Summer League

Ryan Wolf

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July 9, 2019: Summer Suns vs Grizzlies

july-7-2019-summer-suns-vs-knicks

July 7, 2019: Summer Suns vs Knicks

phoenix-suns-summer-league-history

Phoenix Suns: Summer League History

Matt Petersen

Eager for Suns basketball? Get a sneak peek of our newest rookies in action as they take the court alongside our young core. Also, receive an inside look into the mind of Head Coach Igor Kokoškov as he will be game-planning for the team out in Las Vegas. The Suns will be tested early as they tip-off against some of the top 2018 draft picks prior to the start of the tournament.  

DATE      OPPONENT         LOCATION                TIME                  Channel

July 6      Dallas                 Thomas &amp; Mack        6:30 p.m.           ESPN

July 7      Sacramento         Thomas &amp; Mack        4:30 p.m.          ESPN

July 9      Orlando               Thomas &amp; Mack        6:30 p.m.          NBA TV

Tournament play follows the three-game schedule. Teams are guaranteed at least five total games.

Arizona Sports will also be broadcasting all of the Suns games on ESPN 620 AM.

10            Shaquille Harrison

23            Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson

32            Davon Reed         

Assistant Coaches: Joe Prunty, Corliss Williamson, Jamelle McMillan, Jason Staudt

Director of Player Development: Cody Toppert

Player Development Coach: Devin Smith, Bret Burchard

Assistant Video Coordinator: Brandon Rosenthal

Assistant Athletic Trainer: Stanford Williams

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2018 Phoenix Suns Summer League Preview

phxccunningham

Josh Jackson has made changes both physically and mentally in preparation for this year’s Summer League. While the new haircut may be what stands out at first sight, his mindset might be the bigger deal.

“I think that should be every second-year player’s plan to come out and show that they got better,” Jackson said. “I thought I did alright in Summer League last year, but obviously I want to come out and blow my last performance out of the water.”

Not only is Jackson hoping to shine himself, but he is also embracing the opportunity to become a leader for the young Suns.

“I come in here and I feel I know a lot more. I’m more experienced,” Jackson said. “Just coming out here and feeling like a leader a little bit. It’s really helping my confidence and just showing me I can get guys to follow me a little bit. That’s going to help me push my career forward.”

Deandre Ayton has already noticed Jackson take on his new role and has credited him for his help during Summer League mini-camp.

“He’s been helping me a lot with a lot of terminology, a lot of things with the plays especially on the defensive end,” Ayton said. “Just a lot of teaching processes he’s been telling me. He’ll just pull me over to the side.”

Jackson has stated that he had wanted to be a leader since he first came in the league, but knew it would take sometime to develop into that role. Summer League gives him the perfect opportunity to showcase what he has learned throughout his full year in the NBA. 

“Before I was kind of scared of taking that role because I felt I would be looking up to a lot of other guys,” Jackson said. “Whether it’s by example or just by talking, communication. I’m just trying to come out and lead my teammates.”

Jackson and the Summer Suns will take the court on Friday against the Dallas Mavericks in Las Vegas. Catch the action on ESPN at 6:30 p.m. or listen in to Arizona Sports as they will be broadcasting the game on ESPN 620 AM.

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Jackson Embraces Leadership Role for Summer League

Summer League typically offers a glimpse of future talent for each NBA team, but this year’s edition featured a glut of young investments for Phoenix. A standout second-year guard, three draft picks and other potential roster players highlighted the Summer Suns roster.

Stats and results must be taken with a grain of salt in Las Vegas, where the quality of play is only a small step toward the nightly competition fielded during the NBA regular season. Still, traits and tendencies can indicate how a player is progressing toward training camp, and what kind of impact he could make once he arrives.

With that in mind, here are some of the takeaways from the Suns’ week-long stay in Sin City:

Devin Booker Could Have a Breakout Sophomore Season

Two games was plenty to see that Booker, a first-team All-Rookie selection last season, was overqualified for the competition in Vegas. The 6-6 guard averaged 26.0 points per game on 47.4-percent shooting, including a 6-for-10 showing from three-point range.

Individual brilliance, however, was not the ultimate goal for Booker. The 19-year-old repeatedly stated that his motivation in playing at Summer League was was to get to know his new teammates better on and off the court. Consider that mission accomplished after 1) leading the league in assist rate (6.5 apg) and 2) being the most ardent cheerleader on the Suns’ bench during the final four games.

Booker is intent on taking a leap toward elite player status, and it is already showing. He has cut out bad eating habits in an effort to refine his conditioning. The former first-round pick was also eager to serve as a leader, something that could carry over for a Suns team that will be one of the youngest in the league.

Promise Apparent, Progress Needed for Lottery Picks

Phoenix fortified the power forward position by drafting two prospects that could fill that role long-term. As top-10 picks, Dragan Bender (fourth) and Marquese Chriss (eighth) attracted a lot of eyes at Summer League, and they left those eyes wanting to see more.

Chriss’ effort on the glass was especially tantalizing. The 6-10 forward snagged 9.0 rebounds per contest before sitting out the final three games due to illness. Meanwhile, Bender showed versatility on both sides of the ball by hitting threes and blocking shots.

It is clear, however, that patience will be needed for two of the youngest players of the 2016 draft class. Neither rookie forward shot the ball especially well, while turnovers (7.1 per game combined) were also an issue.

