The Phoenix Suns are soul-searching after a troublesome run of type following the All-Star break.
After beginning the season scorching, the Phoenix Suns are ice chilly. And never in a great way. The staff are eleventh positioned within the Western Convention, 28-32 and 3-7 over the past 10.
It isn’t helped by a disastrous commerce window wherein the staff tried to commerce away each Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant unsuccessfully. Beal’s no-trade clause blocked his exit – however the staff tried to push it so far as they may.
Devin Booker has expressed frustration on the staff’s lack of urgency to show their type round – though they did register a win on February 28 over the New Orleans Pelicans 125-108.
One of many only a few positives for the Phoenix Suns is the shape displayed by South Sudanese expertise Bol Bol.
He was praised by coach Mike Budenholzer final month, and now star teammate Kevin Durant has made his emotions clear.
Durant desires different younger stars to be taught from Bol Bol’s professionalism, and has been left staggered by the 25-year-old.
He stated: “I feel a whole lot of youthful gamers can be taught from how he approaches the sport. And it’s not as glamorized, folks don’t assume that about Bol, as a result of he’s so quiet and unassuming, however he’s a professional’s professional, and he’s proven that ever since he got here right here to Phoenix.
“And ever since he’s been my teammate, I’ve been blown away by how laborious he works, how a lot he cares, how a lot he desires to go on the market and play nicely, how nice of a teammate he’s.
“So I at all times ensure that once I’m speaking to you guys, I need to spotlight that about him, ‘trigger not lots of people speak about that facet of his sport.”
Bol Bol performed 43 video games for the Suns final season however was not chosen to start out a single one. He averaged 10.9 minutes minutes per sport.
This season he has performed 24 video games, beginning 5 of them, displaying his progress, and is averaging 13.4 minutes per sport.
Throughout February he has been averaging 20.9 minutes per sport, displaying his elevated significance to the staff.
He scored a season excessive 25 factors within the win over the Pelicans, the second highest mark of his profession, following the 26 scored for the Nuggets in opposition to the Timberwolves in 2022.
For the season he’s now averaging 7.9 factors per sport, 12.3 per sport over the previous month.
In a season wherein the Suns have been blasted as the largest disappointment within the NBA, Bol Bol is at the very least offering purpose to smile.
