In a rarity, two Phoenix Suns share today as a birthday, as Aron Baynes and Kelly Oubre turn 33 and 24 respectively. What is even rarer, is that it is a game day.
Someone tell Monty Williams to double up on the cake because not one, but two Phoenix Suns stars celebrate birthdays today. Aron Baynes and Kelly Oubre Jr. share this December 9th as birthday boys.
This marks the first time Suns teammates have had the same birthday since, you guessed it, the Morris twins inevitably did so back when they were teammates on the 2014-2015 roster.
This may surprise some folks, but while Aron Baynes and Kelly Oubre both exude an exuberant personality, alas, they are not twins.
Oubre turns 24 years old and Baynes (although he likely stopped counting three years ago) turns 33 on this December 9th.
Unlike Marcus Morris and Markieff Morris, whose September 2 birthdays were not during the regular NBA season, Baynes’ and Oubre’s birthday falls on a game day, which makes this occasion much rarer.
The last time I could find this this happened was when the Van Arsdale twins played for Phoenix Suns on their birthdays on February 22, 1976, although, it is a tough stat to research, so it is possible that isn’t the only one.
There is no doubt Kelly Oubre will be out there moshing and be ready for a big day, but the big question is whether or not Aron Baynes will be ready to go into a birthday battle with him.
Everyone’s favorite red-bearded Australian big man has sat out the Suns’ last four games with a calf strain, but is officially listed as questionable going into tonight’s match up against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Suns were able to defeat the Timberwolves just over two weeks ago without Baynes (in a game where future member of the Valley Boyz, Karl-Anthony Towns, played well), so the Suns hope they can repeat that success and give the two birthday boys another reason to celebrate.
The Suns have already two game day birthdays this season.
Back on October 30, when Devin Booker turned 23 years old, he put up 31 points against the Golden State Warriors in a blowout win.
Before that, on the very first game of the season, Elie Okobo made his only field goal attempt (a 3-pointer) in yet another birthday blowout against the Sacramento Kings.
The Suns hope to keep the birthday blowouts rolling against the Timberwolves tonight, but fans would settle for a win anyway they can get it.