Phoenix Suns: New coach, new point guard reasons for excitement

3. A full season of Tsunami Papi

Is it far to say Valley Boyz part one or part two?

Nonetheless, Kelly Oubre Jr., a.k.a. Tsunami Papi, has made his mark with the Phoenix Suns. In just one season, Oubre went from a bench warmer in Washington to a the next big thing in Phoenix. That’s reflective of his NBA career to this point.

Coming out of Kansas, it looked as though Oubre was destined for greatness at the NBA level. He had been an integral part of a 2014 Kansas team that ranked in the top 10 for the majority of the college season, a season that pushed him to going No. 15 in the 2015 NBA draft.

But since then, where has Oubre been?

In three full seasons with the Washington Wizards, the forward only started 25 games and struggled to find consistent minutes. Last season was the first Oubre averaged more than 12 points a game with the Wizards, only to find himself shipped out after only 29 games.

And that’s just were Oubre found his Valley Boyz calling.

In 40 games, the forward exploded to a career-high 16.9 points per game and established himself as a bona fide NBA starter. He quickly worked himself into the starting lineup and showcased his skills to both shoot (45.3 percent) and guard at a high level.

And even more important was the amount of energy Oubre brought to the court each and every night, not only was it contagious to his teammates, but to the fans watching.

And heading into 2019-20, it doesn’t look like he’s slowing down a single bit. With a two-year deal locked up with the Suns, Oubre can focus on showing fans what a full season of Tsnami Papi looks like.