Shawn Dwayne Marion (born May 7, 1978) is an American former professional basketball player who played 16 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Marion finished his career as a four-time NBA All-Star, a two-time member of the All-NBA Team and a one-time NBA champion, helping the Dallas Mavericks win their maiden title in 2011. Nicknamed "The Matrix" by former NBA player Kenny Smith during the preseason of his rookie year, he was widely regarded as one of the most versatile players in the league because of his athleticism and ability to play and defend many positions. He was also known for his unorthodox shooting form. High school career Marion was born in Waukegan, Illinois and played high school basketball in Clarksville, Tennessee, at Clarksville High School, where he was a teammate of fellow future NBA player Trenton Hassell. Marion lettered three years in basketball, and during his high school career he earned All-Region and District honors and was nominated as a McDonald's All-American. As a senior, he averaged 26.4 points and 13.1 rebounds, led his team to the Final 8 of the Tennessee Class AAA State Tournament, and earned MVP honors and was selected to the first-team Tennessee All-State Team. College career After high school, Marion attended Vincennes University, a junior college in Indiana, for two years. He was a first-team All-American selection as a sophomore and a second-team All-American selection as a freshman. As a freshman in 1996–97, he appeared in 36 games and averaged 23.3 points and 12.8 rebounds (462 total). He shot 56 percent from the field (324-for-516) and 69 percent from the free throw line (124-for-178). His 838 total points as a freshman established him as the second-highest single-season total in school history. As a sophomore in 1997–98, he appeared in 36 games and averaged 23.5 points (847 total points) and 13.1 rebounds (471 total). He shot 60 percent from the field (331-for-549), 38 percent from 3-point range (21-for-56) and 75 percent from the free throw line (122-for-163). He was subsequently named the 1998 NJCAA David Rowlands Male Student Athlete of the Year. He averaged 23.4 points (1,685 total points) in his career and is Vincennes University's second all-time leading scorer. In May 1998, Marion signed a National Letter of Intent to play for UNLV. As a junior at UNLV in 1998–99, Marion averaged 18.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.9 blocks in 29