In the first couple of months during his rookie year, Devin Booker wasn’t even logging double-figure minutes. However, his competitive spirit made him back himself against anyone who faced him as he worked his way up as a starting guard. Witnessing his incredible drive, then Suns coach Earl Watson gave him a chance as a starter and the results speak for themselves. Appearing on the Fanduel-powered Run It Back podcast, the former Suns HC spoke glowingly about the battle-hardened guard.
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Watson pointed out how a 19-year-old Booker had a “maturity” to his game. He also realized that while having the necessary shooting skills, the guard also had the “work ethic” to thrive in the league. The coach also disclosed an intriguing anecdote about the incredible player.
“I was a Development Coach and Devin Booker was not playing. And at the end of every practice, he’d play everyone who was staying one-on-one and he would beat them. As he walked off the court, he’d yell, ‘I don’t understand why I am not playing!’ I was like this kid is different,” reminisced Earl Watson.
“The moment I knew Devin Booker was going to be that guy…At the end of every practice he would play everyone that who was staying, 1-on-1, and he would beat them…There’d be some physical altercations but the kid never backed down.”@Earl_Watson has high praise for Devin… pic.twitter.com/Ym5utAIZvj
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) January 10, 2024
Watson also revealed that Book wasn’t afraid of getting into physical altercations. He even went face-to-face against strongly built PJ Tucker. However, the shooting guard remained unfazed throughout the process and could walk the talk. By then he had known that he’d have to work harder than anyone else to prove his worth.
During the 2015 NBA draft, Devin Booker slipped to the 13th spot. It was clear that many NBA scouts had overlooked the talent of the future All-Star scorer. In college, he was a part of the loaded Kentucky squad which was headlined by 2015 #1 pick Anthony-Towns, so he went under the radar. Therefore, in his initial career, the Suns guard was just seen as an off-the-ball shooter.
This public perception acted as fuel to his fire and Watson identified that he was on a mission. It wasn’t just the former Suns coach who felt his intensity, even the always-fired-up Kobe Bryant could see it.
The Black Mamba loved Devin Booker’s attitude
By the time Booker clashed against Mamba, he had developed into a solid starting guard. On March 23, 2016, Devin Booker had his sole duel against Bryant who was set to retire in a month. During this battle, Booker had the upper hand and collected 28 points, 7 assists, and one steal, while the retirement-bound Bryant had 17 points as the Suns won 119-107.
In the post-game conference, the Lakers legend showered praise on the budding star. He pointed out how when he squared him up for the first time, the young scorer tried to hit a fadeaway over him in a style that mimicked his own.
“It’s absolutely great to see. Cause I remember I did the same thing with MJ. He[Booker] has the right attitude I think. His footwork is extremely sound. His fundamentals are extremely sound. And now it’s just about him, figuring out what exactly his game is”, expressed Kobe “Bean” Bryant.
And D-Book did capitalize upon his initial drive and development. He has already nabbed 3x All-Star appearances. He led the Suns to a Finals berth in 2021, only to lose to the Bucks in six games. Then, in the following 2021-22 season, he led his team to the best record in the league, succumbing to the Mavericks in the West Semis.
Currently, he has the services of elite offensive dynamos Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, but it seems like the championship dream is still far-fetched. Meanwhile, there is no doubt that he is among the elite talents.
