Devin Booker could make NBA history in 2019-20

When you’re all the way at the bottom, you have nowhere to climb but up. For Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker, that climb could be one of the most vertiginous in NBA history.

Devin Booker is catching a lot of flack this offseason for a number of things – much of which is entirely unfair, making him an unnecessary target of national talking-heads looking to make a headline.

But if the Phoenix Suns make a significant rise in the standings this season, in particular if they can at least place themselves into playoff contention, the recognition that Booker could receive would be historic.

In his first four seasons with the Phoenix Suns, Devin Booker and co. have won just 26.5% of games played, a percentage that somehow even looks even worse when extrapolated into a win/loss record of 87-241.

However, with a revamped roster, a new head coach, and a new vision and direction by General Manager James Jones, the team should  win far more games this season than they have in the recent past, with Devin Booker at the heart of the up-turn in success.

If Booker has a similar season in individual statistical output as he has in the last two years at least, and his team wins, say, 35+ games, then he will finally begin to receive the recognition that – on an individual talent-based level – he so sorely deserves.

Now, consider this little nugget of knowledge that you likely did not know: according to NBASports.com, no NBA player has ever lost more games in the first four years of their career since the BAA-NBL merge in 1949, only eventually to become an All-NBA player.

Put that little nugget in your back pocket and sit on it.

Throughout league history, no player has ever had such a poor team-related start to their career, yet still found individual recognition at the highest level.

Then again, there is only one Devin Booker, and I venture to guess that considering how Booker has scored over 3,100 more points by the age of 23 than Michael Jordan, that at some point soon individual recognition will  come his way, regardless of the franchise-related weight that seems to be pulling him down to date.

Thus, if the Phoenix Suns do take a significant step forward and become at least competitive enough to turn heads in a positive manner, Booker could be named to the All-NBA team (presumably the third team) this season, becoming the first player in his situation to do so in league history.

In 2018-19 Booker already received one third place vote, so while I admit that’s very small potatoes (and a vote that probably came from a local Phoenix Suns beat-writer – I have no idea to be sure), but it’s not like Book would be coming from absolutely nowhere  to suddenly make an All-NBA team.

I too cannot help but look at the changes that have taken place around the league and notice that the two guards on the third-team last season were Kemba Walker and Russell Westbrook – who are both with new franchises.

Now with the far deeper Boston Celtics than the Charlotte Hornets, I do not see Kemba possibly putting up similar statistics to the ones that garnered him a third-team finish last season; the same with Russell Westbrook in Houston playing next to first-teamer James Harden.

Not to mention: NBA watchers seem to believe this summer that if Devin Booker were on the United States’ FIBA team, that he would be the best player on the roster – a roster led by Walker.

Granted, the list of non-placing players who finished with more votes than Book in 2018-19 is fairly long, and features Bradley Beal, Klay Thompson, Ben Simmons, Mike Conley, Donovan Mitchell, DeMar DeRozan, and D’Angelo Russell.

However a player’s story  will help them acquire the necessary votes, and if Book averages, say, 30 points per game on a team who paces themselves to at least 35 or more wins, then that could just be the feel good story he needs to get the requisite votes and receive the All-NBA Third Team nod.

While it is not all up to Devin Booker, if his individual stats are mind-blowing and the Phoenix Suns are an overall better team than they have been the last four seasons, then Book might just make NBA history this season by being selected to the All-NBA team.

If not this year though, it seems highly likely that he will eventually be the first player in his situation to do so, making NBA history along the way.