Here's a sentence to savor: Devin Booker is the best basketball player on the planet under the age of 20.
That's according to Sports Illustrated, which released the first half of its annual top 100 NBA players of 2016-17 list on Monday.
OK, OK, there are only a handful of teenagers currently active in the NBA, but at No. 100, the second-year Suns guard was the youngest player who made the cut.
Although rookies were not considered for the list, Brandon Ingram, Jaylen Brown, Dragan Bender, Jamal Murray, Marquese Chriss, Thon Maker and Georgios Papagiannis were the only teenagers selected in this year's draft lottery. Booker, with a year of NBA experience under his belt, likely would be ranked above them as of now regardless.
Booker finished his rookie campaign averaging 13.8 points, 2.6 assists and 2.5 rebounds to earn NBA All-Rookie First Team honors.
Tyson Chandler was voted as one of the biggest snubs from the top 100, and Brandon Knight came in at No. 98. The rest of the top 100 will be released this week, so stay tuned to see if and where Eric Bledsoe lands.
For now, here's what Ben Golliver wrote about Booker on SI.com:
"Looking for a seat on the Devin Booker hype train? If so, be prepared to squeeze in between the likes of LeBron James and Drake. The buzz around Booker, a 2015 lottery pick, has steadily climbed since he made the most of Phoenix's lost year to average 19.2 PPG and 4.1 APG after the All-Star break.
"His brief cameo at the 2016 Las Vegas Summer League was met with rave reviews, as he displayed the knockdown shooting stroke that got him drafted, some nice playmaking instincts in traffic, and a fiery competitiveness that suggests he's only just getting started.
"At 19, Booker is the youngest player and only teenager on this year's Top 100, a fact that should inspire awe and caution alike. Development at this stage tends to come in fits and starts, and Booker will need to reclaim his role in Phoenix's backcourt with veterans Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight back from injury. Still, Booker possesses enough natural talent, scoring ability and comfort on the ball to make betting on a sophomore breakthrough feel like a safe proposition."