“Responsibility to Do Everything on the Court”: Kevin Durant Comments on Devin Booker’s Improved Passing

Devin Booker’s role on the Phoenix Suns has adapted to fit alongside Kevin Durant. He had to get used to not being the first scoring option for the team that drafted him, and since the Olympics, he’s done a tremendous job. He racked up 11 assists in last night’s win over the Warriors, and Durant was raving about his teammate when talking to reporters in the locker room.

Despite being a 2x FMVP, Durant knows Booker is still the Suns’ franchise player, and his comments last night reflected that. When talking about his teammate’s improved passing game, Durant explained how every coach Book ever had has expected him to be an all-around player. He said,

“Yeah, I mean he has the responsibility to do everything out on the court. We expect that out of him. I think every coach that’s coached Book so far expects him to make plays, whether scoring, whether it’s passing, whether it’s getting a stop. So we expect him to do a lot of things, make the game easier for everybody.”

Book’s 30-point, 11-assist night was vital to the Suns’ fourth win in five games. After a slow period during which they lost almost every night, the Suns have turned their fortunes around and are currently 8th in the West with a 25-22 record.

Booker’s scoring has slowed this season. At 25.7 points per game, it’s his lowest since the 2020-2021 season. However, he’s averaging 6.8 assists per game, just off his career high of 6.9. His ball distribution is a large reason the Suns have managed to mount a fightback and are currently in the running for the play-in tournament.

Devin Booker leads the league in hockey assists

Hockey assists aren’t largely valued in the NBA, as they don’t get added to the stat sheet, but they can provide a better understanding of a player’s ability to distribute the ball. With 58 of them this season, Booker leads the league, and it’s just another testament to how much he’s improved as a player.

After an underrated role in Team USA’s Gold Medal win in Paris, Booker’s game has evolved to do more on the court. Coach Mike Budenholzer was all praise for his star and explained how Book can manage to keep his scoring up even with his high distribution numbers.

When addressing the media after the game, Bud praised Booker’s engine, claiming “he’s got the motor, he’s got the mindset to find his offense.” 

While his scoring is nothing to be laughed at, if Booker finds some level of consistency in his passing, he can truly elevate his game to possible MVP contention. Not only that, but the Suns would largely benefit in the long run, as they can finally mount a run at the Larry O’Brien trophy.