Gabriel “Iffe” Lundberg signed a two-way contract with the Phoenix Suns on March 12, and on April 3, Lundberg made his NBA debut against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite only playing four minutes, those four minutes made Lundberg the NBA’s first Danish-born player in the history of the league.
The 27-year-old was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, and began his professional playing career at the age of 20 after signing with the Copenhagen Wolfpack. Between 2014 and 2022, Lundberg traveled around Europe playing for teams in Denmark, Spain, Poland, and Russia and most recently played for CSKA Moscow, averaging 9.1 points per game in 24 games in EuroLeague play. Lundberg has also played for the Danish National Team since 2013.
Lundberg announced that he left CSKA Moscow on February 27 due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and two weeks later, the Phoenix Suns signed the guard to a two-way contract for the remainder of the season. Lundberg was considered the best international free agent on the market, according to ESPN Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski.
After almost two and a half weeks and his visa clearance getting delayed, Lundberg officially joined the team on March 29 and five days later on April 3, he made his NBA debut against the Oklahoma City Thunder, only playing four minutes in a game that Phoenix would go on to lose 117-96. Three days after his debut on April 6, Lundberg would score his first NBA points in a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on a three-point shot off a screen from Bismack Biyombo.
“I am aware that I’m representing not only myself but also my country when I step on the court,” Lundberg said in his first news conference with the team on March 29. “That’s in my mind as well, a very humbling experience.”
In his March 29 press conference, Lundberg also explained his process of getting acclimated to the system and how it’s been hectic but he’s happy to be a member of a team with a winning culture.
“A super talented team, very unselfish team, they play with a high speed and a great energy,” Lundberg said in his March 29 news conference. “To see the sense of awareness, the sense of happiness that this group shares, I like that.”
After IfFe joined the team, it didn’t take long for team leaders like Devin Booker and Chris Paul to recognize his talent and work ethic. During an April 5 news conference, Devin Booker explained that the advice he gave Lundberg when he first joined the team was to “just enjoy it.”
“To be overseas and to jump on the team with the best record in the NBA is an unbelievable experience,” Booker said in his April 5 press conference. “He’s taking it in, He’s enjoying it, he fits right in with the team.”
Booker also explained how after the Suns signed Iffe, he took the time to watch his highlights and watched him play 1 vs. 1 game after practice. Booker concluded his statement by describing Lundberg as a “hooper.”
Chris Paul has also taken notice of the newest addition to the team. Paul expressed in a post-game news conference after the Suns’ loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on April 6 that while he emphasizes the importance of winning games, he also wants to see Iffe get playing time.
“Iffe just came to our team a few weeks ago and couldn’t be more solid of a human being,” Paul said in his April 6 news conference. “The way he plays, the way he just fit right in with our team so get out there and play, and that’s what I wanted to tell coach, don’t forget he’s over here.”
Suns fans are also excited to see the international star officially join the team. In an interview with Suns fan Jacob Jones, he explained how he was excited to hear the news of Lundberg joining the team and hopes to see him make key contributions on the court when the playoffs begin.
“This guy can be someone that we can be dependent on when it comes to playoff time,” Jones said.
With the regular season coming to an end on April 10, Lundberg will face a new challenge as the Suns set their eyes on the NBA playoffs, but with leaders like Devin Booker and Chris Paul on the team, Lundberg can prove to be a huge asset when the Suns begin their playoff journey.
