Suns' Khaman Maluach Taking Pointers From 4-Time Defensive Player of the Year

PHOENIX -- Phoenix Suns young center Khaman Maluach has already shown that he has a great mentality when it comes to how he approaches the game.

Although Maluach did not see much run his rookie season after being drafted 10th overall last summer, he has said that he recognizes it's a process and knows his time will eventually come.

Maluach has taken advantage of his opportunity in the 2026 NBA Summer League, averaging 19.5 points and 12.8 rebounds while shooting 40% from 3 over Phoenix's first four games.

“I think I’ve always had the mental edge. I just had to go to the next level," Maluach said after recording 23 points and 15 rebounds against the Detroit Pistons Wednesday night (via ClutchPoints' Hayden Ciley). "I think the mental part was a good part, too. It’s a big piece of the game of basketball. It’s almost 90% mental than physical. I’ve always worked with that… learning from older guys, for example, reaching out to other bigs in the NBA and being able to learn from them."

So who has Maluach reached out to?

“I reached out to Rudy (Gobert) and I asked him how he keeps up with his body," Maluach said. "What he does throughout the whole summer, and just really learn from him and have something to take away from him.”

Khaman Maluach on what has grown off the court from his rookie to sophomore season.

“I think I’ve always had the mental edge. I just had to go to the next level. I think the mental part was a good part, too. It’s a big piece of the game of basketball. It’s almost 90% mental than… pic.twitter.com/hUJOQzkkBT
— Hayden Cilley (@HaydenCilley) July 16, 2026

Gobert, a four-time Defensive Player of the Year, has been known to go through a unique offseason training regimen, which once included a 64-hour darkness retreat, and follows a strict diet to help him stay in shape.

The 7-foot-2, 250-pound Maluach has a similar build to Gobert, who is 7-foot-1 and 258 pounds, so he is a great person for Maluach to reach out especially given Maluach's defensive upside.

Maluach's impressive Summer League has put a lot of people on notice, but his mentality might be what has stood out the most as he looks to get more playing time in the NBA.

“I don’t think there’s such a thing as too good (for Summer League). Even great players like LeBron James, they still have more to learn, so I don’t think there’s such a thing like that," Maluach said (via Ciley).

"I just go out there and play my game. I just go out there and leave it all out on the floor. I don’t think about no rebounds, I don’t think about no points because those are just numbers. I control what I control, and that’s my effort. That’s my energy and communication, and my leadership.”

If Maluach can continue to show that his mental edge will lead to positive results, it'll be hard for the Suns to not find minutes for him even in a crowded center room that also includes Mark Williams and Oso Ighodaro.

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