Just four days into training camp, Koa Peat is already a Phoenix Suns fan favorite.
The Suns rookie felt the hometown love at the Suns Fan Fest at Mortgage Matchup Center on Friday, Oct. 2. He received one of the crowd's loudest roars during the team's 21 player introductions, comparable to the reactions for the Suns' veteran leaders, Dillon Brooks and Devin Booker.
"It was cool," Peat said to reporters after the Fan Fest. "All the fans were great. First time being out here on this court as a Sun, so it was fun."
Peat's family sat in the front row and witnessed his NBA dream coming true — 15 miles from his alma mater, Gilbert Perry High School.
"It means a lot," Peat said about his family at Fan Fest. "They've been supporting me for my whole journey.
It's nothing new. Having them there is super special to me and really cool."
Peat said one of his childhood memories is being at Game 1 of the 2021 NBA Finals and watching the Suns beat the Milwaukee Bucks.
Now, the 19-year-old is frequently described as a "winner" by Suns executives and his teammates. That's the reason why they acquired him in June.
Peat led national powerhouse Gilbert Perry to its dynasty of four straight Open Division state titles from 2022-25. He won four gold medals with Team USA in FIBA's U16, U17 and U19 tournaments. Then he was one of college basketball's top one-and-dones last season after helping lead Arizona to a school-record 36 wins, the Big 12 conference title, and the Wildcats' first Final Four and national championship appearance since 2001.
The biggest adjustment for Peat has been the NBA's faster pace of play. Peat said that he is getting advice from everyone on the team, but is connecting the most with Suns' second-year players Rasheer Fleming, Khaman Maluach, Koby Brea and CJ Huntley.
Oso Ighodaro got harassed by Dillon Brooks, calling him “string cheese” while Ighodaro told @Amanda_Pflugrad about his relationship with Suns rookie and fellow Phoenix area native Koa Peat.
— Dana Scott (@mr_danascott) September 30, 2026
Ighodaro on Brooks in weight room: “He can’t do not one lift better than me.” pic.twitter.com/bsAas8LcA1
Peat has also been taking some trash talk from Brooks during practice.
But the placid Peat doesn't feel rattled by Brooks, who balanced his reputed toughness with sound mentorship throughout their first week together.
"He's giving me a little advice, little tips here and there, but we've been battling," Peat said about Brooks. "He's a villain on the court, but off the court he's a really good guy."
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Koa Peat settling in with hometown Phoenix Suns
