Rival NBA superstar finally gives Devin Booker credit in one unexpected area

The vibes around Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns are high right now. Real high. Not only was he instrumental in helping Team USA win a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Paris, he appeared to leapfrog Jayson Tatum in the debate of which player is better.

Booker started for Team USA - while also being out there at crunch time - and was everything his country needed him to be. Then again, with an attitude like this, did you really expect anything different? After a disappointing end to the 2023-24 season with the Suns, this was exactly what Booker needed.

Rival superstar Anthony Edwards certainly took notice of his Team USA teammate as well.

Edwards spent his time with the national team getting uncomfortably close to Booker's teammate Kevin Durant, but he still found time to appreciate Booker's game. Surprisingly, it was on the defensive end that Edward's attention was drawn, as he told the assembled crowd at the recent Fanatics event;

"Steph had great games, he (Durant, sitting alongside him on stage) had great games, LeBron had great games, but Book was guarding the best player, turning down shots... Book goes for 70 (in NBA games). I'm not gonna lie, I was impressed watching him".

The praise from Edwards has another layer of intrigue on top, because it was his Minnesota Timberwolves that swept the Suns from the playoffs last season. That's why Edwards looks like the spiritual successor to Durant in the league though, he just loves to hoop and he calls it like it is, no matter if it's a teammate or a rival player.

But to call out the defensive play of Booker - not long after head coach Steve Kerr called Booker the "unsung MVP" of the gold medal run, speaks volumes about the play of the superstar. He could easily have scored more for the national team, but he sacrificed perhaps more than any other player to bring home the gold.

The first regular season meeting between the Suns and Timberwolves has already been earmarked as appointment viewing, and it will be fascinating to see if Booker attempts to shut Edwards down over the course of the game. Either way, Booker's reputation as a selfless star who can do it on both ends of the court is a new and welcome development to fans outside of The Valley.