PHOENIX — For the first time, the NBA Draft was broken up into two days, with the first night and first round being held on Wednesday and the Valley was prominently featured.
Two players who played their high school basketball right here in Arizona heard their names called by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and the Suns added to their roster as they continue to chase the franchise’s first championship.
Cody Williams selected by Utah Jazz
The first player with ties to the Valley selected was former Perry High School star Cody Williams.
Williams, who played college basketball at Colorado, became the first ‘One-and-Done’ player in the Buffaloes’ history when he was selected with the 10th overall pick by the Utah Jazz, a team his is excited to play for.
“I had no idea where I was going,” Williams told reporters on Wednesday night. “I kind of told my agent to keep it a secret for me, I just wanted to be surprised. So for me, it was you know, I just wanted to land somewhere that would develop me and kind of, you know, make me into the best basketball player I could be. And I'm happy that landed with Utah. So, definitely excited, felt relieved when I got my, heard my name called.”
The former McDonald’s All-American is the second member of the Williams family to make his way to the NBA. His brother, Jalen, played in 71 games for the Oklahoma City Thunder this past season, scoring 19.1 points per game and was a member of the 2022-23 All-Rookie team.
Williams said he isn’t worried about being overshadowed by his brother and that he plans to use the example his brother has set as he charts his own path in the pros.
“I feel like just taking those aspects of like his game and his mentality how he approached every workout, every rep, every charity event, you know, every media coverage, I feel like I can use that and, you know, take that with me and use it throughout my career,” Williams said. “And that's how I'm gonna grow and develop.”
And when the Jazz and Thunder square off, Williams is excited to take the floor against Jalen.
“Most definitely we're probably gonna talk crazy (trash) during that game, I'm just gonna let you know right now,” Williams said. “But it's definitely something we dreamed about as kids, obviously, we never really got to play against or with each other on the same team just because of the age difference. So I think being able to do that now is definitely the dream come true.”
DaRon Holmes II selected by Denver Nuggets
The next local product to hear their name called on draft night was forward DaRon Holmes II, who grew up in Goodyear and played high school basketball at Millennium High School and AZ Compass Prep before playing college hoops at the University of Dayton.
The Denver Nuggets made a trade with the Phoenix Suns to move from the 28th spot to the 22nd to take Holmes, but due to NBA rules, that means Holmes’ was drafted by his hometown team. However, the trade meant his rights were immediately traded to the Nuggets.
Suns General Manager James Jones explained the process on Wednesday night.
“Just so you know how it works is, once you've agreed to a trade on draft night, you draft for the other team, and they tell you who they want, and Denver was high on DaRon, and they thought that he wouldn't be there,” Jones said. “So we were able to make a, make a trade that allowed them to get the player that they wanted, and allowed us to move back and still get the player that we want.”
The Suns drafted forward Ryan Dunn out of the University of Virginia, and more on him in a moment, but first back to Holmes, who says he cannot wait to get to the Mile High City, especially because of a perk he will receive.
“(It’s a) perfect, great fit, you know, saw something that I get free sauces from Wendy's, so that's pretty cool,” Holmes said. “But other than that, I'm just excited to get out there and play. It's a great team, great organization for a reason. And I'm going to get better and I'm going to keep going.”
That’s right, Holmes will be getting “A year’s worth of saucy nuggs” from Wendy’s, according to a post on X (formerly Twitter) from the fast food chain.
This adds to a history of draft day moves involving fast food chains involving the Nuggets, the first of which has turned out very well as back in 2014, center Nicola Jokic, now a three-time NBA MVP and NBA champion, was famously drafted during a Taco Bell commercial.
As for the team, they can’t wait to see what Holmes can bring as they look to win their second NBA championship in three years next season.
“He's been a pretty prominent prospect for the last couple of years. But I think the jump he took in skill and making a three-point shot took him to a different level as a prospect. And, you know, I think I just like guys that have to carry the load for the team,” Nuggets GM Calvin Booth said. “He can pass, he can shoot, he can catch in tight spaces and make plays and made the little touch, touch shots that (Jokic) makes. So, the guy just has a lot of game.”
And despite being a first-round pick, Booth made it clear that Holmes will have to earn his time on the floor in Denver.
“I think the onus will be on DaRon in Summer League to play well and to show the coaches that he can play. And I think if he can play, he'll get a chance to play,” Booth said.
And even before Holmes ever puts on a Nuggets uniform, Booth said he was glad they made the move to bring him to Denver.
“Once we got into the 20s, and there was a chance to get him, like, we went to go get him,” Booth said. “You know, there was a lot, a lot of potential landmines between 22 and our pick, you know, so I think you know, especially having a division rival in front of us that probably you know, values the guy too. So, I think we just, it was just important for us to get out and get on up.”
