Jordan Goodwin: The Relentless Defensive Engine Powering Phoenix’s Rise
The Phoenix Suns are quietly building one of the most disruptive defenses in the league, and while names like Dillon Brooks, Ryan Dunn, and Mark Williams are getting their well-earned flowers, there’s one name flying under the radar - Jordan Goodwin. He’s not leading highlight reels or stuffing the box score, but if you watch closely, you’ll see a player who’s changing the game possession by possession, often before the offense even gets into its set.
Let’s break down why Goodwin might be the most important defender you’re not talking about.
The Numbers Behind the Nuisance
Goodwin’s defensive impact doesn’t jump off the stat sheet - unless you know where to look. His 1.5 steals per game rank third on the team, and his 2.4% steal rate paints the picture of a guard who’s not just reacting, but anticipating. He’s reading plays before they unfold, jumping passing lanes with purpose, not just gambling for steals.
He’s averaging 2.8 deflections per game, fourth on the team, which speaks volumes about his instincts and activity level. But what really sets him apart is how he defends the play before it becomes a play. His 2.5 contested shots per game might seem modest, but that’s because his job isn’t to clean up at the rim - it’s to make sure the offense never gets there cleanly.
Goodwin is the guy who throws a wrench in the gears before the machine even starts humming. He’s not the shot-blocker or the highlight-stealer.
He’s the disruptor. The system-breaker.
The guy who ruins the first option, crowds the second, and makes the third look like a desperation heave.
Elite Versatility, Elite Value
Advanced metrics back up what film junkies and coaching staffs already know: Goodwin is a defensive Swiss Army knife. He’s in the 86th percentile in Matchup Difficulty, meaning he’s routinely tasked with guarding tough covers. And he’s not being hidden - he’s operating behind Phoenix’s top defenders, taking on secondary threats that can’t be ignored.
His 89th percentile in defensive positional versatility shows he’s not just a one-position pest. He can switch, slide, and stay in front of multiple player types without compromising the team’s structure. That’s a huge asset in Phoenix’s switch-heavy system.
Then there’s the 93rd percentile in coverage versatility - a sign that he’s not just surviving different defensive schemes, he’s thriving in them. Whether it’s chasing through off-ball screens, navigating pick-and-rolls, or blowing up dribble hand-offs, Goodwin is always active, always engaged.
And when it comes to screen navigation and off-ball disruption, he’s elite - 95th percentile. That’s the territory of the league’s best system defenders. The guys who don’t just defend plays - they erase them from the whiteboard.
Controlled Chaos in a Disciplined System
Phoenix’s defense isn’t built on chaos - it’s built on controlled aggression. It’s a system that thrives on activity, switching, and collective pressure, and Goodwin fits that mold perfectly. He’s often deployed as a “chaser” or “ball pressure specialist,” hounding opposing guards, especially primary ball handlers, from the opening tip.
When Goodwin is on the floor, the Suns’ defensive rating drops to 106.7 - about five points better per 100 possessions. That’s not a coincidence.
His presence tightens the screws on opposing offenses, and the ripple effects are everywhere. Opponents grab significantly fewer offensive rebounds when he’s out there - a 9.4% drop in opponent OREB%.
That’s not just effort - that’s positioning, anticipation, and relentless pressure that forces rushed shots and bad angles.
He’s like a terrier on defense - always in your grill, always in your line of sight. He doesn’t overplay for steals, but he cuts off primary options and forces lateral movement.
Straight-line drives? Forget about it.
He’s constantly nudging ball handlers off their rhythm, keeping them uncomfortable without fouling or overcommitting.
The Fatigue Factor
What makes Goodwin so valuable isn’t just the possessions he wins - it’s the mental wear and tear he inflicts over the course of a game. He’s the kind of defender who doesn’t just make you work - he makes you think.
Every dribble feels tighter. Every pass window feels smaller.
Every read feels rushed.
That pressure builds. And by the time the fourth quarter rolls around, even the best guards start settling for jumpers they wouldn’t take in the first.
That’s not a stat. That’s a psychological edge - and Goodwin delivers it night in and night out.
He’s not defending just to get through a possession. He’s defending to dismantle your rhythm, your timing, your confidence. And that’s the kind of defense that doesn’t just stop plays - it breaks offenses.
The Unsung Backbone
Jordan Goodwin might not be the face of Phoenix’s defense, but he’s its pulse. He’s the first line of disruption in a system designed by Jordan Ott, and while Collin Gillespie is quarterbacking the second unit on offense, Goodwin is anchoring it on the other end.
He doesn’t need the spotlight. He’s not chasing accolades or counting stats. He’s doing the dirty work - the invisible work - that makes a good defense great.
So next time you’re watching the Suns clamp down on an opposing backcourt, keep an eye on No. 0.
You might not see the steal, but you’ll see the hesitation. You’ll see the pass that never happens.
You’ll see the offense sputter before it even starts.
That’s Jordan Goodwin. Not a highlight defender - a system disruptor. And every elite defense needs one.