Training camp and practice will go a long way toward integrating the youngsters into the team and the league. As that happens, expect their flashes of talent to occur more frequently.

If Tyler Ulis wasn’t the best point guard in Las Vegas, he was extremely close. That’s how good the Suns’ second-round pick was while averaging 14.5 points, 6.2 assists and 2.8 steals per contest.

Beyond the stats, Ulis showed an uncanny ability to find the open man almost anywhere – at any speed – on the court. He also didn’t make the mistake of dribbling possessions to death, often passing the ball ahead to open teammates on the break for a shot opportunity earlier in the shot clock.

Most impressive of all was the 5-10 guard’s caretaking of the basketball. He averaged just 1.8 turnovers per game, far below the norm for point guards in general and especially floor generals at summer league. Between that and his play in the clutch, Phoenix has to feel pretty good about its overall talent in the backcourt.

Tyson Chandler (12.8) and Alex Len (11.7) ranked among the league’s best in rebounds per 36 minutes last season, and the Suns' could enjoy a full season’s worth of that same talent from another frontcourt player. Alan Williams earned Summer League First Team honors after averaging 11.2 boards per contest, far and away the best mark in Vegas.

More than 33 percent of those rebounds came on the offensive glass, more evidence of the Phoenix native’s relentless effort that has endeared him to the Suns’ coaching staff. His summer performance could guarantee Williams a roster spot for the 2016-17 season, a move that would provide the Suns’ frontcourt all the competitive fire it could want in practice and game settings.

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4 Biggest Takeaways from Summer Suns' Run in Las Vegas

Phoenix's first look at rookies Dragan Bender, Marquese Chriss and Tyler Ulis is over after the Summer Suns' 93-83 semifinal loss to Minnesota on Sunday. Bender (ankle) and Chriss (illness) were both out, leaving Ulis to lead the way on offense.

A frigid shooting day for the Suns, however, ended their run in the Las Vegas Summer League despite several players ranking among the best in various statistical categories. Here are some of the things that stood out in Phoenix's final Summer League game:

Once he put his head down and got some momentum behind him, there was little Minnesota could do to stop Williams on his way to the basket. The 6-7 forward earned a game-high 15 free throw attempts and made good on 14 of them. He was also 5-of-6 inside the three-point arc, using his athleticism and creativity to score over, under and through defenders.

Williams is a free agent, so it will be interesting to see if Phoenix or another NBA team invites him to training camp.

Even when the game started getting out of hand late in the fourth quarter, the Suns' second-round pick kept driving, creating and scoring. It wasn't his best shooting game (5-for-21), but missing Bender, Chriss and Devin Booker didn't help ease the defense's attention on him. All that being said, Ulis still finished with 11 points, seven assists and a steal in his final Summer League outing.

Phoenix got an injection of offense from their its Booker, who scored 19 points in just over 20 minutes of play. Despite measuring just 6-1, the former Colorado standout was able to get his shot off whenever he wanted, especially from three (2-for-2).

Like Williams, Booker is a free agent able to sign with any team this offseason. Sunday was by far his best day of the Summer League, and time will tell whether his last impression was enough to impress an NBA franchise.

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3 Observations from Summer Suns' Semifinal Exit in Vegas

If the experiences of the Las Vegas Summer League do carry over to the regular season, Phoenix should get a healthy injection of toughness and clutch play.

Those factors were on dramatic display in the Summer Suns' overtime win over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. The victory was capped off by Tyler Ulis' game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer, the excitement of which could not be contained even by Phoenix Head Coach Earl Watson.

Phoenix now advances to the tournament semifinals, where it'll face the 24th-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday at 3 p.m on ESPN2.

Ulis' heroics highlighted Saturday's 82-81 victory, which showcased other noteworthy performances from other Summer Suns. Here are some of the notables:

In a game that featured highly-touted scorers Jimmer Fredette and seventh overall pick Jamal Murray, Ulis wound up providing the best offensive highlight of the night. There was no hesitation once it was clear he was the only man open for the inbounds pass and the shot, which was well behind the three-point line.

Even before his victory-clinching heave, the Suns' second-round pick had taken charge with his trademark handles and ability to get in the paint. He scored 16 of his 19 points after halftime and scored or assisted on 12 consecutive points in the fourth quarter.

With Devin Booker sitting the latter stages of Summer League and Marquese Chriss out due to illness, Williams has gotten plenty of playing time with the rest of the starting lineup. His production has matched the promotion. After scoring 15 points against Miami on Thursday, the 6-7 forward put up a team-high 22 points on Saturday, including four consecutive buckets in the third quarter.

Williams didn't suffer from offensive tunnel vision either, adding six rebounds and three steals to his stat line.

Phoenix Has Some Underrated Paint Protectors

As Dragan Bender adjusts to the speed and timing of the NBA game, don't be surprised if he becomes one of the most versatile forwards in the league. The 18-year-old is already showing solid instincts on defense, where he logged four blocks in Saturday's win. The fourth overall pick overcame a minor leg injury in the process while adding nine points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal to his evening.

Alan Williams also played a role in the Suns' block party, rejecting a shot late in the fourth quarter while logging his fifth straight game of double-digit rebounds. The Phoenix native's energy has been non-stop in Vegas, where he leads the league in boards per contest.

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3 Observations from Summer Suns Thrilling Win over Denver

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