"If we'd have had cigars, they'd be smoking cigars, man" - Robert Horry on just how sickening the culture was in the Phoenix Suns at his time

During his illustrious 16-year NBA career, Robert Horry managed to win championships with three different teams, playing a significant role in three dynasties to have his name etched in history. However, there was one stop in his career where success eluded him – the Phoenix Suns.

Though that stint lasted for less than a season, the seven-time NBA champion recently revealed how suffocating the working culture was, so much so that he would have rushed out of the organization even if the Suns offered him their entire salary cap.

Horry hated his time with the Suns

Whenever a player who has won championships early in his career joins a new franchise and becomes part of a new system, naturally, they have certain expectations about the mentality required by others to achieve success. The same was the case with Horry when he joined the Suns from the Houston Rockets in the summer of 1996. With stars like Kevin Johnson, young Steve Nash and Danny Manning on the roster, Horry expected sincere discipline and commitment towards winning.

However, in reality, Horry was mightily frustrated with all such traits lacking in the Suns’ culture. Appearing in just 32 games, Horry might have averaged just 6.9 points, but in an interview with Byron Scott, he blamed the team’s off-court environment, which suffocated him and never encouraged him to elevate his production on the court. Put simply, the lack of structure and accountability made it impossible for Horry to channel his focus in the right direction.

“You talk about culture…We get there and we practicin’, dudes don’t wanna practice, dudes don’t even wanna come to practice. It was just like no wonder we were kicking your a– in the playoffs, because you guys don’t practice hard. We always said we gotta make our practices so hard that the games are easy. Man, these dudes are sittin’ on the sidelines, I think if we’d have had cigars, they’d be smoking cigars, man,” Horry opened up. “The culture was this bad.”

Horry simply wanted “out” at the first chance

In the NBA, talent alone rarely guarantees success; that is why even the most star-studded teams (over different eras) have failed miserably. Instead, teams need cohesion, leadership and a unified purpose to turn quality potential into consistent dominance.

Additionally, Horry’s experience with the Suns serves as a stark reminder that culture plays as vital a role as skill in determining a franchise’s success. When players are surrounded by an atmosphere of complacency, where the desire to improve is overshadowed by a casual attitude, even the most driven individuals can lose their spark.

That is why Horry even admitted that even if the Suns had offered him a highly lucrative contract, he would have forced his way out simply because the locker room energy was highly lethargic.

“They could have offered me all the money in the world, I (still) wasn’t gonna stay in Phoenix,” H”If we’d have had cigars, they’d be smoking cigars, man “- Robert Horry on just how sickening the culture was in the Phoenix Suns at his timeorry concluded.

For many competitors like Horry, no amount of money could compensate for an environment so drained that their passion and competitive spirit are hampered, especially in the early years of their career.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 14, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

“If we’d have had cigars, they’d be smoking cigars, man” – Robert Horry on just how sickening the culture was in the Phoenix Suns at his time

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