Behind the Phoenix Suns’ signature workout for NBA draft prospects

The NBA draft candidates take their final jump shots and walk to the side of the Suns’ practice court inside Talking Stick Resort Arena.

“Guys, get a quick drink and come back here on the baseline,” Suns assistant coach Nate Bjorkgren says.

“We got a three-minute run. Do what you have to do to get ready.”

By now, most draft candidates know what this means. People talk. Word gets out. This is a test of stamina. A chance for players to show off their conditioning  as well as mental toughness. 

Three minutes. Down and back. Each touch of the baseline counts as one sprint. As the group of six lines up, Bjorkgren informs them that the draft-workout record on this practice court is 29.

“Give it everything you got,” he says. 

And with that, they’re off.

Clock is winding down

The June 22 draft is rapidly approaching. With the No. 4 overall pick – along with two second-round selections – the Suns are in position to add to a youthful core that, at times, has showed promise. But with the talent in this draft, particularly at the front end, this represents a big opportunity.

Media place a lot of emphasis on pre-draft workouts, but truth is, most of the draft prep already is done. Scouts identify top prospects long before players step on college campuses. Once they start school, the scouting simply intensifies.

Phoenix Assistant General Manager Pat Connelly watched about 15-20 games a month last college season. He scouted the draft’s top prospects in person as many as seven times. Throw in the rest of the Suns’ scouting staff, and that number triples.

“We have guys everywhere, and they all go see guys at different times because you want to make sure you have different opinions,” Connelly said.

That’s not to say draft workouts have little value. Far from it. To start, they give the organization – especially the coaching staff, which is busy with the Suns all season – a chance to know the prospect, perhaps take him to dinner. With a firm grasp of a player’s basketball skills, teams start learning about personality.

The workouts also can show a side of an athlete that might have gone unnoticed, or it can reinforce a scouting report already in place. Devin Booker – who just completed his second season in Phoenix – was known for his shooting touch entering the draft, but he also showed his competitiveness during a Phoenix workout, particularly during a 1-on-1 knockout drill.

It went like this: If a player scored, he stayed on the court. If not, he came off. Booker demanded the ball and went at opponents in his workout group, which included Josh Richardson, against whom he had battled in college. Booker made basket after basket, talking a little trash as well. 

“Some guys who have a chance to be in the lottery, their agents insist on them only doing 1-on-0 workouts,” General Manager Ryan McDonough said in a February interview. “Devin and his group didn’t insist on that. They were ready to come in and compete, and it was a very competitive workout.”

In a similar manner, Suns forward Marquese Chriss showed off his athletic skills during his draft workout. Yes, Phoenix management was well aware that the Washington product was a special athlete, but watching him perform drills on the Suns’ practice court reinforced that he was among the most athletic in the 2016 draft.

Depending on how many players are involved, Phoenix workouts generally run 45 to 75 minutes. During a recent session, more than 20 executives (owner Robert Sarver often attends), coaches and support personnel were on the court. Scouts and others watched from a set of bleachers overlooking the practice court.

All workouts end the same way, with players lined up on the baseline and the scoreboard set for three minutes. For the most part, Phoenix’s three-minute run isn’t anything that significantly alters how the Suns view a prospect, but it can offer more details to complete a player’s profile.

“First off, you’re looking at their stamina, seeing how in shape they are for the process, and then you’re seeing if guys can kind of push themselves through,” Connelly said. “You don’t want to see them giving up on it, but guys – even if they don’t get a high number – if they put a great effort into it the entire time, you take notice of that.”

Collins feels the heat

In town for an individual workout, Zach Collins knew what to expect. During a recent stop in Sacramento, the Gonzaga freshman had mentioned his upcoming Suns workout to other players. They informed him of Phoenix’s three-minute run.

Collins later asked friends about it.

“Ah, man,” they told him. “Phoenix is tough.” 

As Collins took off on the practice court, Suns’ staff members started clapping, encouraging the big man. More than halfway through, Collins started to tire. Player development coach Jason Fraser bolted into action, running beside the 6-11 forward. He pushed ahead.

“Where you at?” Fraser said to Collins. “Push! Come on!”

The clock ticked its final seconds. Collins finished with 25 baseline touches. Exhausted, he put both hands behind his head and walked to center court, where he bent over and rested his hands on his knees. Suns coach Earl Watson approached and slapped hands with Collins, considered a Top 15 draft selection.

“Appreciate you bringing it,” he said.

NBA MOCK DRAFT: Doug Haller’s fourth edition

MOCK DRAFT TRACKER: Suns find another gem in 2nd round?

Contact Doug Haller at 602-444-4949 or at [email protected]. Follow him at Twitter.com/DougHaller.