Suns’ President: Alex Len is quickly improving and a bright spot for the team
Maybe Alex Len just needed an injury-free stretch of time to really show what he can do for the Phoenix Suns.
The Suns’ center has seen increased minutes in his second season, and has been using his extra time on the court to improve in every statistical category. Len put up the first two double-doubles of his career this season and is averaging 14 points and 7.3 rebounds over his last three games.
Suns President Lon Babby was a guest Thursday with Bickley & Marotta on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM and he stressed that the team is excited to see the growth Len is taking in his second year.
“He’s been sensational,” said Babby. “He’s got a great attitude, a great knowledge of the game and is making rapid, rapid progress.”
Len was limited in his rookie year due to lingering ankle issues, averaging two points and 8.2 minutes while playing in only 42 games. But the center has flipped the script in the 2014-15 season, playing in all 12 games so far and averaging just under 20 minutes per game.
“He’s been in at the end of the game, I think the last three times,” said Babby. “He wasn’t quite as good last night, but in Boston he was a difference-maker.” Babby added that this increase in production is not a complete surprise for the team, saying that the 21-year-old is one of the hardest working players on the team.
Len has played in most of the last four minutes in the Suns last two games, both wins, splitting time with fellow second-year player Miles Plumlee as the team’s center.
One of the most promising improvement in Len’s game, scoring, can be attributed to a spike in his shooting percentage across the board. The center is first on the team in shooting percentage, shooting 60 percent, and second on the team from the free throw line making nearly 90 percent of his attempts.
“When he goes to the foul line, late in the game, you’re confident he’s going to make it,” said Babby. “He has a nice touch. His range is only going to continue to expand. He has been absolutely one of the bright spots so far this season.”
