Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker was one of the biggest surprises from last season’s draft class. Coming out of Kentucky, we knew Booker was good — there’s a reason he was drafted 13th overall. However, most didn’t expect him to be the sort of player who would be able to take over games and fill up the scoring column in his first season in the league.
While Booker isn’t perfect (his efficiency and consistency could definitely see some improvement) he showed that he is capable of being a star in this league. If you’re the Suns, the fact that your 19-year-old shooting guard scored 30+ points six times in his rookie season is an excellent sign. So is the fact that he took third place (behind only the Splash Bros) in the 2016 Footlocker three-point contest.
Even better for the Suns, Booker likes it in Phoenix, and seems dedicated to the Suns. When asked if he sees himself playing a huge role like Steve Nash did for the Suns, Booker told Jeramie McPeak of Slam:
“Definitely,” he answers, without hesitation. “I love it in Phoenix and I want to be one of those guys that gets drafted by one team and stays there the whole time. You know, they turn around the franchise, and they get love for that in that city like they’re the mayor…People still wear Steve Nash jerseys here. That’s definitely something I want to be.”
This season, Booker became just the sixth player in NBA history to score 1,000+ points as a teenager, joining Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, and Kobe Bryant. Booker has a good head on his shoulders, and is immensely talented as a scorer. His superb play in his rookie season has earned him high praise from notable figures such as Kobe Bryant and Klay Thompson. Another NBA player who speaks highly of Booker is his former Kentucky teammate and Rookie of the Year winner Karl-Anthony Towns, writes McPeak:
“I never had that worry in my mind about Devin succeeding in the NBA,” KAT said after a March reunion with his fellow Kentucky alum, who flew under the radar in a reserve role with that “Blue Magic” squad (word to SLAM 187). “Whatever team he was going to get drafted to, they were getting a winner and one of the best shooters in this league, possibly that we’ll ever see.”
