Koby Brea lights up Summer League game one and shows what he could be for the Suns

I think it is time you finally buy into what Brian Gregory is selling you.

The Phoenix Suns made a statement in their first summer league game, as they comfortably won against the Washington Wizards on Friday night. For the fans, this was everything they needed and craved after a disappointing season the previous year. With all the uncertainty surrounding how this season would turn out, it’s now clear that a youth movement is taking shape, and not only that, but it’s impressing us, giving fans renewed faith in this team so far. It is, of course, the Summer League, and only the first game, so these reactions need to be tempered somewhat. However, it is at least exciting to have this belief in the new direction.

We saw many great performances last night, but the one that captured the most attention was Koby Brea’s standout game.

Brea, the 41st pick in this year’s draft, was a sharpshooting guard from Kentucky (remind you of anyone?) who many thought had the best three-point shot in college last year. Among those people who praised him, including me, the one who stood out the most was Brian Gregory, who had this to say when discussing Brea.

As you can see from the small sample size of just one Summer League game, he has lived up to that expectation so far. Brea was the leading scorer on Friday night with 19 points, shooting the ball efficiently as well, at 7-of-10 from the field and 4-of-5 from three-point range. Also, when you add on top of 3 rebounds and a steal, that is an impressive game from someone who is living up to the name so far.

Not to mention that when Brea was shooting these three-pointers, it looked as pure a jumpshot as you would want to see. It seemed that every time he touched the ball and let it fly, you felt confident in his shot going in, which is something that, for a summer league guy, you do not see that often, especially someone in their first game for the franchise.

You saw a similar type of performance from Brea in last year’s March Madness tournament vs Illinois. He had the same confidence he displayed in the Summer League game when shooting the ball and taking command offensively. In that game, he tied a career high of 23 points and brought the Wildcats to their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2019. That was already special in itself, but the fact that you can already see that translate is a great sign to buy into his potential for this team.

Now, there are other sides to being a standout basketball player in this league besides three-point shooting, but having one special trait is key for his continued growth. Brea also did a good job in his first performance of trying to attack and score at all three levels, showcasing his versatility on the offensive end.

On the defensive end, there are some flaws with his game for sure. He has to learn how to get used to that and use his frame to help him defend in space and work on the transition defense., That will all come with time playing on the two-way contract this season, and getting development with the Valley Suns. If there is a case where he proves to be too good for that, though, that makes it intriguing for the Suns even if this is not until next season.

If you want to learn more in-depth about Koby Brea and his playstyle, including how he can translate for the Suns, and examine his game, I highly suggest watching the film breakdowns from Stephen PridGeon-Gardner over on PHNX Sports. He had a great discussion about his college tape and a quick thread on his first summer league, examining what stood out from his debut.

What can Brea be for Phoenix?

With Brea having an impressive game, it seems he can make an impact soon. Now, I don’t know how soon that could be, but I would say he could be a great addition and even fill a role on the roster that someone is already occupying.

Koby Brea could eventually be the Grayson Allen replacement for the Suns in my eyes.

1. What do they both do?

Shoot the ball and are good from three-point range.

That we already know, with Grayson being our three-point specialist. The main reason why everyone does not want to trade him is that we need a good three-point scorer. Who is to say, though, that Brea cannot be the same thing on the same volume, even better?

Now, Allen is more of a pest on defense, so he has the edge there, but I am sure that if Brea can put the other tools together to make him a solid rotational player, he could help in a similar way that Allen has in the past. In the best case, he could be better than Allen if his shooting is as valuable as it has been so far.

2. Why does it make sense?

Additionally, considering the height and age of both players, this could align more with the youth direction. Brea is 6’7” while Allen is 6’4” and is 7 years younger as well. This could present you with the option of having another Collin Gillespie situation, similar to last season.

If the Suns are not going to move off Allen before the season, they could have Brea play for the Valley Suns and see how he looks. Depending on how he performs or due to injuries, he could find himself on the Phoenix Suns getting some playing time. If the Suns see something in Brea as that replacement, that looks good. It presents them with a cheaper and younger alternative, while offering more flexibility by moving off a more expensive long-term deal that no longer suits their new identity.

---

With that being said, this decision should not be made now, especially after one summer league game. So, this is something you explore once February comes or next season presents itself, unless Brea can prove himself to the front office that he is ready, before the season starts.

Personally, I know I was prepared for Brea to make his impact here in Phoenix, and it already feels great to see it unfold, but Brea himself also feels that way, as evidenced by his latest quote!

We’ll see him once again today as the Summer Suns play the Summer Hawks in Game 2 of their Summer League schedule.

---

Listen to the latest episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. To stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, or Castbox.

Please subscribe, rate, and review.