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Dominique Wilkins needs no introduction around these parts. His jersey hangs in the State Farm Arena rafters after a Hawks career that saw him total nine All-Star Games and seven All-NBA appearances.

So when he speaks, you listen.

If you’ve been living under a rock, a lot has happened with the Hawks this season. Trae Young has departed, and at the same time Jalen Johnson has ascended to stardom, becoming a first-time All-Star earlier this month. ‘Nique spoke with DJ Saddiqi of Casino dot org on his meteoric rise, saying:

“Well, I must say he’s a little bit of Scottie Pippen as far as being a point forward,” Wilkins led with. “Pippen was a point forward and was very effective at the position. This guy Jalen, he brings even another element, because the way he rebounds, the way he passes, and he flirts with a triple-double every single night. I love Jalen Johnson. The way he plays, man, and he’s so deserving of this honor that he received during All-Star weekend. I couldn’t be happier for him.”

On his relationship with Johnson and his family

“I look at Jalen like someone like your brother in a sense,” Wilkins continued. “I have a great relationship with him. I have a great relationship with his mom and dad. I saw the growth in him two years ago, and I said to his parents, ‘Don’t worry, he’s gonna do very well in this league, and he’s gonna be a great player in this league. Just be patient.’ And now look where he’s at.”

On Jalen Johnson’s improvement

“Jalen Johnson has developed quicker than a lot of people have given credit for or expected,” Wilkins said. “But they always say, take care of your business at hand. Don’t worry about too much down the road right now. Worry about what you’re doing now. You take this one game at a time, one month at a time, one year at a time.”

“He’s still a young guy, so it’s a few different areas where he can get better, and he will get better,” Wilkins detailed. “He will get better defensively. He will get better as far as different ways he can score. As a young guy, you can always get better. You can always add new things to your game to make you an even more lethal player. Being 24 years old, he’s still learning right now.”

On the current Hawks

It’s clear the Hawks have undergone a whirlwind series of changes to their roster in the past calendar year. As a result of the instability, the team is in ninth place in the East and slightly under .500 (29-21). But Wilkins believe the foundation has been laid, explaining:

“What you’re trying to do right now in this part of this season is continue to build some chemistry. And once you build that chemistry — hopefully sooner than later — we still have a chance to do a lot of damage, because there’s still 30 games left in the season. You have to make up some ground, because you’re right there. The Eastern Conference is very close, and we have a very good young team: Jalen Johnson, you got Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels. Now you bring over Jonathan Kuminga, and you got Onyeka Okongwu, who’s come along now, and young Zaccharie Risacher, so you got all these younger kids now developing on the job. I think that’s the way it should be done. I look for us to make a move as far as the way we play and try to win games in the second half of the season, because now coming out of this All-Star break, now you really refocus yourself on winning games.”

On the youth and winning streaks

“We have something special and we can be that new young team that makes a difference in that Eastern Conference,” Wilkins explained. “I look for us to make a difference now. Not waiting for next year, because we are right there. In this league, it’ll only take you a month to get hot. You look at the Charlotte Hornets. They won 10 of the last 12, so they got hot at the right time going into the All-Star break, coming into the second half of the season. You need a quick run like that, maybe not eight or nine games, but you get on a five or six-game winning streak, that changes things.”

On the exit and lasting legacy of Trae Young

Young was the franchise pillar for the better part of 8 seasons here in Atlanta, and he leaves behind a résumé as good as any player since Dominique Wilkins himself. Wilkins can also empathize closely with being traded away from a franchise so key to one’s own identity.

Wilkins spoke on the trade, saying that, “sometimes in life, things don’t work out, and it’s time. We all have been through it. I’ve been through it, and it’s nobody’s fault. It’s just the way the business is running, how it’s done. Trae was a tremendous player in an Atlanta Hawks jersey. No one could ever take that from him. What he did was very special.”

Dominique Wilkins needs no introduction around these parts. His jersey hangs in the State Farm Arena rafters after a Hawks career that saw him total nine All-Star Games and seven All-NBA appearances.

So when he speaks, you listen.

If you’ve been living under a rock, a lot has happened with the Hawks this season. Trae Young has departed, and at the same time Jalen Johnson has ascended to stardom, becoming a first-time All-Star earlier this month. ‘Nique spoke with DJ Saddiqi of Casino dot org on his meteoric rise, saying:

“Well, I must say he’s a little bit of Scottie Pippen as far as being a point forward,” Wilkins led with. “Pippen was a point forward and was very effective at the position. This guy Jalen, he brings even another element, because the way he rebounds, the way he passes, and he flirts with a triple-double every single night. I love Jalen Johnson. The way he plays, man, and he’s so deserving of this honor that he received during All-Star weekend. I couldn’t be happier for him.”

On his relationship with Johnson and his family

“I look at Jalen like someone like your brother in a sense,” Wilkins continued. “I have a great relationship with him. I have a great relationship with his mom and dad. I saw the growth in him two years ago, and I said to his parents, ‘Don’t worry, he’s gonna do very well in this league, and he’s gonna be a great player in this league. Just be patient.’ And now look where he’s at.”

