Devin Booker has entered his 10th season in the NBA, and there's no doubt that the Phoenix Suns are lucky to have him. He's gotten better each year - and as long as he remains in The Valley - the organization will win plenty of games and attract top end talent like Kevin Durant to come and join him.
Part of the allure of Booker isn't just that he's one of the best players in the world, it is how he handles himself both on and off the court. Media day another timely reminder that this is a guy in complete control of his surroundings, and who is comfortable being the leader of a franchise at 27-years-old.
His selflessness is another big plus that was on full display recently.
As a franchise cornerstone, Booker could make any unhappiness he might have ever had with the franchise public, but instead he keeps that business private. Like Stephen Curry with the Golden State Warriors - the model example of this type of leadership - Booker does his talking on the court and does the best with what he's given.
A great example of this was on display last season, when he had to take over point guard duties because the Suns didn't have one, and ended up posting a career high in assists at 6.9 per game. It is clear Booker just wants to win - and in answering a question from House of Highlights recently - his fantastic attitude towards doing so was on full display.
Devin Booker warms up in the “Michigan State” Nike Book 1 PE ahead of tonight’s preseason game 🌲 pic.twitter.com/b94YPjeahN
— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) October 8, 2024
Booker was asked three questions, with two of those being who will win an NBA Championship this season, and what the finals matchup will be. Unsurprisingly he picked Phoenix to claim their first title, and predicted it would be the defending champion Boston Celtics who they would knock off to get it done.
The third was who would win Finals MVP in that series - and rather than mention himself - Booker opted for teammate Kevin Durant. This says a lot about who Booker is as a person and player, and it again highlights how important winning is for him above all else. He could have put himself down for this award, but instead gave it up to Durant, who has already won this award twice.
If asked Durant is just as likely to mention Durant here - he'd surely be the favorite if the Suns can get over the line - which shows the synergy the pair have at this point. Fresh off winning another gold medal together with Team USA this summer, the pair look as comfortable as ever. They look good in preseason play so far, even if third star Bradley Beal is off in his feelings on how good they could be.
Both Booker and Durant managed to score 27.1 points per game last season, but the Finals MVP generally goes to the "face" of a franchise. Notable exceptions being when Durant and Andre Iguodala beat out Curry for the award (not that he cares), and Jaylen Brown getting the nod over Jayson Tatum last season.
Booker though doesn't need that particular hardware to be a Suns' legend - he's already on course to be their best player ever - and a first championship for that franchise likely secures his spot in the Hall of Fame as well. He knows what's really important in this league, and giving the 36-year-old Durant some love in the process is just a smart way to play this.