Clark – 2009 (14th Overall)
Clark played a season and a half for the Suns before being traded to the Orlando Magic during the 2010-11 campaign. In his 60 appearances with Phoenix, the Louisville product averaged just 7.6 minutes en route to 2.8 points and 1.3 rebounds. He was also a member of the Lakers, Cavaliers, Nets and Knicks during his six-year career that ended in 2015.
Luol Deng – 2004 (7th Overall)
‘The Man from Sudan’s’ draft rights were traded to the Chicago Bulls the night of the 2004 NBA draft. Deng spent ten of his 15 years in the league in the Windy City, and also made stops in Miami, Los Angeles with the Lakers, Cleveland and Minnesota.
Amar’e Stoudemire – 2002 (9th Overall)
One of the all-time greats in Suns’ history, Stoudemire had an incredible eight-year run in Phoenix that began with him earning Rookie of the Year honors in 2003. ‘S.T.A.T.’ garnered his first of six All-Star appearances and first of five All-NBA nominations in 2004-05, when he recorded 26.0 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.6 blocks. In 516 games as a Sun, he averaged 21.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks. Stoudemire then spent five seasons with the Knicks before brief stints with Dallas and Miami to finalize his 14-year tenure in the league.
Shawn Marion – 1999 (9th Overall)
Marion made the 1999-00 All-Rookie Team, was a four-time All-Star and a two-time All-NBA forward as a member of the Suns. Although he never won the award, Marion received votes for Defensive Player of the Year in seven of his 16 years in the league, finishing as high as fourth in his final full season in the desert (2006-07). In 660 appearances across nine seasons in Phoenix, he averaged 18.4 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.4 blocks. While spending five years with the Mavs, the UNLV product went on to win the 2011 championship with Dallas. He also suited up for Miami, Cleveland and Toronto.
Tim Perry – 1988 (7th Overall)
Perry played four seasons with the Suns, with his final year in Phoenix being his best statistically. He tallied 12.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 1991-92, but moved on to the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets to finish out his eight-year career in the NBA. Perry chose to spend his final five pro seasons overseas.
Dan Majerle – 1988 (14th Overall)
Majerle played eight productive seasons with the Suns from 1988-89 to 1994-95, earning three All-Star and two All-Defensive nominations while finishing as high as second in 6MOY voting. ‘Thunder Dan’ averaged 13.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.4 steals in 595 contests for Phoenix. He also spent a year with Cleveland and five years in Miami before returning to the Suns for his last season in 2001-02.
Armen Gilliam -1987 (2nd Overall)
Gilliam was an All-Rookie selection in the 1987-88 season for the Suns, and he would eventually play two and a half years with Phoenix before being traded to Charlotte in 1989-90. ‘The Hammer’ played 145 games in purple and orange and averaged 14.7 points and 7.2 rebounds. He was a member of the Nets, Sixers, Bucks and Jazz over the course of his 13-year career.
Williams Bedford -1986 (6th Overall)
A 7-footer by way of Memphis, where he was born and played college ball, Bedford was only in Phoenix for his rookie year. He played in 50 games and put up 6.7 points and 4.9 rebounds as a Sun, then spent four of his five other seasons with Detroit before ending his career with San Antonio.
Ed Pinckney -1985 (10th Overall)
Pinckney, the first lottery pick by Phoenix, played two seasons there before spending time with Boston, Sacramento, Milwaukee, Toronto, Miami and Philadelphia to wrap up a 12-year tenure in the NBA. In 160 games for the Suns, he averaged 9.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 24.1 minutes.