On Jalen Johnson’s improvement

“Jalen Johnson has developed quicker than a lot of people have given credit for or expected,” Wilkins said. “But they always say, take care of your business at hand. Don’t worry about too much down the road right now. Worry about what you’re doing now. You take this one game at a time, one month at a time, one year at a time.”

“He’s still a young guy, so it’s a few different areas where he can get better, and he will get better,” Wilkins detailed. “He will get better defensively. He will get better as far as different ways he can score. As a young guy, you can always get better. You can always add new things to your game to make you an even more lethal player. Being 24 years old, he’s still learning right now.”

On the current Hawks

It’s clear the Hawks have undergone a whirlwind series of changes to their roster in the past calendar year. As a result of the instability, the team is in ninth place in the East and slightly under .500 (29-21). But Wilkins believe the foundation has been laid, explaining:

“What you’re trying to do right now in this part of this season is continue to build some chemistry. And once you build that chemistry — hopefully sooner than later — we still have a chance to do a lot of damage, because there’s still 30 games left in the season. You have to make up some ground, because you’re right there. The Eastern Conference is very close, and we have a very good young team: Jalen Johnson, you got Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels. Now you bring over Jonathan Kuminga, and you got Onyeka Okongwu, who’s come along now, and young Zaccharie Risacher, so you got all these younger kids now developing on the job. I think that’s the way it should be done. I look for us to make a move as far as the way we play and try to win games in the second half of the season, because now coming out of this All-Star break, now you really refocus yourself on winning games.”

On the youth and winning streaks

“We have something special and we can be that new young team that makes a difference in that Eastern Conference,” Wilkins explained. “I look for us to make a difference now. Not waiting for next year, because we are right there. In this league, it’ll only take you a month to get hot. You look at the Charlotte Hornets. They won 10 of the last 12, so they got hot at the right time going into the All-Star break, coming into the second half of the season. You need a quick run like that, maybe not eight or nine games, but you get on a five or six-game winning streak, that changes things.”

On the exit and lasting legacy of Trae Young

Young was the franchise pillar for the better part of 8 seasons here in Atlanta, and he leaves behind a résumé as good as any player since Dominique Wilkins himself. Wilkins can also empathize closely with being traded away from a franchise so key to one’s own identity.

Wilkins spoke on the trade, saying that, “sometimes in life, things don’t work out, and it’s time. We all have been through it. I’ve been through it, and it’s nobody’s fault. It’s just the way the business is running, how it’s done. Trae was a tremendous player in an Atlanta Hawks jersey. No one could ever take that from him. What he did was very special.”

Welcome to Inside the Suns, your weekly deep-down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team. Each week the Fantable — a round table of Bright Siders — give their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.

Fantable Questions of the Week

Q1: After returning from injury, Jalen Green’s offensive production for February has been underwhelming. 15 ppg, 35.3 FG%, 23.7 3PT%, 60 FT% on 12 FGAs per game. What are your thoughts on this?

GuarGuar: I don’t think he’s best as a #1 option, which is what he’s had to be these past few games with all the injuries. He’s also been injured literally all season and it was a hamstring reinjury, so I’ll give him some grace to come back to form. He’s gotta get used to NBA action again and regain that confidence in his body.

Ashton: Can you imagine being Jalen Green right now? He finally returns to the court, looks around, and there is an M.A.S.H. unit sitting on the bench. If we see “Hawkeye” (Alan Alda – not Marvel) on the bench, then I know the Suns are in trouble.

Between having work off some of the rust, he just does not have the starting player support needed to get those percentages up. The bench players and rookies are not going to help. But GA spotting up for a three or Book pulling double teams while making timely passing decisions would. Brooks doing his usual bullying thing would seriously help.

Sure, there is a bit of concern about the FT percentage, but that can be fixed. A broken and hobbled starter squad cannot. I would not read too much into it.

OldAz: He has not been on the court with these teammates all season, and now he has to be the focal point of the offense with the normal #1 and #3 options missing. On top of that, he has to do it without the needed practice time to even figure out what that offense looks like. And finally, he is supposed to do it while working himself back into game shape. One for finally, the pressure of fan expectations (based on his salary and a couple tantalizing games when Book and Brooks were playing) has to make every miss feel like the hole is a foot deeper. I believe he will work his way through this, but it is not going to be quick or easy.

Rod: It’s frustrating for fans, and I’m sure it is for him too. The team has recently been devastated by injuries that have left him in the position of trying to carry much of the scoring load instead of being eased back into the rotation after returning from his own injury, which already caused him to miss the bulk of this season. We already knew he wasn’t an especially efficient scorer, which has been very apparent lately as he’s been relied on way to much at this point.

He’s certainly not a perfect player, far from it, but he’s better than what we’ve seen lately. At full or even half-strength, I believe this team is good enough to cover for each other’s flaws, but, as it is now, those flaws are going to stand out even more and we’ve been seeing a lot more of those lately from more players than just Jalen.

