People familiar with Royce O’Neale’s resume and capabilities aren’t at all surprised by the impact he’s already had on the court for the Phoenix Suns.
O’Neale’s ability to make the right decision quickly in many different scenarios is exactly what the Suns needed, especially on the defensive end. He’s able to handle matchups that wouldn’t necessarily come to mind for a 6-foot-5 player.
Take the Sunday win over the Los Angeles Lakers for example.
O’Neale was the closest defender on 18 shots, the second-most of any Sun in that game behind Jusuf Nurkic’s 25.