With the celebrated and wildly anticipated 2026 draft class largely living up to the billing, rookies are unsurprisingly well represented on this first team.
But credit Suns sophomore Khaman Maluach, last summer’s 10th overall pick, for ensuring this wouldn’t be a freshman-only outfit.
Phoenix slowplayed the 7-footer as a rookie, which made sense given how raw he appeared coming out of college. That option might be off the table already, though, given the apparent magnitude of the growth in his game.
Besides pumping in 19.5 points on 53.2 percent shooting and grabbing a Vegas-best 12.8 boards per game, Maluach showcased his unicorn blend of shot-blocking and floor spacing. In four games (all double-doubles, by the way), he actually had an identical number of blocks and triples (eight apiece), plus a 40 percent splash rate from long distance.