Is Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker poised to morph into Harden-like player?

The Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker is preparing for his eighth season in the NBA, undoubtedly fueled by a disappointing conclusion to his team’s 2021-22 season.

Booker possess a limitless offensive repertoire, but one that may not yet have been fully unlocked to this point of an already glittering career. In a franchise with many moving parts across his career to date, the 25-year-old has remained the unbroken anchor that’s bound the Suns towards a path of success.

Can the Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker rise to a new stratosphere into the NBA’s absolute elite company?

Despite the clear correlation between success and the arrivals of head coach Monty Williams and experienced veteran Chris Paul, the Suns future aspirations still sit squarely on the shoulders of their franchise cornerstone.

Booker has been on an ever-rising wave for most of his NBA career. Taken with the 13th pick in 2015, the Kentucky product quickly sought about announcing himself as one of the steals of the NBA draft.

By his second season he was averaging over 22 points per game. Blessed with a shooting stroke the envy of his peers, Booker was quite clearly on his way to stardom from early in the piece.

Sure, team success was slow to be forthcoming. But once Williams and Paul joined as key pieces, the essence of a winning culture was formed and results began to turn drastically.

Phoenix have been the best regular season team over the last two years. Booker has enjoyed the accolades that come with that, despite having always produced elite level numbers from quite early on.

While many may perceive this to be the best version of Booker, there remains an exciting and compelling case that there’s much more within him. This career trajectory isn’t flatlining, it may actually be mirroring that of a former MVP.