Q2: Dillon Brooks’ broken hand will likely cause him to be out for 4-6 weeks, meaning that it is possible for him to miss all of the Suns’ remaining games. If that happens, do you believe that the Suns will finish the regular season with a record good enough to qualify for the play-in games?

GuarGuar: Barring absolute catastrophe, I think we are locked into the Play-In game. Unfortunately, with this injury, I think it’s really tough for us to finish higher than 7th and not have to play in the Play-In. We’d need to really get hot starting in March when Booker gets back. Hopefully, Brooks comes back sooner than expected. His toughness is much needed on this squad.

Ashton: I was a real proponent of the Suns taking the sixth seed. Now? It is time for a major revision. The two-way players are not going to be able to play much longer, and the rookies really just have not developed in the NBA, though they are doing fine in the G League.

To be honest, what a rotten turn of events for the Suns and their fans. Even if some of the starters outside of Brooks return, what remains is the question of how long they can stay healthy. I will take the under, but the over that Book can sell more shoes.

With all that said, I am not all doom-and-gloom. The Suns will need to lose a lot of games to fall out of the tenth seed. They have a six-game lead over the Clippers as of Tuesday afternoon.

I think the Suns will go dancing. Is it March Madness yet?

OldAz: I write this on Monday night, and the Suns have an 11-game cushion on the 11th-place Grizz with 24 to play. Those same Grizzlies are 14 games under .500 and on pace to win 31 games (the Suns have 33 currently). I am not sure I am prepared to contemplate this question further, as that would be an all-time collapse by the hometown team.

Rod: While I don’t think this is likely, I do believe there’s a small possibility of it happening, depending upon the health of the rest of the team…and how determined the teams currently below 10th in the West are to tank the rest of the season. With Brooks out for all of the rest of the regular season, I see it as pretty difficult for the Suns to stay put as the 7th seed, and could drop well down the play-in ladder though. At this point, I’m just hoping that they can avoid falling to 9th or 10th, where they would have to win two play-in games just to get into the playoffs.

Q3: With the recent rash of injuries, rookies Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming have gotten some meaningful rotation minutes. Do you believe they proved that they’re ready for more, even when the team gets healthy again?

GuarGuar: I don’t know if they can crack the rotation yet when everyone is fully healthy (if that ever happens again this season haha), but I have liked what I’ve seen from them recently. Man Man had some bright stretches during that Portland game and Rasheer is beginning to look a tad more comfortable offensively. I still doubt they would be in the rotation come play-in/playoff time, though.

Ashton: No. This is probably the short answer, but they just have not been given the time to develop the minutes against NBA caliber players.

If this were a buy/sell question, I would sell. Maybe we will change the title of Inside the Suns to ‘Around the Suns Horn’ article.

Suns are going to lose some games in the immediate future (please beat the Lakers, and I will call it a win during the injury stretch), and the best-case scenario is that Fleming and KM get some decent development minutes for the future.

But for now, I will keep my expectations low.

OldAz: I thought this about Fleming the last time he got meaningful minutes and held his own, but alas, those minutes dried up pretty quick. Player development takes commitment, and I am hoping these injuries force the Suns to make a little (or a lot) more of this necessary commitment. I wouldn’t mind seeing KM get some more minutes too, but it seems to me that with Brooks out, Dunn and Fleming combining for 40+ minutes a night would not be a bad thing, even if the growing pains cost them a few wins in a stretch where they were likely to struggle anyway.

Rod: Not just yet. What I have seen from them lately in encouraging though and, hopefully, they’ll show that even more as they’re given more court time until the team heals up. And I do believe they’re now at the point where, even with the team fully healthy, it’s really worth taking a chance on putting them in under certain circumstances, particularly when the Suns are facing bigger teams whose size is creating problems for them.

As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!

Quotes of the Week

“We do have to find ways to turn teams over, and a lot of that’s Goodie (Jordan Goodwin), so we’re going to have to find ways to manufacture it. That’s a big piece of what we do.” – Jordan Ott

“Especially with those guys being out (Book, Brooks, Goodwin), everybody has got to be aggressive to get open looks, take the open drive and knock down open shots.” – Royce O’Neale

“We’re 30th in free throws differential since February 1. We can’t get to the free throw line, cant get their rim.” – Jordan Ott

“When he (Dillon Brooks) first found out (that his hand was broken), he was probably disappointed. The next morning I think he was in here shooting with one hand. He’s crazy, but that’s who he is. That’s how hard he works and a testament to him as a player and a person. He’s special in that way.” – Collin Gillespie

“Everybody has got to have a little grace. He (Jalen Green) has been out for three quarters of the season. It’s not an easy thing to do to just insert yourself back into the lineup and be able to just play at that level or play at the speed of the game. I have a ton of grace for him because I’ve been through that where I missed a whole year. He’s missed like three quarters of the season. It’s not easy and he’s done an incredible job of just fitting in seamlessly. It’s been pretty cool to see.” – Collin Gillespie

Suns Trivia/History

On February 27, 1972, the Suns’ 6’1″ rookie reserve guard Mo Layton led all scorers with a career high 37 points to fuel a Suns 127-125 come-from-behind victory over the Cavaliers in Cleveland. It was the single 30+ point game of Layton’s 5-year NBA career. He only played for the Suns for two seasons, averaging a modest 8.2 ppg before being waived by the Suns before the beginning of the 1973-74 season. He also spent a short time that year playing for the ABA’s Memphis Tams under his former Suns head coach, Butch van Breda Kolff. Coach van Breda Kolff owns the dubious distinction of having the shortest tenure ever as a Suns head coach after he was fired just 7 games into the 1972-73 season.

