Suns' Alex Len helped by Tim Duncan, Tyson Chandler

Just five years ago, Alex Len was staying up or waking up at 3 a.m. in Ukraine to watch his idol, Tim Duncan, play a sport that Len had picked up only four years prior.

Two years ago, Len progressed to being a No. 5 draft pick and entered a preseason game in awe of being matched up against Duncan.

This summer, the idol became a mentor. Len visited San Antonio for three days in August to work with Duncan, a 19th-year Spurs star -- from the dark side for Suns fans -- helping the bright future of the Suns' 22-year-old center.

“He was super-cool about it,” Len said. “He was one of the nice players I’ve ever met in my life. He is one of the most humble superstars you’ll ever meet. He’s like Tyson (Chandler). He’s always happy to answer any question. He genuinely wants to help you.”

The chance to work on nuances with “The Big Fundamental” was set up by Suns senior adviser Lon Babby, who served as Duncan’s agent before becoming a Suns president in 2010. Len met Duncan, a 16-time All-Star, each day to work out and then join Spurs pickup games -- an option for any NBA player when visiting an opponent town in the offseason.

“He helped me a lot too with my patience, catching the ball, where you look, what action, what guys you’re looking for in cuts, reading defense,” Len said.

Len can feel daily improvement over the past two months because he is getting the best of both worlds in tutelage. After focusing his time with Duncan on offense, his defense is getting attention from Chandler. It is quite a step up in teammate competition from his first two seasons against Miles Plumlee, Slava Kravtsov and Earl Barron.

“Every time they go out on the court, Alex makes a move and Tyson’s talking to him,” Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said. “Alex is going to learn, and what better guy to learn from than the guy with championships and has a knowledge of the game?”

Len has the ideal approach for mentoring and coaching. He is a sponge for input and is unaffected by yielding the starting center job that he just took in February.

Instead, Len is openly excited about this season. That feeling is helped by the momentum of his offseason, his first that was not limited by surgeries or injuries. His frame remains 7 feet 1 and 260 pounds but he can tell the difference his stronger upper body makes when fighting for position or taking a hit on screens.

“I learn something new every day," Len said. "Like I talk to Tyson and he tells me something and I can apply it in the game right away. Like positioning and little things he helps with. I feel the game has slowed down a little bit from last year to this year. Now, when I dive and catch the ball, I see other guys more and read the game better.”

Len has been one of the Suns’ more diligent weight-room workers and video reviewers since arriving from Maryland two years ago. With better health, he took a step forward last season to average 6.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 22.0 minutes per game. After becoming a starter on Dec. 15, his 1.9 blocks per game tied for eighth best in the NBA.

“He has a promising future,” Chandler said. “He has all the tools that you want to see in a big man in this league. I don’t think he knows how good he is, to be quite honest. I think when he starts to understand that and starts to get that confidence, you’ll see him start to grow and explode. He’s long, agile. He can shoot the hook with both hands. He has a nice touch. And he has a big body. He’s a young player so he doesn’t understand how big he is and how much of a factor he could be on the court. It’s my job to help him along.”

Len said he is trying to use more of the skilled, touch finishes that Duncan taught him. But the Suns also want Len to dunk more, and he delivered during Friday's scrimmage in Flagstaff when he slammed through a Chandler block attempt.

“I told him the next play that I want him to go at me every single day in practice,” Chandler said. “It’s the only way we’re going to get better. I’m definitely going to go at him so I want him to go at me. He’s done that throughout camp. He’s made some big plays. He’s continued to grow. That was a big-time finish that he had right there. That’s the steps that you love to see.”

Len’s soft touch suggests that he will be a better mid-range shooter soon for pick-and-pops. Hornacek gave him a green light to take open corner 3-pointers. But Len is not enamored of moving outside.

“I’m a 7-footer. I’m not trying to focus on 3-pointers. My bread is down there,” Len said, pointing to the practice-court lane.

An offseason of workouts has made Len’s improved quickness and explosion noticeable to Hornacek, who has optimism for defensive improvements because Chandler or Len will almost always be on the floor.

Duncan might not relish the improvement when he faces his student as a competitor.

“I don’t think he’s going to say anything because he doesn’t say much,” Len said.

Reach Paul Coro at paul.coro@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-2470. Follow him at twitter.com/paulcoro.