Devin Booker celebrated his 30th birthday on October 30th, and while the Phoenix Suns find themselves in a difficult spot to begin the new season, this remains a cause for celebration. Booker is potentially the best player in franchise history, and still has plenty of time on his side to make that mantle his alone. The history books threw up one unbelievable quirk as part of the celebrations, as Booker's birthday fell on the same day Steve Nash put up an insane assist number.
Nash had 20+ assists for sixth time in his career on this date in 2009
On the day that Booker became a teenager, franchise icon Steve Nash was having the sixth 20+ assist performance of his career. On this occasion, he finished with exactly 20 as he helped the Suns defeat the Golden State Warriors, and in total he would accomplish this ridiculous feat eight times.
17 years ago today…
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) October 30, 2026
Steve Nash records his sixth game with 20+ assists 🔥🔥
He would finish with 8 such performances in his career! pic.twitter.com/0wJeYmeWVi
But it surely cannot be lost on any fan struggling through the mess that is the early going of the 2026-27 campaign that Booker, whom the Suns continue trying and failing to turn into a floor general, shares a birthday with one of the best performances by the best point guard in the team's history. That's the basketball Gods messing with The Valley by having those two things share the same date.
It is a cruel joke that Booker, who would surely like nothing more than to have this former player back alongside him so he could get back to scoring at an elite level, is still being forced into the Nash role that he is not nearly as equipped for. It's not like the Suns have had no memorable lead guards since Nash's departure; Chris Paul was in town for years and helped them get to the NBA Finals.
Nash would be dream former player to pair with Booker in backcourt
There is also no doubt that the combination of Booker and Nash in the Suns' backcourt would lead to glory, if only they hadn't been in their primes 17 years apart. Instead, Head Coach Jordan Ott is still trying to talk everybody into Jalen Green working as a lead playmaker, and if that is to be the case, it only highlights how far the standards have fallen at that position.
Booker's own career high in assists is 15 and happened back in 2023 in a game against the Utah Jazz. You can be sure that he will never reach that number again as long as he is the primary playmaker for the Suns, but Nash's record sitting on his birthday is a record that will last forever. Life, like sport, can be funny and cruel like that.
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