👋 GOOD MORNING
👋 GOOD MORNING – Happy Wednesday! We’re halfway through the week, and I hope yours is going well!
Just a reminder that PHNX is doing a little spring cleaning! Make sure to check out the PHNX locker when you can to stock up on gear — the entire store is 30 percent off, with some items marked down 75 percent! Perfect opportunity to snag some sweet merch.
On to the show!
NBA Mock Draft 1.0 — Who Should the Suns Look at With the 29th Pick?
The NBA Draft is right around the corner, and plenty of questions remain.
Yes, the Mavs are going to take Cooper Flagg. The Spurs and 76ers are in pretty good shape, as well.
But all the way down at No. 29, who should the Suns take?
Let the debate begin.
Pundits Take Their First Stab at Suns’ Options
I did a similar exercise in the lead-up to the NFL Draft, and it was pretty eye-opening to see how picks were scattered all over the board. Also, here’s a little disclaimer: This round of mock drafts has come before the conclusion of the NBA combine, which runs through May 18 in Chicago.
But hey, it’s always fun to see how these things change as the weeks wear on, and here’s a few names the Suns may be interested in.
- Will Gottlieb, ALLCITY: F Yaxel Lendeborg, UAB
- Kevin O’Connor, Yahoo Sports: G Walter Clayton Jr., Florida
- Jeremy Woo, ESPN: F Yaxel Lendeborg, UAB
- Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report: C Maxime Raynaud, Stanford
- Kyle Boone, CBS Sports: F Yaxel Lendeborg, UAB
- Kevin Sweeney, Sports Illustrated: SF/PF Liam McNeeley, UConn
- Sam Vecenie, The Athletic: SF Cedric Coward, Washington State
Not exactly a consensus, but I do have to say it’s impressive three publications landed on Yaxel Lendeborg, which is mildly amusing because the 6-foot-9 forward has yet to decide which route he’s going to take. He committed to the University of Michigan after entering the transfer portal, but he is also in a good spot to be selected in this year’s draft.
So what’ll it be? We’ll have to wait and see. He is attending the combine, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Some outlets believe Lendeborg could transform the Wolverines into an instant National Championship contender, and he did recently indicate he is leaning toward returning to college.
Hard to say no to that NBA money, though. If all goes well at the combine, all bets are off.
It wouldn’t take long for Lendeborg to make an impact at the NBA level, especially considering he was one of five finalists for the 2025 Karl Malone Award, which recognizes the top power forward in college basketball. The recognition was well deserved, as he averaged 17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists during his senior season at UAB, all while shooting 52.2 percent from the field.
He recorded 20-or-more points in 16 games last season, and helped UAB to the NIT quarterfinals, where it fell to runner-up UC Irvine.
Jeremy Woo’s (ESPN) Take: Lendeborg became a person of interest for NBA teams after a terrific season at UAB, but is no lock to remain in the draft, with significant money on the table from Michigan should he return to college next season.
His two-way productivity, size and improving skill level holds some appeal as a depth option with developmental upside at power forward. Lendeborg will need to win teams over on the workout circuit to play his way firmly into the type of range it might take to keep him in this class versus next year’s.
The Suns changed front office leadership this month, with Brian Gregory taking over as top executive for James Jones and the franchise more focused on its latest coaching hire than anything else right now. Adding a contributor who can shore up Phoenix’s questionable depth at this spot would be valuable.
Musings From Around (and Sometimes Beyond) The Valley
Drafting a Plan: The Suns draft 29th overall in the upcoming NBA Draft, and our ALLCITY team has been hard at work preparing everything you need to know. Presenting: The NBA Diehard Draft Guide — Led by ALLCITY draft analysts Derek Bodner of PHLY and Will Gottlieb of CHGO, this guide is your one-stop-shop as teams across the league gear up to reshape their rosters
Get ready for:
- Over 70 detailed scouting reports from Derek and Will, crafted after months of watching film and talking to people around the league.
- On-the-ground reporting from the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago.
- Insightful video breakdowns and draft coverage from the ALLCITY NBA Show and our team-specific shows across the country.
Note the Diehard draft guide is best viewed on desktop or tablet!
Back and Forth: The D-backs lost 10-6 to the Giants last night, setting up a rubber match this afternoon. Top prospect Jordan Lawlar had a rough season debut at shortstop, going 0-for-3 with a walk, while also being charged for a throwing error. The Diamondbacks continue to see-saw their way through the season, and have not won two straight since April 30-May 1.
Doubles: College Sports Communicators named ASU men’s tennis players Nicola Cigna and Mathis Bondaz to the All-District list, recognizing them as top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. Athletes must have achieved a 3.5 GPA or higher to be eligible for the award. The Sun Devils had three honorees on the women’s team: Patricija Spaka, Emilija Tverijonaite and Sara Svetac. Congrats!
Anything You Can Do…: The Arizona men’s tennis team had three of its players named to the All-District list: Jay Friend, Alexander Rozin and Inaki Cabrera-Bello. Not to be outdone, the Wildcat women had four student-athletes named to the All-District team: Martyna Ostrzygalo, Tanvi Narendran, Midori Castillo-Meza and Josie Usereau. Congratulations to all!
🧢 Tip of the Hat by Branded Bills
What do you think of these trades?!
