Mark Williams Phoenix Suns Practice Media Availability | 10-20-25

Mark, first just you told me before the first preseason game that you’ll be ready for opening night. How are you feeling about opening night now that it’s here? Good. I’m excited. Um I’ve been looking forward to playing since I’ve been here. So, I’m excited. Curious, what has been, you know, for you the getting to this point? Like what do you feel like you better at now or you’ve gone from strengthwise just being ready? because it has been a since ramp up basically since July. Yeah. Um everything I think I’ve just you know gotten better since I’ve been here on and off the court. Um just trying to be the best version of myself. And obviously going into this you know what in the air about that now today was the deadline for Yeah. Um I think I’ll just let my uh game take care of itself. um you know, just focus on basketball, focus on the team, and having a really good year this year. With the summer program that you’ve been on, how do you feel differently compared to the start of seasons previously? Um well, I mean, I’m playing Wednesday. I didn’t get to play uh opening night last year, so I would say just that, you know, just being healthy. Um and like I said, you know, feeling stronger, in shape, all that sort of stuff. There are some guys that would be approached to like starting July in that kind of way and be like, I’ll see you for training camp. You were now one of those guys. What goes into that mindset for you to to get this right? Um, I think, you know, obviously being traded here, you know, you’re in a different environment, getting used to, you know, new staff, new players, all that sort of stuff. Um, and then just, you know, having a year like this year, you know, it’s really important for me personally. So, I think all those things factored factored into, you know, just staying here the whole summer. in an attempt to turn your injury situation into a positive, how much you’ve had a lot of experience like jumping in and out. How much does that help you with like the preseason right now and not getting any reps there? But again, having experience jumping in when not being in there. Yeah. Um I don’t know. I mean, I I feel like I’ve been, you know, doing it for a little while. You know, you kind of learn the ins and outs pretty easily. Um you know, the staff’s been great. You know, incorporated me and everything. So, I feel like it’s not uh too difficult of a transition for me come Wednesday. Mark, how much has this environmentally helped you maybe get ready and get ready to roll for this season being around the guys kind of the culture and team you guys have created? Yeah, it’s been great. You know, uh, scrimmage has been super competitive. Um, you know, coach has been selling a lot of great stuff. Um, I think just every day, you know, the energy in the building is great. Um, everybody, you know, has something to prove, wants to be here, and, you know, really excited for that. We saw the cut on Dylan died. He was talking about how competitive practices have been. How much have you guys enjoyed that part? Yeah, the comp. How would you describe the competition in the Yeah, energetic. I think, you know, we’re pushing each other every day uh to be the best versions of ourselves and then obviously when that time comes when it’s somebody else, you know, we’ve, you know, been in war here, so it’ll be good to be against somebody else. Dylan said Colin was the villain junior. Did you have him in the pool as the as the villain junior? Uh I really wasn’t sure. Um, but I mean there’s a lot of guys I think that are capable of being on his uh villain team. So, I’m curious for you. How have you seen, especially because you’re just now kind of getting to the five on five element. How have you seen your screener and role chemistry on this team kind of developed so far? Yeah, it’s been good. Um, I think, you know, that’ll just continue to get better as the year goes on. Uh, I don’t think there’s ever a cap on that. You can always, you know, gain more and more chemistry, but so far so good. For sure. So I don’t have any concerns about that or anything like that. How have you seen the kind of I guess the different angles and the different type of schools you set for the different guards you all have just kind of be a offense in and of itself. Yeah, I think that’s just you know coming with knowing your teammates. You know what guys are going to pull up, you know, kick it to the corner, keep it, pass it to me, whatever. So I think it’s just a personnel based sort of thing. Mark, the the Rockets earlier today announced that they’re going to start their two centers together. Some other teams been doing that, too. small ball was all the rage just a few years ago as as a big does that excite you that that part of like the versatility of the league is being welcomed too. Yeah, it’s cool. Um I mean we’re not the Raptor. Uh I think you know with us everything it’ll just depend on the game, you know, depend what lineup we think we need out there. Um but yeah, it’s cool to see the game evolve. Um you know, every every year is something different. So has that been worked on after two years? uh a little bit. Uh certain situations I think it just depends. It’s not like a I would say I don’t think we’re rolling it dump big to start. What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned about coach during your time around? Um you know I think that he just you know really cares about basketball. He’s really in tune um you know trying to be the best you know coach he can be. Obviously it’s his first year here. Um so I think he just wants the best for everybody. George talked about wanting to see you get a little bit higher up in your drop and just kind of being able to defend in different ways than you have so far. How do you feel like you progressed in that kind of making that a little bit more happen? Yeah. Um, you know, for that to be like your your base is a little bit different. Uh, but you know, I’m excited to do that and um, I’m looking forward to, you know, our different schemes all year. You feel like having the type of wings that you have behind you makes you a little bit more comfortable and stepping up knowing that you got you got protection on the back side? Yeah, like Ryan Ryan Dunn right behind you. Uh, you know, having guys like that, you know, super athletic. Um, you know, guys that are going to have your back if you step up and, you know, I’ll have his back if he happens to get blown by, but it shouldn’t happen too often. Ryan, you got a question for Mark? No, I just came for the I got to do right now. Uh when it comes to just your journey to get here, what’s is it more challenges mentally, physically to to get to this point to be ready to go on a midnight? Uh I wouldn’t say challenge. I think I think the word is probably more opportunity. Um you know, you’ve been traded to a new environment that you know wants you here. Um I’m excited to be here and I think it’s a little proving for myself at the same time. So I think I’m just really excited for that. How did you assess the chemistry that’s been built in scrimmages considering Jay been out for and then obviously you didn’t play in the earlier. How do you feel about the chemical? Uh I think it’s still pretty good. I think it’ll be you know really easy when Jayen comes back to incorporate. Obviously uh you know we know what he’s capable of and uh whenever he’s back I think he’ll be really good for us. Thanks Mark. Appreciate it.

Mark Williams speaks with media following Phoenix Suns practice on October 20, 2025.

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