Hayden Cilley Articles - Page 2

PHOENIX– Jordan Ott might not have been an NBA coach for very long in the league, but neither has star player Victor Wembanyama. The current Phoenix Suns head coach is in his first season with the team, and Wembanyama is in his third. Still, the two encountered each other for the first time during a […]

Players come and go in the NBA, but some leave a lasting impression. Some are like Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker: the epitome of honing in on your craft, season after season. Then there are those like San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama: a true freak of nature, towering at 7’4. He has guard […]

PHOENIX— The Utah Jazz might’ve been spooked on Friday’s rendition of Halloween hoops, courtesy of Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker. After Booker posted 34 points against the Jazz in a Monday overtime loss, he avenged it with a 36-point masterclass in a 118-96 win. He shot 13-23 from the field and had 12 points […]

Perhaps an underrated return belongs to Jusuf Nurkic of the Utah Jazz. The current backup center is one of many in Utah’s rotation. One season ago, though, the Phoenix Suns traded Nurkic to the Charlotte Hornets right before the 2024-25 trade deadline. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise for both parties. Still, […]

PHOENIX— The emergence of the next Phoenix Suns big man could be in the form of 23-year-old center Mark Williams. Let’s take a step back before making any bold claims. When the Suns traded for Williams on draft night, despite taking another center in Khaman Maluach, it felt like Williams might be brushed out of […]

With a week before the regular season, the Phoenix Suns announced that Jalen Green would miss the season opener due to a hamstring injury. Originally, he was to be evaluated within 10 days, which prompted him to miss the first game. However, he missed the next three. Still, there is reason to be hopeful after […]

A 1-3 record isn’t appealing to the Phoenix Suns, but the progression by Mark Williams has been a welcome sight, especially after the team’s overtime loss to the Utah Jazz. After the Suns traded for Williams on draft night, many thought it was a mistake because of his injury history. However, throughout the offseason, head […]

For all the talk about the Phoenix Suns this offseason, they were poised to be a scrappy defensive team. Well, that’s at least what Dillon Brooks and head coach Jordan Ott collectively shared a vision for. Now, the team has allowed 116, 129, and 133 points through the first three games of the season. Granted, […]

PHOENIX– In the season opener, Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott had the first of what could be many ‘valley moments’. It was an atypical game, considering the Suns were down by as many as 20 during the second quarter. But both Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks showed no real surprise at the 120-116 comeback […]

One element the Phoenix Suns underscored was a new culture, and team owner Mat Ishbia and shooting guard Devin Booker have been at the forefront of it. After a tumultuous 2024-25 season, the franchise is hoping to turn a new leaf. A retooled roster, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal no longer in town, and a […]

With the Phoenix Suns officially tipping off the 2025-26 NBA season on Wednesday, all eyes are on Devin Booker and a new-look Phoenix team, which lost Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, signaling a period of retooling in the Valley. For whatever it’s worth, plenty of national media believe that Phoenix will have a rough year. […]

For all of the roster changes the Phoenix Suns made during the 2025 offseason, the franchise made one move that might’ve gone under the radar: trading for Mark Williams. After the Suns acquired Williams on draft night, it appeared to be confusing, considering the team drafted another young center in Khaman Maluach with the No. […]

The Phoenix Suns have an ideal plan with their center rotation, according to head coach Jordan Ott. With four centers on the team, it feels that there might be some confusion with who will get minutes. Mark Williams, Nick Richards, Oso Ighodaro, and rookie Khaman Maluach all have similar yet different skill sets. Williams is […]

The new NBA Netflix show ‘Starting Five’ already has some crazy reactions, especially from former Phoenix Suns all-star and All-NBA forward Kevin Durant. Midway through a tumultuous season, a report was generated about the Suns trying to trade Durant to the Golden State Warriors. When he got wind of it, he immediately denied the trade […]

An experiment unlike any other: and for perhaps the wrong reasons. When the Phoenix Suns traded for Kevin Durant in February 2023, it was the biggest trade for the franchise since Charles Barkley. This also marked the biggest mid-season trade in recent NBA history. But what happened after Durant was traded to the Houston Rockets […]

PHOENIX– The Phoenix Suns announced that Jalen Green would miss the season opener due to a hamstring injury. Head coach Jordan Ott said he aggravated the injury during the team’s trip to Macao, China. It’s very discouraging news for Green, who played 186 consecutive games without an injury. Now, he’ll miss the first game of […]

When a player goes from the top at their position to not even being mentioned, some might think of a rational explanation. Injuries, natural regression, among other things. However, that isn’t the case for Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker. The annual NBA general manager rankings didn’t even list Booker in the top five shooting guards. […]

PHOENIX– The 2025 WNBA season is sealed… or is it? Well, that’s not what the Phoenix Mercury seem to believe, and for good reason. Phoenix and the 12 other teams are eyeing the upcoming collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations. Those discussions can influence the salary cap, free agents, and a multitude of other things. Three […]

PHOENIX– Following Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts’ being ejected from the WNBA Finals, associate head coach Kristi Toliver had her moment in Game 4. She immediately sprang from her seat on the bench as she watched Tibbetts furiously exiting the court. However, there wasn’t time to think about it. Players like Alyssa Thomas and […]

The Phoenix Suns might’ve unlocked a premier option next to Devin Booker, and it might not be Jalen Green. It could very well be Dillon Brooks. After the latter was traded to Phoenix as a part of the Kevin Durant trade, it felt like a full-circle moment. During training camp, Brooks emphasized that Booker was […]