On March 3, 1993, the 41-13 Phoenix Suns – as expected – defeated the 19-35 Philadelphia 76ers 125-115 in Phoenix. The one unexpected thing during that game was 76ers backup center, 7’7″ Manute Bol, who was mostly known only for his shot blocking, making 6 three pointers, 2 more than the entire Suns team. Suns forward Charles Barkley was both amazed and amused by it all.

On March 6, 2019, Devin Booker became the youngest player ever to make 500 3-Point Field Goals at 22 years, 127 days.

On March 6, 2020, Suns’ backup center Aron Baynes scored 37 points, gathered 16 rebounds, and recorded 2 blocks while making 9 of 14 shots (64.3%) from three while taking over for injured starting center Deandre Ayton in a 127-117 home win over the Portland Trail Blazers. In NBA history, no one else had ever done all of those things in one game.

This Week’s Game Schedule

Thursday, Feb 26 – Suns vs Los Angeles Lakers (7:00 pm)
Tuesday, March 3 – Suns @ Sacramento Kings (9:00 pm) Peacock

This Week’s Valley Suns Game Schedule

Thursday, Feb 26. Valley Suns vs South Bay Lakers (7:00 pm) ESPN+
Saturday, Feb 28 – Valley Suns @ Texas Legends (6:30 pm)
Monday, March 2 – Valley Suns vs Salt Lake City Stars (6:30 pm) Prime Video

Important Future Dates

March 1 – Playoff eligibility waiver deadline
March 4 – Final day to sign players to two-way contracts
March 28 – NBA G League Regular Season ends
March 31 – 2026 NBA G League Playoffs begin
April 12 – Regular season ends (All 30 teams play)
April 13 – Rosters set for NBA Playoffs 2026 (3 p.m. ET)
April 14-17 – SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament
April 18 – NBA Playoffs begin

Welcome to Inside the Suns, your weekly deep-down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team. Each week the Fantable — a round table of Bright Siders — give their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.

Fantable Questions of the Week

Q1: After returning from injury, Jalen Green’s offensive production for February has been underwhelming. 15 ppg, 35.3 FG%, 23.7 3PT%, 60 FT% on 12 FGAs per game. What are your thoughts on this?

GuarGuar: I don’t think he’s best as a #1 option, which is what he’s had to be these past few games with all the injuries. He’s also been injured literally all season and it was a hamstring reinjury, so I’ll give him some grace to come back to form. He’s gotta get used to NBA action again and regain that confidence in his body.

Ashton: Can you imagine being Jalen Green right now? He finally returns to the court, looks around, and there is an M.A.S.H. unit sitting on the bench. If we see “Hawkeye” (Alan Alda – not Marvel) on the bench, then I know the Suns are in trouble.

Between having work off some of the rust, he just does not have the starting player support needed to get those percentages up. The bench players and rookies are not going to help. But GA spotting up for a three or Book pulling double teams while making timely passing decisions would. Brooks doing his usual bullying thing would seriously help.

Sure, there is a bit of concern about the FT percentage, but that can be fixed. A broken and hobbled starter squad cannot. I would not read too much into it.

OldAz: He has not been on the court with these teammates all season, and now he has to be the focal point of the offense with the normal #1 and #3 options missing. On top of that, he has to do it without the needed practice time to even figure out what that offense looks like. And finally, he is supposed to do it while working himself back into game shape. One for finally, the pressure of fan expectations (based on his salary and a couple tantalizing games when Book and Brooks were playing) has to make every miss feel like the hole is a foot deeper. I believe he will work his way through this, but it is not going to be quick or easy.

Rod: It’s frustrating for fans, and I’m sure it is for him too. The team has recently been devastated by injuries that have left him in the position of trying to carry much of the scoring load instead of being eased back into the rotation after returning from his own injury, which already caused him to miss the bulk of this season. We already knew he wasn’t an especially efficient scorer, which has been very apparent lately as he’s been relied on way to much at this point.

He’s certainly not a perfect player, far from it, but he’s better than what we’ve seen lately. At full or even half-strength, I believe this team is good enough to cover for each other’s flaws, but, as it is now, those flaws are going to stand out even more and we’ve been seeing a lot more of those lately from more players than just Jalen.

Q2: Dillon Brooks’ broken hand will likely cause him to be out for 4-6 weeks, meaning that it is possible for him to miss all of the Suns’ remaining games. If that happens, do you believe that the Suns will finish the regular season with a record good enough to qualify for the play-in games?

