The Valley Suns are ready to kick off their inaugural season, and already the team feels it’s built to win.
Unlike many expansion teams in the NBA who are often abysmal to start out, the roster building of G League teams lends itself more to instant success if done properly. The team has brought in players with championship experience like Jaden Shackelford and Mamadi Diakite, veterans such as Paul Watson and David Stockton, and younger players like Tyrese Samuel and Jalen Bridges who can provide energy and enthusiasm.
During media day, there were three main things that seemed to stand out about this first iteration of the Valley Suns: a feeling they can already compete for a championship under head coach John Little, an incredible practice facility and the quick bonds teammates have already built with each other.
Playing like the Suns
One of the pillars of this team will be head coach John Little, who plans to implement an offense similar to the one Mike Budenholzer runs with the Phoenix Suns. Little has already worked with Coach Bud in the past. The Valley Suns’ first head coach was an assistant for the Wisconsin Herd, Milwaukee’s G League team, while Budenholzer was coaching the Bucks.
“We want to play fast, want to play together, we want to be unselfish and want to compete at a high level,” Little said, calling those the team’s core principles. “And then there also will be some ability for us to kind of do some experimenting and do some different things too. For the most part, we’re going to be completely aligned with what (Phoenix is) doing.”
The players showed excitement with how the offenses will be similar.
“This offense, it’s definitely efficient, but it’s also kind of easy to learn, and it’s easy to understand what the coach wants,” said two-way guard Collin Gillespie.
TyTy Washington, another two-way guard who spent training camp with the Phoenix and Valley Suns concurred.
“A lot of our system hasn’t changed from day one all the way up to the last day of training camp,” Washington said. “Coming out here, pretty much just implementing the same stuff that I learned up there. Being an extension on the floor for coach and pretty much helping coach lay out the little stuff. You know, being a mobile is a huge thing.”
The best practice facility in the G League
The Valley Suns boast one of, if not the best practice facility in the G League, and the players made no secret of hiding this fact. Some even said it was better than an NBA practice facility they had played in at one point in their career
“You could’ve fooled me that we were in the NBA with the facility that we’re in here today,” G League veteran David Stockton said, who has spent two stints in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz. “When I started in the D league, (the practice facility) was a Boys and Girls Club. It’s crazy to see where the league’s come.”
“There’s 24 hour access to a gym. I can’t remember the last time I’ve had, you know, access like that to a gym and come in, literally, whenever I want,” Moses Wood said, a sharpshooting forward out of the University of Washington competing in his first professional season. “Everything, top to the line here, you know? Best in the league. Facilities, to the staff, to everyone. It’s just an elite organization.”
Center Nate Roberts said he’s been part of organizations where the practice facility wasn’t owned by the team and wasn’t even treated as an afterthought.
“To be here, to be treated as a first class, top-class person and a part of the organization, it’s amazing,” Roberts said. “And it just gives you the right to be like ‘Why wouldn’t you want to get better? Why wouldn’t you want to work on your game?’ You have all the resources and everything around you to enforce that.”
While it doesn’t enhance playing ability, Olin Carter III found the fingerprint scanner to get into the building, a nice touch among the many other amenities.
“You basically feel like you’re in the NBA,” Carter said. “We got all the amenities you can ask for. Hot tub, cold tub, food, no complaints. We’re blessed here.”
Fun for the Suns
Although the roster has only been together for a few days, it appears they’re already building strong bonds with each other. Roberts, who boasts an impressive 7-foot-6 wingspan, explained how comfortable the team is with each other.
“I think we are able to know when it’s play and when it’s business,” Roberts said. “I think once we step in those four lines, we have a goal to reach and a mission to accomplish. Even within the small nuances of practice, being able to laugh and joke around and kind of, you know, be loose-feeling, because it’s our job, but at the same time, it’s supposed to be fun. If we’re not having fun, then what are we doing?”
To emphasize the point, Gillespie interrupted Mamadi Diakite’s availability when he tapped on the glass from outside to distract him. “Go home! Go to sleep!” Diakite yelled back jokingly.
“I would like to say I’m one of the guys at this point,” Stockton said. “You know, if I start hanging out with the coaches more, that’s when it can get a little dicey and there’s more of an age gap. But, you know, I try to be part of the young guys squad.”
The Valley Suns speak
From wanting to become NBA Commissioner, high school high jump championships, to playing in front of a hometown crowd, the Valley Suns had a lot to say on media day.
Collin Gillespie
For Gillespie, travel will be a lot easier this year given the Valley and Phoenix Suns play just minutes apart compared to last year when he was in Denver’s system.
“I would say I played 12 games last year in the G League, six of them I traveled on the same day,” he said. “I went from Denver in the morning and played (in another city) the same night. So it’s not easy, but you do it because you love the game.”
TyTy Washington
Two-way player TyTy Washington grew up in Phoenix, attending Cesar Chavez High School and AZ Compass Prep. Playing for the Suns is a homecoming.
“I’m pretty sure as soon as I get into the arena, once I look into the crowd, see my family, it’s gonna give me like memories of back in high school,” Washington said.
Cassius Stanley
Stanley is a young player looking to make his way back to the NBA, but if that doesn’t work out, he has much loftier ambitions in mind once he completes his degree at Duke.
“One of my aspirations is to be Commissioner of the NBA,” he said. “I’m from LA. I would love to be like the mayor of LA. I’ve seen the governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger did it. I know by the time I’m there, I’ll be way more qualified than him.”
Jaden Schackelford
“It’s 100% opportunity. It’s about how you look at things and, you know, the perspective you look at things with. (The G League is) one of the best leagues to playing, you know? So just be where your feet are, enjoy the moment,” Shackelford said on the opportunity to play for the Valley Suns.
David Stockton
Stockton sits fourth in the all-time G League assists list, while his father John Stockton holds the NBA record. How much would it mean to share the record?
“Obviously, it would be a huge honor, really cool,” he said. “I try not to think about it too much. For me, it’s just being here, be in the locker room with the team and playing every day is what I like to do.”
Olin Carter III
“It feels good, kind of like being a part of history, being the first team. I remember last time Arizona had a team, I think it was the NAZ Suns. So it feels good, you know, to be in Phoenix and have a G League team,” Carter said on being an inaugural Sun.
Mamadi Diakite
In addition to being a college, NBA and G League champion, Diakite is also a high school high jump champion.
“I grew up playing (team) sports, but high jump it was a little more personal,” he said. “The dude I was playing against wanted to cut my head off. I said, ‘Alright, let’s do it.'”
Jalen Bridges
Rookie Jalen Bridges has found the G League squad to be every bit as hungry as the NBA one.
“It was the first day, and it was as competitive as any practice that I’ve had with the main team,” he said. “So just everybody bringing that edge, that fire, it helps me, it helps everybody. Iron sharpens iron.”
