Phoenix Suns: 5 Things You May Have Missed From Media Day

5. Bledsoe Is Bigger

Eric Bledsoe’s work ethic was one of the main topics of conversation, for obvious reasons. Bledsoe was the best player on the Suns last year, but he never really showed any sort of charisma or leadership in a locker room that clearly needed it.

After a summer where he was present in Phoenix for the whole offseason and did all the right things, the big story was the way he took steps toward becoming a leader.

But one change that anyone could see at Media Day, even without being in Phoenix all summer, was how much bigger Bledsoe’s gotten over the last few months. If you thought that was impossible, behold:

“I’ve been in the gym every day, so I definitely put in the work,” Bledsoe said.

Yeah, no kidding. Bledsoe, a.k.a. “mini-LeBron,” was already one of the most athletic guards in the league. His duel with Russell Westbrook last year was just one of many examples of his unbelievable speed, jumping ability and strength. Though he sometimes got tired from putting in all that effort on both ends of the floor, head coach Jeff Hornacek said Bledsoe had been working on his conditioning this summer too.

For those worrying that a bulked up Bledsoe would be a step slow, it appears he’s not only put on more muscle, but that he countered the threat of it slowing him down it by working on his conditioning as well. It’s not just his focus on stepping up as a leader that should have fans feeling confident about Bledsoe’s 2015-16 season; it’s his basic physical stature as well.

Next: No. 4