GuarGuar: Barring absolute catastrophe, I think we are locked into the Play-In game. Unfortunately, with this injury, I think it’s really tough for us to finish higher than 7th and not have to play in the Play-In. We’d need to really get hot starting in March when Booker gets back. Hopefully, Brooks comes back sooner than expected. His toughness is much needed on this squad.

Ashton: I was a real proponent of the Suns taking the sixth seed. Now? It is time for a major revision. The two-way players are not going to be able to play much longer, and the rookies really just have not developed in the NBA, though they are doing fine in the G League.

To be honest, what a rotten turn of events for the Suns and their fans. Even if some of the starters outside of Brooks return, what remains is the question of how long they can stay healthy. I will take the under, but the over that Book can sell more shoes.

With all that said, I am not all doom-and-gloom. The Suns will need to lose a lot of games to fall out of the tenth seed. They have a six-game lead over the Clippers as of Tuesday afternoon.

I think the Suns will go dancing. Is it March Madness yet?

OldAz: I write this on Monday night, and the Suns have an 11-game cushion on the 11th-place Grizz with 24 to play. Those same Grizzlies are 14 games under .500 and on pace to win 31 games (the Suns have 33 currently). I am not sure I am prepared to contemplate this question further, as that would be an all-time collapse by the hometown team.

Rod: While I don’t think this is likely, I do believe there’s a small possibility of it happening, depending upon the health of the rest of the team…and how determined the teams currently below 10th in the West are to tank the rest of the season. With Brooks out for all of the rest of the regular season, I see it as pretty difficult for the Suns to stay put as the 7th seed, and could drop well down the play-in ladder though. At this point, I’m just hoping that they can avoid falling to 9th or 10th, where they would have to win two play-in games just to get into the playoffs.

Q3: With the recent rash of injuries, rookies Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming have gotten some meaningful rotation minutes. Do you believe they proved that they’re ready for more, even when the team gets healthy again?

GuarGuar: I don’t know if they can crack the rotation yet when everyone is fully healthy (if that ever happens again this season haha), but I have liked what I’ve seen from them recently. Man Man had some bright stretches during that Portland game and Rasheer is beginning to look a tad more comfortable offensively. I still doubt they would be in the rotation come play-in/playoff time, though.

Ashton: No. This is probably the short answer, but they just have not been given the time to develop the minutes against NBA caliber players.

If this were a buy/sell question, I would sell. Maybe we will change the title of Inside the Suns to ‘Around the Suns Horn’ article.

Suns are going to lose some games in the immediate future (please beat the Lakers, and I will call it a win during the injury stretch), and the best-case scenario is that Fleming and KM get some decent development minutes for the future.

But for now, I will keep my expectations low.

OldAz: I thought this about Fleming the last time he got meaningful minutes and held his own, but alas, those minutes dried up pretty quick. Player development takes commitment, and I am hoping these injuries force the Suns to make a little (or a lot) more of this necessary commitment. I wouldn’t mind seeing KM get some more minutes too, but it seems to me that with Brooks out, Dunn and Fleming combining for 40+ minutes a night would not be a bad thing, even if the growing pains cost them a few wins in a stretch where they were likely to struggle anyway.

Rod: Not just yet. What I have seen from them lately in encouraging though and, hopefully, they’ll show that even more as they’re given more court time until the team heals up. And I do believe they’re now at the point where, even with the team fully healthy, it’s really worth taking a chance on putting them in under certain circumstances, particularly when the Suns are facing bigger teams whose size is creating problems for them.

As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!

Quotes of the Week

“We do have to find ways to turn teams over, and a lot of that’s Goodie (Jordan Goodwin), so we’re going to have to find ways to manufacture it. That’s a big piece of what we do.” – Jordan Ott

“Especially with those guys being out (Book, Brooks, Goodwin), everybody has got to be aggressive to get open looks, take the open drive and knock down open shots.” – Royce O’Neale

“We’re 30th in free throws differential since February 1. We can’t get to the free throw line, cant get their rim.” – Jordan Ott

“When he (Dillon Brooks) first found out (that his hand was broken), he was probably disappointed. The next morning I think he was in here shooting with one hand. He’s crazy, but that’s who he is. That’s how hard he works and a testament to him as a player and a person. He’s special in that way.” – Collin Gillespie

“Everybody has got to have a little grace. He (Jalen Green) has been out for three quarters of the season. It’s not an easy thing to do to just insert yourself back into the lineup and be able to just play at that level or play at the speed of the game. I have a ton of grace for him because I’ve been through that where I missed a whole year. He’s missed like three quarters of the season. It’s not easy and he’s done an incredible job of just fitting in seamlessly. It’s been pretty cool to see.” – Collin Gillespie

Suns Trivia/History

On February 27, 1972, the Suns’ 6’1″ rookie reserve guard Mo Layton led all scorers with a career high 37 points to fuel a Suns 127-125 come-from-behind victory over the Cavaliers in Cleveland. It was the single 30+ point game of Layton’s 5-year NBA career. He only played for the Suns for two seasons, averaging a modest 8.2 ppg before being waived by the Suns before the beginning of the 1973-74 season. He also spent a short time that year playing for the ABA’s Memphis Tams under his former Suns head coach, Butch van Breda Kolff. Coach van Breda Kolff owns the dubious distinction of having the shortest tenure ever as a Suns head coach after he was fired just 7 games into the 1972-73 season.

