During the weeks leading up to the NBA Draft, and even in the hours that followed, Koa Peat’s jump shot was a major discussion point.And not in a good way.Last season, the University of Arizona freshman shot 20 3-pointers and made only seven. For this reason, many within the basketball industry thought Peat’s best bet was to stay in college.Peat came out anyway. The Phoenix Suns recognized the shooting issue, but focused on other parts of the forward’s game, trading up from their spot at No. 47 to take Peat with the last pick of Tuesday’s first round. It was Phoenix’s only selection.In the NBA, this is what’s known as the long game. How long it lasts is up to the Suns themselves. As they enter Year 2 post-Kevin Durant, the front office and coaching staff have to figure out how to improve with limited draft capital. Making the playoffs as the Western Conference’s No. 8 seed last season was a nice step. The next one won’t be so easy.NBA Draft 2026: Winners and Losers from Round 1Zach Harper and CJ MoorePeat is not a can’t-miss prospect. Nor does he seem to be an immediate difference-maker. However, he represents something important — the organization’s ability to develop. In the short term, this has to be the Suns’ top skill, their way out of the Play-In Tournament and into contention. They cannot afford many mistakes.Since trading Durant and discarding Bradley Beal last summer, Phoenix has done OK in this regard. Oso Ighodaro, the 40th overall pick in 2024, made strides last season as a play-making, floor-running big. Rookies Khaman Maluach (No. 10 in the 2025 draft) and Rasheer Fleming (No. 31) last season were purposely slow-tracked — their numbers reflect as much — but at times, both looked like future starters (this day is coming soon).Peat is next to join the group. He arrives with an NBA body, a sturdy 6 foot 8, 245 pounds. He plays with a strong motor. He runs the court well. Perhaps most important, he’s won at every level, from nearby Gilbert Perry High (four state championships), to international basketball (four gold medals on junior national teams) to the University of Arizona, where last season he helped lead the Wildcats to the Final Four. It’s this type of DNA the Suns seek.“He brings everything that’s important to us,” Phoenix general manager Brian Gregory said Wednesday night. “High character, highly talented, great competitor, great winner. And maybe that winning piece is the thing that was so important to us.”TJ Benson is an assistant coach at Arizona who helped recruit Peat and worked closely with him in Tucson. Not long after the Suns drafted Peat, The Athletic asked Benson for his thoughts on certain parts of Peat’s game. A theme surfaced in Benson’s responses — Peat is prepared to do whatever the Suns need.Motor: “The motor, the physicality, the toughness, those are things that have allowed Koa to kind of become who he is. Motor is a skill. I think NBA teams look at how hard a guy can play and being able to impact both sides of the basketball. It’s a huge part of what the game is, and I think with Koa, that’s something he can continue to actually even improve on.”Shooting: “It’s going to come down to the reps, and he’s going to put the work in. He’s just got to continue to trust the people that are around him, making those tweaks, those decisions in terms of what to do with his shot. But one thing about him is, he’s going to figure it out.”Defense: “Koa’s got great feet. He’s got great physicality. He’s got elite hands. If you’re in the right situation, he can defend 1 through 5. Having that versatility to defend multiple positions, a lot of it’s a mindset. And if you tell Koa to be one of the best defenders in the league, he’s going to put his head down and try to do it.”Winning: “I think it’s something you just kind of have. You obviously have to be put in those moments and be ready for those moments, but I think a lot of it’s just the preparation. It’s the things that he’s done in terms of being able to mentally as well as physically be able to embrace those moments and be ready for them and obviously have success in them.”Over the last few weeks, Peat’s shooting issues overshadowed his strengths.Gregory pointed out the forward’s ability to attack the rim and his willingness to knock a defender on his backside. He mentioned Peat’s performance against Michigan in the Final Four, when Peat shot poorly (6 of 18) but still made an impact, finishing with 16 points and 11 rebounds.The Suns did not host Peat for a pre-draft workout — originally at No. 47, it didn’t seem reasonable — but they met with him Sunday and showed him around the Phoenix facility. They discussed Peat’s goals and his experience at Arizona.Everyone was impressed.“We are bringing someone into an environment that we think is becoming someplace special,” Gregory said. “I always talk about the pathway for development. That’s clear. There’s no obstacles.”Jun 25, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms