What a departure we’ve seen from several years ago when the organization was among the worst in the facilities department.
“No one wants to be in the G League” is a popular saying around basketball circles, and one used by Mamadi Diakite during Valley Suns Media Day on Wednesday, because it’s true.
It usually means much tougher living, training and travel situations all with the obvious drawback of much less pay and a lesser on-court product compared to the NBA. But for the Valley Suns — at least in the early goings — the G League experience is not too far removed from what the Phoenix Suns get up the road.
“Could’ve fooled me that we weren’t in the NBA with the facility that we’re in here today,” point guard David Stockton said Wednesday. “When I started in the D-League, it was Boys and Girls Club and pretty crazy living situation.
“It’s changed a lot. It’s still not the NBA obviously … but for me it’s crazy to see where the league’s come.”
The Valley Suns will call the Player 15 Group HQ — a couple blocks south of Footprint Center — their home, aside from playing home games at Arizona State University’s Mullett Arena in Tempe.
It’s meant to be the business operations home for the three Phoenix-based franchises Mat Ishbia is the steward of, with another practice facility on-site designated for the Mercury.
“This is a first-class organization, I’m not gonna lie,” two-way point guard Collin Gillespie said. “The stuff that they do here between the Suns and the Valley Suns is high-level.”
Here’s what other players said about the setup in downtown Phoenix:
- Second-round G League draft pick Olin Carter III: “It’s been nice, I’m not gonna lie, just being in this facility. It makes you feel like you’re in the NBA. You walk in every morning, you get to scan your finger to get in the door … this is a real NBA-like feel. We got all the amenities you can ask for: hot tub, cold tub, food. No complaints, we’re blessed here.”
the first valley suns draft pick in the team’s history, nate roberts, spoke at media day on the support and facility that the team has access to: pic.twitter.com/tkt0ARy1yi
— Damon Allred (@iamdamonallred) November 1, 2024
- Former Paradise Valley High star Paul Watson: “I think just being in this facility in general, it’s a blessing to be able to have the things that we do. Access to come in here and get shots up whenever, the training staff, things like that. It’s all next-level stuff. Not every team is fortunate enough to have these luxuries, but I think it’s big that all of us take advantage of this, and it’ll be huge for me as well.”
- Rookie Moses Wood, who spent much of preseason with Phoenix, on what the best part of the facility is: “Honestly just like 24-hour access to a gym, like I can’t remember the last time I had access to a gym like that. Just to be able to come in whenever I want and just like work on my game, it’s been awesome.”
- Former NBA Slam Dunk Contest participant Cassius Stanley: “(The setup) definitely does (stand out). I’ve been on two NBA rosters … and it’s definitely better than one, I’m not gonna name which one. And then G League wise, it’s not even a comparison. So that helps a lot … not having to worry about a bunch of little things, just worrying about playing basketball and developing as players.”
It’s worth noting here that the two teams he has played for are the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons … I’ll leave it to you to decide which NBA team’s facilities are worse than the those of the Valley Suns, according to Stanley.
The Valley Suns begin their inaugural season with a back-to-back against the Santa Cruz Warriors on the road Nov. 8-9. The home opener at Mullett Arena on Arizona State’s Tempe campus will be Nov. 11 against the Stockton Kings. Get tickets here.