Matt Janning — #22 SG
Age:
22
Hometown: Watertown, Minn.
Birthday: June 22, 1988
Height: 6-5
Weight: 196
Position: SG
Experience: Rookie
Draft: 2010, undrafted
College: Northeastern
2010-11 Salary: N/A
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2010-11 season outlook: Matt Janning does not figure to make much of an impact on the 2010-11 Suns. His multi-year deal with the Suns came as a surprise to many who expected the Suns to sign a more natural point guard with their final roster spot.
Janning was arguably the best Summer Sun outside of Gani Lawal, averaging 12.6 points and 5.8 boards (more than Earl Clark) while showcasing an intuitive feel for the game.
However, on a deep Suns squad it will likely take a few injuries for Janning to see the floor before garbage time. He did vastly outplay last year’s 13th man Taylor Griffin in summer league and possesses the kind of basketball IQ that could make him a decent role player in Phoenix down the road.
Biography: Matt Janning has been an underdog in the basketball world his entire life. He grew up in the small town of Watertown, Minn., and scouts couldn’t shake his slender frame, leaving him offer-less heading into graduation.
But after an impressive summer Janning garnered a scholarship from Northeastern University, where he went on to play 129 games and solidify himself as one of the best scorers in school history. He played well over 30 minutes per game in all four seasons and averaged double figures every year, including 15.6 his senior season.
Janning was a two-time All-Colonial Athletic Association first team selection and won the CAA Player of the Year his junior season. The combo guard went undrafted but was invited to play for the Boston Celtics in the Orlando Summer League.
Janning impressed, scoring 20 points in his last game, which caused the Celtics to ask him to commit to them. But Janning couldn’t turn down an offer to play in the Las Vegas Summer League with the Suns, where he emerged as one of the team’s top players, averaging 12.6 points (third) and 5.8 rebounds (second). That performance earned Janning an offer that will guarantee him at least through preseason.
Links to ValleyoftheSuns coverage of Janning:
Matt Janning playing in Italy, hoping to return to NBA
Phoenix Suns release Matt Janning, assign Gani Lawal to Iowa Energy