Khaman Maluach Records First NBA 3-Pointer in Suns Loss

Phoenix Suns rookie Khaman Maluach achieved a personal milestone on Sunday, February 22, 2026, sinking his first career NBA 3-pointer during a 92-77 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. Arizona Sports and Yahoo Sports reported on the achievement.

Rare Opportunity for Rookie Center

The 7-foot-1 center’s successful shot also marked the first 3-pointer made by the Suns, who had previously missed their first 11 attempts from beyond the arc. This marked only the second time this season Maluach has seen playing time in the first half of a game, with the previous instance occurring on October 25 against the Denver Nuggets.

Career Performance in Limited Minutes

Maluach finished the game with a career-high seven points on 3-of-5 shooting, along with a personal-best seven rebounds in a career-high 16 minutes of play. He entered the game having made 0 of 8 three-point attempts in the NBA, although shooting 30.8% from three in 10 G League games.

Rookie Contributions in a Loss

Rasheer Fleming, another Suns rookie, also contributed a 3-pointer during the game, adding another in the fourth quarter. Fleming is 12 for 48 (25%) from three-point range in 31 games played. Koby Brea also entered the game, hitting one of two 3-pointers in his two fourth-quarter minutes. Brea, Maluach, and Fleming were the only Suns players with a positive plus-minus for the night (+1, +6, and +2 respectively).

Suns Struggle from the Field

Despite the individual achievements of the rookies, the Suns struggled offensively, scoring a season-low 40 points in the first half and finishing with a season-worst 77 points. They shot 9 of 35 (26%) from three-point range. The Trail Blazers were led by Donovan Clingan, who scored 23 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. ESPN reported the final score and game details.

Maluach’s Development

Suns head coach Jordan Ott commented on Maluach’s development, stating that the team’s G League affiliate, the Valley Suns, does a good job of setting specific intentions for him each night. In his time with the Valley Suns, Maluach is averaging 15.8 points and 12.5 rebounds while shooting 57.4% from the field.