3. He Can Be More Than Just A Shooter
Booker was frequently pegged as the best pure shooter in this year’s draft class, and we’ll get to how that fits in with the Suns in a minute. But both McDonough and head coach Jeff Hornacek seemed confident that he can be more than the guy who just stands in the corner and shoots open looks.
“Coming into the pre-draft process, I think people kind of pigeonholed Devin as a spot-up shooter, and one of the things that stood out as we dug in deeper on the film, as we talked to the coaches and the people around Kentucky and just really cracked down and studied him, was that he’s a lot more than that,” McDonough said. “He’s able to catch-and-shoot, he’s got great elevation on the ball, but he’s also able to catch the ball and put in on the floor and make a play.”
At the next level, Booker will need to improve his ball handling. He’ll also need to take the ball to the basket more often than he did in college, especially when defenses close-out on him too recklessly. But both McDonough and Hornacek noted that even when he wasn’t attacking the rim, he was making the smart play and passing out to the open man after probing the defense.
Jeff Hornacek on Devin Booker: "He's a smart player. He knows how to play. He makes extra passes. He'll get in the lane."
— Paul Coro (@paulcoro) June 26, 2015
Hornacek said that element will be a natural development in his game once he earns respect from defenders for his three-point touch.
“When you’re a rookie a lot of times you get those open looks because if teams are gonna go help, they’re gonna go help on the veteran guys,” he said. “So once he establishes that you can’t leave him open, that’s when the adjustments in his game will come.”
On the defensive end of the floor, Booker was nothing special in college. But at 6’6″ and with a 6’8″ wingspan, he has the physical tools to become a serviceable defender at the NBA level.
Devin Booker has a 6'8" wingspan that's grown 2 inches since last year, is the youngest guy in the draft, and could be its best shooter.
— sreekar (@sreekyshooter) June 26, 2015
“He has the potential to be pretty strong, he already is fairly strong, once he gets in the weight room and matures, you know, he’s only 18 years old,” McDonough said. “He has the potential to be a guy who can guard multiple positions.”
Finally, it’s worth noting that Booker impressed people at the 2015 NBA Draft Combine with his sneaky athleticism, recording the fastest times in the lane agility and shuttle runs. Label him solely as a shooter for now if you must, but this kid has a ton of potential to strengthen the other areas of his game and become a much more polished product down the road.
Next: No. 2