Ishmail Wainwright, the former Phoenix Suns forward and much-loved player among fans is making a return to the team on a two-way deal. The news was confirmed by The Athletic.
Wainwright, aged 29, initially pursued a career in the NFL after going undrafted in the NBA Draft. Later, he played basketball overseas before getting an opportunity with the Toronto Raptors. He joined the Suns in 2021 and played in over 100 games for them, including memorable moments like hitting four three-pointers in the fourth quarter during their win against the Dallas Mavericks.
Despite being released before this season, Wainwright remained connected to the Suns and attended their recent game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. This move might have been in the works for some time, as there have been talks of bringing a G-League team back to Phoenix.
Under the terms of his new deal, Wainwright will be available to play for the Suns for the rest of the regular season. However, he will not be eligible for the playoffs unless his contract is converted to a standard NBA deal.
The Silverbacks missed the services of NBA star Ishmael Wainwright during the 2025 Afrobasket qualifiers that took place in Tunisia due to personal reasons.
