My first writing job came at “The Daily Herald,” a well-respected newspaper in suburban Chicago, where the sports department specialized in hyper-local high school coverage.
Just two years before my arrival, the newspaper named Brian Gregory as the captain of its annual All-Area basketball team, a very prestigious honor at the time. Which is to say the Phoenix Suns’ current general manager was a terrific player back in the day.
He’s also one of many members of organization primed for redemption if the Suns finish the job in their final 27 games.
Following his introductory press conference last May, Gregory was mocked for his frequent use of the word, “alignment.” He was a college basketball lifer suddenly driving an NBA franchise and relentlessly repeating the same message to a battered fan base. For many skeptics and critics, his rah-rah, try-hard vibe seemed hopelessly naïve for a jaded place like the NBA.
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Today, the Suns emerge from the All-Star weekend as the best story in basketball. They won 32 games before the break, surpassing their preseason odds for victories in the regular season. They are a rare team coursing with true grit. They are a tapestry of career years and players committed to the common good. A team that is playing to rave reviews and sellout crowds in downtown Phoenix.
Swoon. For the third time in 21 years, the Valley basketball fans have fallen in love all over again. And as much as Gregory might at times serve as a placeholder for the real GM (owner Mat Ishbia), he also recommended Jordan Ott as next head coach, immediately sensing his immense talents.
Much is on the line in the remaining 27 games. A few months ago, any kind of playoff berth would’ve been viewed as a smashing success. After all, this was a franchise left for dead, with no present, no future and no way out.
But hopes and expectations have changed. The Suns have proven they can beat elite teams. They handle their business against inferior opponents. They flourish in the realm of effort and engagement. They create extra possessions by fighting for offensive rebounds. They correct mistakes by getting back on defense. They rarely let up and rarely lose interest.
Now, it seems vital to finish among the Western Conference’s top six seeds. That way, the Suns are guaranteed a best-of-series, the kind of growth moment and learning experience every young team needs to absorb. It’s a tall ask.
In the coming weeks, superior teams will begin to lock in. The Suns will no longer win on the margins and in the shadows. Let’s hope they have enough engine and enough fuel to get to the finish line, where victory laps will be deserved and plentiful.
Reach Bickley at dbickley@arizonasports.com. Listen to Bickley & Marotta weekdays from 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. on Arizona Sports.
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