July 30, 1999
SportsLine wire reports

PHOENIX -- Hopeful that using a high draft pick on a former UNLV star pays off this time, the Phoenix Suns have signed forward Shawn Marion, the ninth overall selection, to a three-year contract.

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The Suns also re-signed second-year forward Toby Bailey, the former UCLA standout, to a one-year deal.

The collective bargaining agreement allowed Phoenix to give Marion a three-year pact worth $4.058 million, with a fourth-year option of $1.772 million.

This signing comes 12 years after the Suns selected forward Armen Gilliam out of UNLV with the second overall pick in the draft. He never blossomed into the star Phoenix hoped for, averaging 14.7 points and 7.2 rebounds in two-plus seasons there before being shipped to Charlotte during the 1989-90 campaign.

Marion has been playing well lately for the Suns in the Rocky Mountain Revue, a summer league held in Colorado. He scored a game-high 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in Thursday's game against Houston, one night after contributing 10 points and five blocks against Dallas.

KNOWN AS AN EXPLOSIVE LEAPER, the 6-foot-7 Marion became one of the top junior college transfers this season with the Rebels and left school despite having one year of eligibility remaining. He averaged team highs of 18.8 points and 9.3 rebounds and shot 53 percent from the field but struggled from 3-point range, hitting less than 30 percent.

Marion was named to the Western Athletic Conference Mountain Division first team and also earned a spot on the league's All-Defensive team.

Before transferring to UNLV, Marion spent two seasons at Vincennes University in Indiana, where he was named the 1998 Junior College Male Student-Athlete of the Year.

Bailey saw limited action for the Suns during the 1998-99 campaign, averaging just 2.9 points and 2.0 rebounds in 27 games. He shot 39.5 percent from the floor.

Also playing in the Rocky Mountain Revue, Bailey is averaging 9.5 points, 4.0 rebounds annd 3.5 assists in two games.