Suns’ Alex Len saved drowning friend in Dominican Republic
Get breaking news and SI’s biggest stories instantly. Download the new Sports Illustrated app (iOS or Android) and personalize your experience by following your favorite teams and SI writers.
Phoenix Suns center Alex Len saved his friend from drowning while on vacation in the Dominican Republic last month, reportsThe Arizona Republic’s Paul Coro.
Len’s friend, Jay Johnson, jumped into a wave while swimming in the ocean and got caught in a riptide that pulled him roughly 40 yards from the beach.
“I thought I was going to die,” Johnson said. “He risked his life for me. Nobody knows how far gone I was.”
The 22-year-old Len ran into the ocean and rescued his friend.
“By the time I got to [Johnson], he was halfway passed out,” Len said. “He couldn’t swim. He wasn’t moving. If I would’ve come a couple minutes later, he probably would’ve drowned.”
• SHARP: Mock Draft 3.0: Lottery preview
Len, a three-year NBA veteran, averaged nine points and 7.6 rebounds this season for the Suns.