On March 3, 1993, the 41-13 Phoenix Suns – as expected – defeated the 19-35 Philadelphia 76ers 125-115 in Phoenix. The one unexpected thing during that game was 76ers backup center, 7’7″ Manute Bol, who was mostly known only for his shot blocking, making 6 three pointers, 2 more than the entire Suns team. Suns forward Charles Barkley was both amazed and amused by it all.

On March 6, 2019, Devin Booker became the youngest player ever to make 500 3-Point Field Goals at 22 years, 127 days.

On March 6, 2020, Suns’ backup center Aron Baynes scored 37 points, gathered 16 rebounds, and recorded 2 blocks while making 9 of 14 shots (64.3%) from three while taking over for injured starting center Deandre Ayton in a 127-117 home win over the Portland Trail Blazers. In NBA history, no one else had ever done all of those things in one game.

This Week’s Game Schedule

Thursday, Feb 26 – Suns vs Los Angeles Lakers (7:00 pm)
Tuesday, March 3 – Suns @ Sacramento Kings (9:00 pm) Peacock

This Week’s Valley Suns Game Schedule

Thursday, Feb 26. Valley Suns vs South Bay Lakers (7:00 pm) ESPN+
Saturday, Feb 28 – Valley Suns @ Texas Legends (6:30 pm)
Monday, March 2 – Valley Suns vs Salt Lake City Stars (6:30 pm) Prime Video

Important Future Dates

March 1 – Playoff eligibility waiver deadline
March 4 – Final day to sign players to two-way contracts
March 28 – NBA G League Regular Season ends
March 31 – 2026 NBA G League Playoffs begin
April 12 – Regular season ends (All 30 teams play)
April 13 – Rosters set for NBA Playoffs 2026 (3 p.m. ET)
April 14-17 – SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament
April 18 – NBA Playoffs begin

When you think about the Oklahoma City Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander comes to mind.

SGA has been the face of the Thunder, winning the league MVP and Finals MVP last season. When he’s been healthy, he’s been dominant again this season.

But with SGA missing time due to an injury, another former Kentucky Wildcat has stepped up the last few games. Cason Wallace has been a key piece for the Thunder, averaging around 23 points per game the last three games to go along with about 5 rebounds and just over 7 assists.

On Tuesday, Wallace led OKC to a victory in Toronto with 27 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists on 11-16 shooting. Last night, the Thunder fell to the Detroit Pistons, but Wallace scored 23 points to go along with 5 assists and knocked down 3-6 from beyond the arc.

It’s unknown right now when SGA will return. He’s expected to be evaluated in the coming days, but if you’re the Thunder, you have to like how Cason Wallace has emerged in his absence and what he can provide moving forward during the remainder of the season.

Tweet of the Day

I think this season pretty much confirmed we need someone in this type of role.

Headlines

Pope says there are ongoing conversations about GM position – KSR

It’s been an ongoing conversation for a while…

Win or lose, Pope says pressure is always on Kentucky – Vaughts Views

Very true.

UK basketball succeeds in challenge to win without Oweh – Cats Pause

It’s an interesting stat.

UK Baseball bounces back with big offensive effort – UK Athletics

The Cats came out hot in the first inning.

That UCONN-St.Johns game was ugly – Yahoo

A historically bad day for Pitino’s squad.

Cincinnati sues Brendan Sorsby over $1M exit fee – ESPN

Wouldn’t be surprised if we started seeing more of this.

Which teams are potential bracket busters? – Bleacher Report

These teams could cause some issues in March.

Marques Johnson is still dunking at age 70 – NBC Sports

That’s impressive!

Is the NCAA going to go after tampering cases? – CBS Sports

We’ll have to wait and see.

NBC likely moving on from Tony Dungy – SI

Dungy has been with NBC for over 15 years.

Broadcaster Stephen A. Smith is known for his outspoken personality, whether it’s discussing sports across the ESPN platform or talking about politics wherever he can.

Smith spoke with Graham Bensinger, host of "In Depth with Graham Bensinger," and provided some clarification on several notable topics involving himself, including his relationship with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and a potential 2028 presidential campaign.

Stephen A. Smith on beef with LeBron James

Smith has often been critical of James, the face of the NBA for nearly two decades.

Smith didn’t completely shy away when asked about the tension between him and the 23-year NBA veteran. The media personality was not willing to fully divulge some of the things powering the “beef,” though.

