The Phoenix Suns opened their Summer League slate on Friday night with a victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. It marked the professional debut of Koa Peat, who was drafted 30th overall by Phoenix after the organization moved up in the draft to acquire him. A local product who attended Perry High School before playing at the University of Arizona, this was our first opportunity to see Peat wearing purple and orange. And he undoubtedly impressed.
This isn’t an overreaction to one Summer League performance.
It’s simply a reaction, taking note of what I saw during his first minutes playing within the Suns organization.
There are certainly questions surrounding Peat’s ability to shoot, seeing as he didn’t do much of it during his time at Arizona. What was it? 20 total three-point attempts in college, accounting for just 5.3% of his total shot diet? That being said, the Wildcats’ offense wasn’t built around shooting threes. Arizona ranked 316th in total three-point attempts in college basketball last season. NAU had more than the 625 U of A took.
On Friday night, the trend continued. We didn’t see Peat shoot much, and he didn’t attempt a three-pointer. What we did see, however, was a player who possesses confidence with the ball in his hands, driving toward the basket and embracing the role of the aggressor. That’s what stood out to me the most. Peat wanted the ball, and when he got it, he looked to force the action.
A season ago, we watched Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming make their Summer League debuts in Las Vegas, and I think it’s safe to say that Peat displayed more confidence than either player did in their first appearance. That’s not a criticism of Maluach or Fleming. It’s simply an observation of how comfortable Peat looked from the moment he stepped onto the floor. He wanted the ball in his hands. And when he had it, he had one goal in mind: put it in the basket.
And put it in the basket he did. Peat finished with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting, with six of those points coming at the free throw line. Granted, he made 3-of-5 free throws, but they counted for six points because that’s the Summer League rule. Outside of the final two minutes of the fourth quarter, players take one free throw worth two points. It’s something I’m not necessarily a fan of, but I don’t mind the NBA experimenting with it.
That’s where Peat really shined. His ability inside 15 feet to attack defenders and initiate contact was impressive, and the fact that he finished through that contact on multiple occasions stood out even more.
I find it difficult to think of a Suns player in recent years who consistently initiated contact and finished through it the way Peat did Friday night. To see a 19-year-old already possess that ability as a weapon in his arsenal is encouraging, and it’s something that could pay dividends for the organization down the line.
Another part of Peat’s aggression was the fact that he finished with eight fouls, and I didn’t mind that at all. Being aggressive and physical is part of the overarching identity the Phoenix Suns are trying to establish, and seeing him bring that same mentality to the defensive end is something I appreciated. Does it need to be refined? Absolutely. Controlled aggression is the goal. You don’t get 8 fouls in the NBA or the G League. You get the bench. But I’d much rather see that than a tentative player, and Peat certainly wasn’t.
He finished with both his left and right hands, while also showing the ability to knock down jumpers. Nothing came from outside 15 feet, but that’s consistent with what we saw from him at the University of Arizona. Time and again, when the Wildcats needed a basket, Koa Peat would drive into the paint and create an opportunity for himself to score. It’s part of the reason he was named to the All-Big 12 Third Team and named to the West All-Region Team in the NCAA Tournament.
Are there holes in his game? Absolutely. But the fact that he’s only 19 years old and displayed the confidence he did in his professional debut is something I don’t take for granted. He’s somebody who can use Summer League as an opportunity to get reps, gain experience, and begin understanding what it takes to play at this level. He’ll most likely spend a significant portion of next season with the Valley Suns in the G League, and I think that’s fantastic for his development.
Peat plays with a physical edge that can’t be taught. It’s great to see somebody like that enter this organization because it further fortifies the identity the Suns are trying to build. It also showcases that Brian Gregory is clearly identifying a specific type of player he wants to bring into the building. Those players? Pardon my vulgarity, but assholes. Motherfuckers. Guys who are here to fuck shit up. And I’m all for that.
One Summer League game doesn’t tell us what Koa Peat will become. It did tell us something about who he already is. He’s physical, confident, aggressive, and completely comfortable creating chaos. The shooting needs development. The fouls need refinement. And that’s what the G League and time are for. Phoenix drafted a 19-year-old who already plays with an edge this organization is actively seeking. Now comes the fun part: seeing what they can turn him into.
