Phoenix Suns: Can Sonny Weems Be The Next Gerald Green?

Nov 30, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Gerald Green (14) reacts after dunking the ball after rebounding the ball off the backboard to himself in the second quarter against the Orlando Magic at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 30, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Gerald Green (14) reacts after dunking the ball after rebounding the ball off the backboard to himself in the second quarter against the Orlando Magic at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
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Phoenix Suns
Jan 27, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Gerald Green (14) dunks during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center. The Suns defeated the Sixers 124-113. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Athleticism

Like Green before him, Weems figures to be an efficient three-point shooter off the bench. But even at the age of 29, Weems is also pretty similar to Green from an athletic standpoint.

He doesn’t have quite the same extraterrestrial hops that Green does, but his Leandro Barbosa-like drives to the basket and high-rising two-handed stuffs at the rim were impressive even when he was just a one-dimensional player during his early NBA stint:

Weems wasn’t known for much more than plays like that during his limited time in the NBA, so fans who haven’t watched him play over the last few years will be pleasantly surprised by his more well-rounded game. But to be completely honest, rim-rocking dunks in transition are exactly what could help Weems ascend to Gerald Green-esque levels of fan favoritism.

Luckily for Suns fans, Weems’ highlight reel plays didn’t stop when he took his game across the Atlantic. The high-flying jams that bookend the video below are just two illustrations of what Weems is capable of:

As an All-Euroleague First Team selection, Weems didn’t forget how to glide through the air during his time with CSKA Moscow either:

It may not seem like much, but part of what makes the game of basketball so memorable are the monster slam dunks. Nobody can dunk quite like the Green Machine, but with G-Air-ld gone, it looks like it’ll be a two-way competition between Weems and Archie Goodwin for the title of best dunker in Phoenix.

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