“My daughters love LeBron. And I had to look at them and say, ‘Yeah, he is phenomenal.’ They ain't lying. He's one of the greatest ever. And so, again, you can have differences with people, but if you're a grownup, if you're a man, you're able to compartmentalize and say, 'we might have a disagreement.'

“We might have a beef,” Smith said. “... It doesn't mean you should look at him in a negative kind of way. I might have affected him in ways that other people haven't, and that might have provoked him to do whatever, I don't know. But at the end of the day, I just know that I'm 58 years old and I'm not interested in walking around bitter and with a grudge and with all of this other nonsense.

Smith’s latest remarks come nearly a year after he was confronted by James while sitting courtside after the Lakers’ 113-109 overtime win over the New York Knicks at Crypto.com Arena on March 6, 2025.

Smith has leaned on the support of his peers and colleagues when he needs it.

“There are people who helped (following the confrontation with James),” Smith said. “Charles Barkley got on me. Kenny Smith is like a brother to me, got on me. Shaq, and then guys internally, Ryan Clark, Marcus Spears. I love those brothers. They're my brothers. And they weren't the only ones.”

Will Stephen A. Smith make a presidential run? 

Smith has dabbled in politics over the years as a media personality. He decided to expand that part of his career, hosting a show on SiriusXM radio, covering politics and news that's happening outside of the sports world. That began in September 2025.

He’s also been mentioned as a potential 2028 presidential candidate.

“Do I desire the campaign and be on the campaign circuit and running for office? No, I do not,” Smith said. “Do I desire to be on a debate stage to call out these politicians for what they have done to compromise this country? Yes, I do. 

“That's where it gets serious for me, because you can enter the debate and then leave after the debate and decide you're not running.”

Smith also made it clear he intends to have the opportunity to ask politicians to justify what they've "done to contribute to the chaos that's happened in the streets of America."

“I want you to look at us in the face and justify the divide that you've caused, the friction that you've caused,” Smith said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stephen A. Smith clarifies LeBron beef, presidential campaign comments

March Madness is quickly approaching, with the men's college basketball regular season coming to a close in the coming weeks. A few teams are starting to pull ahead as national championship favorites.

Eight of the last nine national champions have been No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament, with the lone exception being UConn in 2023, as the Huskies were a No. 4 seed. Of course, UConn repeated as national champions in 2024. Coincidentally enough, the last team lower than a No. 4 seed to win a title was also UConn, when it won as a No. 7 seed in 2014.

BRACKETOLOGY: NCAA tournament prediction has another shakeup

That said, math favors the NCAA tournament champion being a team that dominated the regular season, which makes plenty of sense.

Here's a look at USA TODAY Sports predictions for which teams can win a national championship this season:

March Madness predictions 2026: Who can win a national championship?

Michigan

It only took Dusty May two seasons as head coach to turn Michigan into a national championship contender, as the Wolverines are 26-2 this season with wins over Gonzaga, Purdue and Michigan State, which all also appear on this list.

Michigan is the only team in the country ranked inside the top five of both KenPom's offensive and defensive adjusted efficiency, ranking No. 5 and No. 2 in the metrics, respectively. UAB transfer Yaxel Lendeborg is one of the best all-around players in the country, averaging 14.2 points with 7.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game on 49.6% shooting.

Michigan belongs at the top, or at least very close to it, among the national championship favorites this season.

Duke

Duke has been the best defensive team in the country this season per KenPom, and also has one of, if not the frontrunner for national player of the year in Cameron Boozer.

Boozer, who's averaging 22.7 points with 10.7 rebounds and four assists per game on 58.3% shooting this season, has had a Cooper Flagg-like impact on the Blue Devils. The surefire top-five pick in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft was tremendous in Duke's win over Michigan on Feb. 21, scoring 18 points with 10 rebounds, seven assists and two blocks in the win.

Duke isn't quite as loaded as it was last season with top-three NBA picks Flagg and Kon Knueppel, but the Blue Devils are more than capable of winning a title.

Arizona

Fifth-year coach Tommy Lloyd, a former Mark Few assistant at Gonzaga, has reloaded Arizona this season after the Wildcats lost four starters from 2025's Sweet 16 team.

Arizona is young, with three true freshmen starters. The Wildcats are led by Brayden Burries and Koa Peat, who are averaging 15.5 and 13.8 points per game this season. Fellow true freshman Ivan Kharchenkov is also averaging 10.1 points this season.

Arizona ranks eighth in KenPom's adjusted offensive efficiency and third in adjusted defensive efficiency while playing in the Big 12, likely the best conference in college basketball this season. It has three wins over top-10 ranked teams – Florida, UConn and Houston – and looks like one of the best Final Four bets in 2026.

Florida

Reigning national champion Florida lost its three starting guards from last season's team – March Madness hero Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard. However, the Gators' frontcourt trio of Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu all returned, and form perhaps the best group of big men in the country.

Haugh, Condon and Chinyelu are averaging 17.3, 14 and 11.5 points per game this season, respectively. They're also averaging a combined 26 rebounds per game, and Chinyelu leads all players nationally with 11.6 boards per contest.