In total, the Nuggets traded the 28th and 56th picks in this year’s NBA Draft, along with two future second-round picks to the Suns for Holmes.
Ryan Dunn selected by Phoenix Suns
Now back to Dunn, who was taken with the 28th pick the Suns acquired in the trade with Denver.
The forward out of Perkiomen School in Freeport, New York, is seen as a player who can help the Suns out on defense, something they noted needed to be improved after watching players like Jalen McDaniels in their first-round playoff loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“I see a ton of potential in Ryan,” GM James Jones said. “I think for him, he's a little bit shorter (than McDaniels). And, and I think that'll allow him to navigate screens a lot better as a younger player. But if that's where he, that's where he progresses to, that's the goal for us to have an elite lockdown defender, or at least someone that can take the challenge every day and make it extremely difficult on the opponent's best, best scorer.”
And while one of the major reasons Jones and the Suns drafted Dunn was his defense, they believe he has potential to be a great scorer in the NBA.
“He's improving and then what he was asked to do at Virginia was defend,” Jones said. “The shooting isn't where he wanted it to be, or where we think it will be in a few years. But he's an impactful player, and great players find a way to impact the game, not just with the offensive box score So I'm confident with our staff, with (Head Coach Mike Budenholzer), our coaches that will allow him or will, he'll be primed to improve as a shooter. And if he could, if he can do that and do it quickly, I think we found a gem.”
Dunn credits Virginia Head Coach Tony Bennett for making him into a great defender and says he believes his shooting with improve once he joins Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and company in Phoenix.
“I'm excited, I'm excited,” Dunn said. “Great program, you know, they want to go win a championship and they got great players to do it. So um, you know, I'm going to try to get down there and go to work and see what I got to do just to get there.”
But what may be even more exciting for Dunn is getting the chance to live with his brother, Justin, who was a first-round pick in the 2016 MLB Draft and is currently living in Arizona as he recovers from shoulder surgery.
“It's crazy because he's lives in Arizona as well,” Dunn said. “So we're both going to be in the same state again, living together. So it's gonna be good. But you know, being from New York, you know, representing not only as two athletes, but as brothers in both different sports. It's, it's amazing, and I'm grateful.”
James Jones addresses report that the Suns want to trade Kevin Durant
The draft wasn’t the only big news for the Suns on Wednesday. Before the draft started, ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith made waves when he went on TV and said the Suns want to trade Kevin Durant.
Team owner Mat Ishbia responded with a post on X that said Smith was “just wrong.”
“NBA Draft night is the best,” Ishbia’s post read. “Everyone talking about the drama and storylines, some are right and some are just wrong. My turn. Phoenix loves Kevin Durant and Kevin Durant loves Phoenix, and we are competing for a championship this year because we have the team to do it. Gotta love draft night! Go Suns.”
Jones added to Ishbia’s statement on Wednesday night.
“I mean, it's, it's the question, it's the topic of discussion,” Jones said. “It's the stuff that gets clicks and that everyone wants to talk about. But I think I said it, specifically back on May 19. When I was asked, are we trading Kevin Durant? I said no then, I'll say no now. I'll continue to get answered, asked the question. But that's the NBA. That's what makes the NBA and the draft and everything around it, the offseason, that's what makes, makes it interesting for the fans so I get it and understand it, and then I don't take it personally. We just keep moving, committed to building this team and winning a championship.”
Smith responded to Ishbia’s post on ESPN on Thursday, saying he does not believe the Suns’ owner.
“Hell, no, hell no, of course not,” Smith said. “First of all, let’s understand something. From what I’m being told, Kevin Durant ain’t too keen on staying in Phoenix. He ain’t demanding no trades or anything but he wouldn’t mind being up out of there, that’s number one.
“Number two, don’t tell me Mat Ishbia is all sold on this after he got bounced out via a sweep at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the dadgum playoffs,” Smith continued. “You think about the assets you could potentially get for a superstar the likes of Kevin Durant, you can’t tell me that’s something that Mat Ishbia is not going to entertain, just because he’s committed to him being in Phoenix. It all depends on the assets that you can get. I know they don’t want to let go of Devin Booker. I know Devin Booker doesn’t want to leave Phoenix. If he were to leave Phoenix he wouldn’t mind being a Knick, but he doesn’t want to leave Phoenix. He’s the face of that franchise, he’s homegrown, we get all of that. But in the end, what it comes down to is this. Kevin Durant, even at the age of 35, is still a superstar in this game. But, he’s not there for the long haul. And unless you’re talking about winning a title in the immediate future, which I don’t think the Phoenix Suns should be thinking about when you just got swept, even though Mike Budenholzer is your new coach, I think the bottom line is you’ve got to entertain all options. I’m not saying he’s gonna trade Kevin Durant, but if the opportunity presents itself, you’re (expletive) right he will.”
Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to four major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events every year, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.
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