PHOENIX– Despite the Phoenix Mercury being swept in the 2025 WNBA Finals by the Las Vegas Aces, it didn’t sway Kahleah Copper’s confidence. Funny enough, it seemed that she was in good spirits the moment she stepped into the press conference room. Even with the obvious disappointment, there was a sense of clarity. After reflecting […]

PHOENIX– Now that the Las Vegas Aces have won the 2025 WNBA Finals, the CBA negotiations are the next priority. As soon as players like Chelsea Gray made their way to the podium to speak to reporters, it felt like it was a matter of time before someone asked. To close out the press conference, […]

PHOENIX– A’ja Wilson is becoming one-of-one. After Wilson helped the Las Vegas Aces win the 2025 WNBA championship, she capped an unbelievable season. Winning the MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, as well as Finals MVP, all in the same year, is unheard of. Funny enough, she joined Michael Jordan’s territory of becoming the fourth-ever […]

PHOENIX– Game 4 of the WNBA Finals had everything that could’ve gone wrong for the Phoenix Mercury. From injuries to Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts being ejected, it felt like this was the tip of the iceberg. However, the second-year man had some interesting words postgame. While he wasn’t furious when asked about the officiating, […]

UPDATE: Alyssa Thomas returned to the court for the start of the third quarter. PHOENIX– Things have gone from bad to worse for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA Finals, as Alyssa Thomas left the game with an undisclosed injury. She was holding her arm in grimacing pain after colliding with Las Vegas Aces guard […]

The Phoenix Mercury have yet another hurdle to overcome on Friday in a pivotal Game 4 of the WNBA Finals. After Satou Sabally left the game with an injury, the team announced she sustained a concussion and will miss Friday’s game. She posted 24 points and was propelling a potential comeback after the team was […]

PHOENIX — Alyssa Thomas and defense fit like a glove. It can be like the addition of chocolate to milk. In this case, defense fuels the Phoenix Mercury, and it starts with the proclaimed “engine” of the team. Despite Thomas playing like an MVP for the Mercury, she has kept one thing the same ever […]

PHOENIX– Trailing 0-3 in any seven-game series is a tall task to overcome. The Phoenix Mercury find themselves in an interesting predicament after losing 90-88 to the Las Vegas Aces in Game 3. It was another close loss, but A’ja Wilson hit the game-winner for the Aces that sent the WNBA world into a frenzy. […]

One constant throughout the 2025 Phoenix Mercury season has been Satou Sabally’s stance on the WNBA’s CBA negotiations. While other players on the team have been reserved, she hasn’t shied away from her true feelings. For instance, after a loss against the Las Vegas Aces in August, Sabally ripped the WNBA and CBA, while mentioning […]

With the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA Finals, Alyssa Thomas has been the talk of the team. In her first season, she helped the franchise reach its first Finals since 2021. Coincidentally, Diana Taurasi took the team to its last appearance. Both have been consistent competitors and two of the best when both were playing. […]

As the Phoenix Mercury wrapped up practice before Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Aces, there was one note everyone took: Zone defense. Las Vegas did a masterful job in the final two quarters of implementing the defense. It resulted in a barrage of contested shots, shot-clock violations, and inefficient basketball. However, head coach Nate […]

The Phoenix Mercury falling to the Las Vegas Aces in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals might not have been a big surprise to anyone. For people watching the game, it was strange how they squandered a lead. But it wasn’t strange to Kahleah Copper and Nate Tibbetts. Both saw the Aces switch to a […]

Although it may only be the preseason, Phoenix Suns rookie Khaman Maluach impressed many before the game began on Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers. For instance, Maluach impressed the Suns with the amount of muscle he put on. It was quite impressive, considering he was drafted nearly three months prior. That commitment could be […]

Less than 24 hours remain until the 2025 WNBA Finals, where the Phoenix Mercury and Las Vegas Aces will meet for the league’s ultimate prize. Although the Mercury have some potential concerns during this series, there are three things Phoenix might have happened that will shock everyone. Satou Sabally will be the Mercury’s WNBA Finals […]

For all of the success the Phoenix Mercury have had, they face their biggest obstacle in the 2025 WNBA Finals: the Las Vegas Aces. The latter defeated the Indiana Fever on Tuesday in an overtime thriller to advance to the final round of competition. However, the Aces hold a 3-1 season series against Phoenix and […]

One name has been a constant all year for the Phoenix Mercury. She doesn’t receive the glitz and glamour of her team’s Big 3, but this particular player has hit big shot after big shot. Not to mention, she’s shooting over 50% from the field and from beyond the three-point line in the playoffs. That […]

It goes without saying, but the Phoenix Mercury should hope for one key matchup in the 2025 WNBA Finals. As soon as Game 5 between the Las Vegas Aces and the Indiana Fever takes place, Phoenix will likely hope the latter takes it home. The reason why? It’s simply an easier route for them to […]

PHOENIX– The Phoenix Mercury versus everybody. The team’s mantra, encapsulated by head coach Nate Tibbetts, along with his talented roster, was particularly evident after the team advanced to the WNBA Finals in an 86-81 victory over the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday. And that success came from his family, both immediate and his Mercury one. Success […]

PHOENIX– DeWanna Bonner has endured as mentally taxing a WNBA season as it gets. Before Bonner signed with the Phoenix Mercury in early July, the previous two months were filled with ridicule, discontentment, and pure disdain. She was originally a member of the Indiana Fever before deciding on a contract buyout from the team. That […]