If there’s one thing the Phoenix Suns have done this season, it’s reconnected with their fan base in a way that feels real-and earned. This team isn’t just winning games; they’re playing with a purpose, a cohesion, and a competitive edge that’s been missing in recent years.
And if you’ve been following this team through the ups and downs, you can feel the difference. The disjointed basketball of the past two seasons-the kind that made even the highlights feel skippable-is gone.
What’s replaced it is a team that’s not just competing, but demanding your attention.
The Suns are putting together sequences that make you pause, rewind, and send a “did you see that?” text.
They’ve found an identity, and it shows. Around the league, there’s a growing respect-not because of hype or headlines, but because of how they’re getting it done.
Other fan bases are noticing, too. Phoenix flipped the switch, and more than a few teams wish they could do the same.
That momentum carried into All-Star Weekend, where the Suns were represented in an unexpected-but undeniably entertaining-way. During Friday night’s NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, Suns owner Mat Ishbia suited up for Team Anthony, captained by actor Anthony Anderson.
On the other side? Team Giannis, with the two-time MVP lending his name to the squad.
The contrast was almost comical-one team had an NBA superstar attached to it, the other had the guy from Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. But that’s the Celebrity Game for you.
“Celebrity” is always a loose term in this setting, and depending on your pop culture radar, you might have recognized half the roster-or none of it. But one name Suns fans knew right away was Mat Ishbia. And to his credit, he didn’t just show up-he showed out.
Sure, Team Anthony took the loss, but Ishbia brought energy from the jump. He was rocking a pair of Book 2 Fragments-Devin Booker’s latest signature shoe, which Booker debuted just days earlier against Dallas-and he made sure those kicks got some screen time.
The highlight of the night? A running jumper over 7’6” Tacko Fall, who, in typical Tacko fashion, casually dropped a 20-point, 20-rebound performance like it was nothing.
But Ishbia’s moment stood out. It was the kind of play that summed up the night-unexpected, a little absurd, and totally fun.
The Suns’ owner flying down the lane, pulling up over a literal giant, and making the shot? That’s the kind of stuff that makes All-Star Weekend what it is.
Oh, and for the record-he outrebounded Tacko Fall, too.
Ishbia played like someone who’s watched a lot of Suns basketball-and maybe even dreamed about being out there himself. He pressed full court, threw behind-the-back passes, jumped passing lanes, and brought a level of intensity that felt straight out of a Tom Izzo practice.
That Michigan State DNA? It’s still in there.
It was a lighthearted night, but it carried the same spirit this Suns team has shown all season: compete, have fun, and don’t back down.
Now, attention shifts to night two, where Devin Booker steps into the spotlight for the three-point contest. It hasn’t been his flashiest season statistically, but he’s been a key piece of a Suns team that’s found its groove. And while the odds might not favor him on paper, Booker’s got the kind of smooth stroke and competitive fire that can heat up in a hurry.
If you’re looking for a reason to believe? Just look at how the Suns have been playing.
This team-and this franchise-has rediscovered its edge. And right now, it feels like they’re just getting started.