'Duop's ditty': Reath tunes up for 'full circle moment' Suns

• Duop Reath is back with the Phoenix Suns four years after the 2022 Summer League
• Reath covers for Mark Williams, who had shoulder surgery in September
• He will mentor fellow South Sudanese big man Khaman Maluach in Phoenix

Four years ago, Duop Reath was cut by the Phoenix Suns after the 2022 Summer League. Today the Australian Boomers big man is their back-up centre.

Reath, 30, dropped 13 points in his first Summer League game for the Suns but suffered an ankle injury just as he was getting going. Phoenix Suns starting centre Mark Williams' injury has delivered the 2.06m Olympic Games bronze medallist another opportunity in the Arizona desert.

"It's just God's plan. It's already written," Reath said.

"This is God's plan and a full-circle moment. I'm just fortunate to be here."

Reath's past 12 months have been nothing short of a rollercoaster.

He played in 32 games for the Portland Trail Blazers last season, averaging 2.9 points and 1.2 rebounds in 8.1 minutes per game. But he was lights out from deep, shooting 41.8% on limited attempts.

Reath had season-ending surgery to repair a stress fracture in his right foot on January 29, 2026. Three days later, on February 1, Portland traded him and two future second-round picks to the Atlanta Hawks for Vít Krejčí. The Hawks waived him on February 5, leaving him a free agent while he focused on rehabilitating the foot.

The Suns knocked on the door last month and signed the stretch four-five to a veteran league minimum after Williams had shoulder surgery.

"It's definitely an opportunity, but at the end of the day, I've just got to stay ready and find ways to contribute," Reath said.

"Whatever's needed from me, just go out there and do my job. I'm just going to compete.

"Just go out there and play hard. You're going to see it every night. I'm going to compete, cheer my teammates on and be a good teammate.

"Just do whatever we can to help the team win."

Reath is from Waat in South Sudan and now has an opportunity to mentor rising star big Khaman Maluach, who was born in Rumbek, South Sudan.

Maluach, 20, is heading into his second season with the Suns after being drafted with the 10th pick in 2025 by the Houston Rockets. He was traded to the Suns as part of a deal for future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant.

"I've known him for quite a while now, and I've seen his journey," Reath added.

"The growth he's had has been incredible.

"He's so talented. From what I've seen and what I know of him, he's a hard worker, and the things he's doing are the right things at the moment.

"He just keeps growing, and his trajectory is going up. All I can do is be there for him.

"Whatever he needs, just be there and keep watching him grow and supporting him in any way I can."

The Phoenix Suns tip off their preseason against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at 10am (AEDT) and the regular season against Reath's former ball club, the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 1pm (AEDT).