What were you doing when you turned 19? How did you celebrate?
I remember mine like it was yesterday. It was 2001, and a week before my birthday, I’d turned my 1991 Eagle Talon TSi — my pride and joy, turbocharged and loud in all the right ways — into a modern art piece of twisted metal.
Technically, yeah, it was my fault. I was making a left-hand turn out of a private drive on my lunch break, heading for a haircut. You know the drill. You’re stuck at a light, someone waves you through, you creep out thinking
the world has aligned for you, and then bam.
That was my world. Creeping past a Range Rover that had stopped for me, when a BMW came screaming down the turn lane trying to beat the arrow and clipped the nose clean off my car. And that was it. Side note: to this day, I never let anyone out in that scenario. Not because I’m bitter, but because I’m saving them from their own left-turn Greek tragedy.
The crash left me bummed, broke, and staring down some debt I couldn’t shake. So I did the most logical thing a 19-year-old with a bruised ego and no plan could do: I soon joined the Army. I needed the signing bonus to make things right.
It was October 2001 when I turned 19. A strange, heavy, electric moment in history. And yet, it was magical in its own way. The Arizona Diamondbacks were making their improbable march to a World Series, and as I watched them, I found myself sketching out the next chapter of my life.
For Khaman Maluach, the Phoenix Suns’ No. 10 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, today isn’t just another day. Today, he turns 19.
Nineteen.
When I was 19, I was wasting away on the benches of Scottsdale Community College, crashing cars (though in non-cop speak, it wasn’t my fault), and figuring out how to pay off the debt afterward, not carrying the expectations of a franchise and a fan base dreaming of seeing me become one of the best big men in the game. That’s the difference. Khaman has weight on his shoulders. Real weight. The kind that can turn into something special if handled right. Or crush you if rushed.
And that’s the reminder buried in today’s birthday cake: he’s still a teenager. Whatever he’s going to be, it’s going to take time.
Think about when you were 19. How mature were you? Were you ducking out of work to get a haircut, a little ironic now considering I’m bald? Life’s funny that way.
So happy birthday, Khaman. We’re thrilled to watch you grow into the player you’re meant to be. Take this time to enjoy the ride, trust the process, and let the game, and life, shape you at its own pace.
