The Suns still need size, and this Creighton big might be the answer.
Draft season. Here we go again. That time of year where I dive headfirst into the process, breaking down prospects, watching grainy clips, reading scattered scouting reports, and inevitably falling in love with the idea of certain players wearing a Phoenix Suns jersey.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be highlighting names to keep an eye on, knowing the Suns hold both the 29th and 52nd overall picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. It’s an important opportunity, a chance to inject some youth, energy, and affordable contracts into a roster weighed down by expensive, aging pieces. And frankly, it’s one they can’t afford to waste.
Now, let me be clear: I’m no draft expert. I don’t claim to have a scouting background or access to proprietary databases. Like most of us, I’m working with what’s publicly available. YouTube highlight reels that show the best 90 seconds a kid’s ever played, write-ups that may or may not age well, and box scores that don’t tell the whole story. But what I do is look for patterns. I watch for nuance. I try to imagine how a player’s skill set, temperament, and ceiling might translate to the modern NBA and, more specifically, to this Suns team.
I’m wrong most of the time. I’m right sometimes. That’s the fun of it. So, let’s start with the first prospect who has caught my attention and should be available at 29.
Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton
- Height: 7’1”
- Weight: 257 pounds
- Age: 23 years old
- Experience: Five years at Creighton
- 2024-25 Statistics: 19.2 points (65.3 FG%, 34.4 3PT%, 68.1 FT%), 8.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.7 blocks
And as I’ve started this year’s dive, one thing remains painfully obvious: the Suns still need size. They’ve needed it for years. And sitting at 29, they won’t find a perfect, polished big man who can check every box. But they might find someone who can shoot a little, finish around the basket, protect the rim, and stretch the floor. Even if the rebounding’s a work in progress.
Looking at the roster, knowing the constraints of the free agent market, it feels like this is where Phoenix has to find that piece. Not on the open market. Not in some blockbuster deal. In the draft.
A four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year, Ryan Kalkbrenner isn’t just a shot blocker. He’s a disciplined, cerebral presence around the rim. He understands how to position his body and contest without fouling, all while anchoring a defensive scheme with the kind of consistency most teams spend years chasing.
Does he need to improve his rebounding? Absolutely. It’s one of his weaker areas. But his rim protection is legit, and that alone makes him a valuable presence around the basket.
Offensively, he offers intriguing versatility for his size. While not a high-volume shooter, he’s capable of stepping out and knocking down the occasional three, giving him the kind of stretch-five potential that can unlock floor spacing in today’s NBA.
What makes Kalkbrenner especially valuable for Phoenix is what the roster has lacked for years: legitimate size and athleticism at the five. He’s a fluid lob threat who can finish through contact, run the floor, and — in flashes — put the ball on the deck to create his own look. How that translates against NBA length and pace remains to be seen, but the foundation is there.
His post game is a work in progress, yet there’s a fearlessness in how he approaches those touches, a willingness to fail forward that matters for a young big. Defensively, the learning curve will come in pick-and-roll coverage, where reading angles and rotations is everything. But with a 7’6” wingspan, sharp instincts, and a proven defensive résumé, he has the tools to absorb those lessons quickly and cover for his mistakes in the meantime.
Kalkbrenner isn’t a perfect prospect — few at the 29th pick are — but he’s precisely the kind of player who could quietly elevate this Suns roster in ways box scores might not immediately reveal.
One of the places I consistently turn to during draft season is No Ceilings. Their Substack, video breakdowns, and podcast offer some of the most thoughtful, accessible, and in-depth prospect coverage out there. It’s a great resource for anyone looking to go beyond the highlight reels to really understand a player’s strengths, weaknesses, and fit at the next level.
As I navigate this draft cycle, you can expect plenty of references to their work sprinkled throughout my analysis. They do a fantastic job of contextualizing what you’re seeing on film and explaining how those skills might translate to the NBA. It’s become one of my go-to tools for staying sharp on prospects, and I’d recommend them to anyone trying to deepen their draft knowledge.
Maxwell Baumbach of No Ceilings offers a thoughtful and layered evaluation of Ryan Kalkbrenner, one that doesn’t oversell the sizzle, but deeply respects the substance. In a draft class often headlined by flash and upside, Kalkbrenner stands out for all the right reasons: steadiness, maturity, and a track record of doing the little things that win basketball games.
Baumbach describes him as “not super exciting, but clearly rock solid,” and that sentiment captures Kalkbrenner’s appeal. At 7’1” with a 7’6” wingspan and a towering 9’4” standing reach, he brings the kind of physical presence NBA teams are constantly hunting for in the middle. But it’s not just about size. It’s how he uses it. Kalkbrenner is a disciplined rim protector who blocks shots without gambling and defends with poise. He averaged only 2.2 fouls per 100 possessions, an elite number for a shot blocker, and his ability to anchor a defense in drop coverage stems from sharp positioning, mature timing, and an innate feel for the game.
How did he do at the recent NBA Combine? Per Baumbach:
Ryan Kalkbrenner continues to gain favor with me as a “not super exciting, but clearly rock solid” prospect. He measured at 7’1” with a 7’6” wingspan and a 9’4” standing reach. I’ve also long had a soft spot for his “big man safety valve jumper.” He hit his shots during the shooting drills, and he made 34.4% of his threes this past season. He’s a great finisher and rim protector. If the trailer three gets there, that would make him an ideal backup big man. His subpar rebounding and inconsistent passing give me pause about slotting him too high, but it was a good week for the Creighton product.
I’m really liking what I’m seeing from Kalkbrenner so far, and if the Suns find themselves in a position to draft him, he’s currently sitting at the top of my personal board. As for other boards?
- ESPN: 35th to the Philadelphia 76ers
- Bleacher Report: 34th to the Charlotte Hornets
- CBS Sports: 27th to the Brooklyn Nets
- NBA Draft.net: 42nd to the Sacramento Kings
Of course, there’s a long road ahead. There are still plenty of prospects left to dive into, analyze, and stack against one another. But as an early favorite, this feels like a solid place to start. He checks a lot of the boxes this roster desperately needs, and while no prospect at 29 is a sure thing, Kalkbrenner looks like someone worth betting on.
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