How Suns’ G League star finally turned back clock in dominant Summer League explosion

LAS VEGAS– For all the talk surrounding the Phoenix Suns’ second-year players, Koby Brea might be the odd man out. Well, that was at least until Monday’s game, where he had 18 points and poured in six shots from beyond the arc.

After signing a two-way deal with the team in the offseason, and the latter giving him a qualifying offer, Summer League felt like the perfect make it or break it opportunity. The year prior, Brea had a major breakout.

In his first two games, it felt like a wasted chance. Luckily, there aren’t two games; there are four before the tournament. In that third game, the breakout happened.

Two of those six threes came in the final 90 seconds of the game. He sealed the deal and immediately got his swagger back.

For a shooter of Brea’s caliber, it was only a matter of time.

“I just trust my work. I haven’t been playing to the level that I feel like I should have been,” he explained to reporters after Monday’s game. “But at the end of the day, I’m gonna just trust my work every single day. I’m just rolling with the chips where they fall.

“I appreciate my teammates, you know, trusting me and believing in me every moment of the game, all three of these games. It’s definitely been helping me a lot.”

Koby Brea has much to prove on the Suns’ Summer League roster

Guys like Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming have proven their value to the main roster. Even rookie Koa Peat is making a case for legitimate minutes. The same can’t be said for the former Kentucky man, however.

Despite Brea’s elite shooting ability, it’s often negated by other areas in his game. The defensive inconsistencies, lack of playmaking, or rebounding are sometimes too glaring to ignore.

Brea is more than aware, as is his coaching staff. His second go-round can be a bit more stressful with those thoughts in his mind. Aiming for improvement, yet understanding his role is tough for any young player to balance, and he is no exception.

“It’s kind of tough to balance that, but at the same time, you gotta do what’s gonna keep you on the floor,” Brea said. “I know what they expect out of me and what they want out of me. For me, that’s really the biggest thing that I’m trying to show.

“I know that they know I can make shots, and so they’re not too concerned about that. They’re more just concerned about, well, not concerned, but they’re more just want to see the other things that I can do.”

With Brea being on a two-way deal, he’ll receive a majority of the developmental reps. Time is against the clock for him to be an impact player. Having his two fellow second-year players as the measuring stick doesn’t help his case.

The old saying: it’s not how you start, but how you finish could highlight Brea’s 2026 Summer League and show fans a glimpse of that dominant 2025 self.

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