The guard play has been suspect at times this season, but the Gators are rolling as of late with a 12-2 record in conference play. Florida could go as far as starting guards Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee take them, or its frontcourt could continue dominating and make their shaky play not even matter.

Houston

Houston is amid a 3-game losing streak, a rarity under legendary coach Kelvin Sampson, one of the best to never win a national title. The Cougars are coming off a national championship runner-up finish in 2025.

Houston boasts one of the most dynamic guards nationally in true freshman Kingston Flemings, who paces the offense with 16.6 points and 5.1 assists per game. Flemings, paired with returning starters Milos Uzan, Emanuel Sharp and Joseph Tugler, makes for a lineup with loads of experience.

The Cougars rank 15th in adjusted offensive efficiency and eighth in adjusted defensive efficiency, which is still elite but worse than their usual standards. Houston is still one of the strongest bets to reach the Final Four, which it has done twice since 2020.

Illinois

Illinois has scored better than anyone in college basketball this season, with all five starters averaging in double digits while ranking No. 1 in adjusted offensive efficiency. True freshman Keaton Wagler has been a great surprise for the Fighting Illini, raising their ceiling by averaging 18.2 points with 5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game while shooting 42% from 3-point range.

Illinois' defense is the worst among KenPom's top-15 ranked teams, which could pose a threat come NCAA tournament time. Still, their transfer-heavy lineup could have enough firepower to make a run to a national title.

Purdue

The preseason No. 1-ranked team hasn't been quite as good as expected, but is still a top national championship contender.

Purdue's backcourt of Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer have likely more experience than anyone in college basketball, as the four-year starters have been together since 2022-23. Smith, one of the best playmakers in the sport, is averaging 8.7 assists per game and paces an offense that ranks second nationally per KenPom.

Trey Kaufman-Renn, who led the team averaging 20.1 points per game last season, has taken a step back in 2025-26 averaging 13.3 points per contest. His emergence in March could be an X-Factor for the Boilermakers, and he could be heating up, with 27 and 20 points in his last two outings.

Michigan State

Never count out Tom Izzo in March Madness. The legendary coach hasn't won a national title since 2000, but has six Final Four appearance since and has an experienced roster in 2026.

Multi-year starters Jeremy Fears Jr. (15 points and 9.2 assists per game) and Jaxon Kohler (12.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game) lead the way for the Spartans. Returning contributors Coen Carr and Carson Cooper have emerged as starters in 2026 and both average in the double figures.

The Spartans lack a go-to scorer and could win a title if their offense gets hot.

Iowa State

Iowa State has been one of the Big 12's top programs for a few years now, but doesn't have much NCAA tournament success to show for it, with only a pair of Sweet 16 appearances since T.J. Otzelberger took over in 2021.

The Cyclones were bounced in the Round of 32 last season, despite having a veteran roster. They also have an experienced group this season, and are looking to avoid that same fate this season.

Iowa State is led by a trio of multi-year starters in Milan Momcilovic, Joshua Jefferson and Tamin Lipsey, who are averaging 17.4, 16.6 and 13 points per game this season, respectively. The Cyclones can shoot and defend, which is a recipe for success in March.

Kansas

Kansas has been solid without star freshman Darryn Peterson this season, even taking down Arizona without the projected No. 1 overall pick. Still, the Jayhawks' ceiling is highest when Peterson is at his best.

Peterson is averaging 19.5 points per game this season while shooting 40.5% from 3-point range but has missed 11 games. If he can stay on the court, the Jayhawks are a true national title threat.

UConn

UConn is back to college basketball elite status this season after being a bubble team in 2025. The Huskies have won two national titles under Dan Hurley, and he has another squad capable of winning a championship in 2026.

UConn has three returning starters in Solo Ball, Tarris Reed Jr. and Alex Karaban, a four-year starter for the Huskies. UConn added true freshman Braylon Mullins and Georgia transfer Silas Demary Jr. to its backcourt, with both additions providing a huge boost to last season's core.

The Huskies haven't been tested much in Big East play, but have nonconference wins over Illinois and Florida. They rank No. 12 in KenPom's overall adjusted efficiency ratings.

Gonzaga

Gonzaga has one win this season over a currently ranked team (Alabama), and has dominated WCC play, per usual, which makes it hard to know just how good the Bulldogs are opposed to other seasons.

Gonzaga's frontcourt duo of Graham Ike and Braden Huff is stellar, as the duo is averaging 19.9 and 17.8 points per game this season, respectively. Outside shooting could be a problem in March Madness, though.

Arkansas

Arkansas surprised many last season when it reached the Sweet 16 despite being a bubble team for most of the season under John Calipari. The Razorbacks likely won't be a top-three seed in the NCAA tournament, but maybe is a sleeper national title team.

True freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr. is one of the best players in the country, averaging 22.2 points with 6.2 assists per game this season, and scored 49 points in an overtime loss to Alabama on Feb. 18.

Arkansas ranks fourth nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency and is capable of getting hot and making a run.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness predictions: Teams that can win 2026 NCAA tournament