Tyler Emerick

Rubbing his hands together, Devin Booker turns his head toward Chris Paul, who is laughing after the Suns’ 123-110 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night.

The reason? Booker, who is just 25 years old, was asked by a reporter what it means to him to inspire a future generation of basketball stars. Paul, who is 36, wasn’t having it.

“You just as young, man,” Paul says to Booker. “He’s still young.”

As young as Booker is, his stardom is unquestioned. The seventh-year shooting guard is coming off his first NBA Finals appearance and second All-Star berth. He has established himself as one of the top scorers in the game and a “killer” on the court, akin to his idol, Kobe Bryant.

This season, Booker has led Phoenix to a 30-8 record while leading the team in scoring (23.9 points per game) and ranking second in assists (4.5). He is more than likely on his way to a third All-Star appearance with the prime of his career incoming.

With those points in mind, it’s not why Booker is so impactful at this age that causes Paul to chuckle. It’s how quickly he has performed, along with other key factors that have elevated him to become the face of the Suns’ franchise.

Last summer, Booker looked toward the center of the court at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee and while untucking his jersey says one word:

The Suns’ magical 2020-21 season came to a close in Game 6 of the NBA Finals in July, an emotional moment for Phoenix that seemed almost impossible to comprehend.

But Booker – as mature as he has been at a young age – was wise in how he reflected on the Suns’ run after the game.

“It was a great experience for us,” Booker said. “I think we set a foundation and a base for our team.”

For Booker, that foundation had been a long time coming. The Suns’ top player endured a challenging first four seasons with the franchise, when it had three seasons ranked at the bottom of the Western Conference and he was criticized for being a player with “empty stats.”

However, Booker’s peers knew they were seeing a special player. Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James said he would be a “really, really, really good, All-Star player in the league.” San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who coached Booker in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in Japan, said in 2016 he is a “fine player.”

Now in an environment that complements his immense talent, he is thriving and proving he can still produce gaudy numbers on a winning team. Booker is the leading scorer for one of the top teams in the NBA, and he is coming off a playoff run in which he scored the most points by a player in his first postseason (601).

It’s something that Suns coach Monty Williams, who commended Booker’s work ethic and desired to see him on a winning team when he joined the franchise before the 2018-19 season, is especially proud to see.

“To be able to have Book recognized in this way is special,” Williams said. “He’s one of those guys that didn’t get enough credit for how good he was because he hadn’t won the way that he wanted to, and now he’s leading the winning and still efficient and putting up the numbers. I think that’s pretty cool as a coach.”

When Booker was drafted by the Suns with the No. 13 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, he was compared to Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson for his smooth stroke and proficiency from the 3-point line.

Booker quickly established himself as far more than just a shooter and is now recognized as one of the game’s most potent “three-level” scorers, who can get buckets from inside, mid-range and from beyond the 3-point line. Booker and Paul George are the only players in the NBA this season averaging at least 2.5 field goals per game from each of the paint, the midrange and 3-point distance. His skill from beyond the arc has been especially impressive this season, as he has shot a career-best 42.0 percent there.

It has helped the Suns have the sixth-best 3-point percentage in the league (37.0) and unlock a much-needed aspect of his game: the pull-up 3-point shot.

“Still trying to improve my game at the same time,” Booker said in an interview with Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. “Everybody from the outside is the only people that have seen my three-point percentage, and obviously it’s something that I wanted to get higher and be a more efficient player, which I always try to improve at every year.”

Booker’s work ethic has never been questioned. He and his father, former Big Eight Player of the Year Melvin Booker, have worked extensively on his craft since he was a young boy, and several of Devin Booker’s coaches have commended his resiliency throughout his career.

“I never worry about the work that he puts in,” Williams said previously. “Now, it's just a matter of doing it. ‘Well done’ is much better than ‘well said.’”

Outside of his game, though, Booker’s growth as a leader has been especially impressive. He and Paul were each vocal about their desire to push Suns starting center Deandre Ayton, and Booker has been very active in the team’s huddles despite his young age.

That communication has especially impressed Williams, who has preached that ‘well done’ is better than ‘well said,’ as Booker has grown into “the piece” of Phoenix’s success.

“We talk about everything,” Williams said. “Basketball, life, art. That’s where I’ve seen him grow, is I think he trusts us, trusts me more. He’s always been a good basketball player, he’s always shown leadership qualities.

“I think our communication and relationship has probably grown more than anything.”

Booker is not only a standout on the court, but off it as well.

In 2019, the shooting guard introduced the “Devin Booker Starting Five,” a $2.5 million commitment over five seasons that grants five local nonprofit organizations $100,000 each to continue improving the lives of youth and families throughout Arizona.

Throughout his career in Phoenix, Booker has also provided significant support to youth and families across the Valley through COVID-19 relief and holiday shopping sprees. He served as a guest coach for wheelchair and youth basketball programs and makes annual visits to Phoenix Children’s Hospital.  In 2020, he was named a Special Olympics Global Ambassador, actively promoting inclusion through sport and continuing to participate in events with Special Olympics Arizona.

Booker was named the winner of the 2020-21 Season-long NBA Cares Community Assist Award, an honor that recognized his great outreach of the Phoenix area and his desire to engage throughout the Suns’ culture.

“I don’t do it for the recognition, but I’m glad that the foundation is getting this type of light and this type of exposure,” Booker said. “It means a lot to this community, it means a lot to my family, it means a lot to my brother being on the board at Phoenix Suns Charities. It’s what we get most excited about.”

Booker’s success at a young age has captivated the Suns and the NBA at-large.

Among other feats, the Suns’ star recently became the seventh-youngest player to reach 10,000 points in his career. He has already set franchise records for points in a game (70) and career 30-point games (122 and counting), among other statistics, and was part of the team’s 18-game winning streak this season, the longest in franchise history.

This season, the Suns rank second in the West and are looking to defend their conference title, something that seemed improbable when Booker entered the league just six years ago.

It might be hard for Paul and others to believe just how much Booker has affected the Suns’ franchise and community at large. But for a young kid from Grand Rapids, Michigan, and later Mississippi, it’s been part of his goal to keep inspiring younger generations, something he is continuing to achieve.

“That’s what this league’s about man,” Booker said. “Without those guys like you said, like (former Detroit Pistons guard) Rip (Hamilton), Klay, that I idolize and went in the gym and pretended to be, I don’t know if I’m in the situation I’m in. So that’s a big compliment, for somebody younger, for somebody in college or high school, to say that they model their game after myself.”

all-around-all-star

All-Around All-Star

PHOENIX, AZ  – September 9, 2021 – FanDuel Group, the premier online gaming company in the United States, is launching America’s #1 mobile sportsbook and its online horse racing and advanced deposit wagering platform, TVG, in Arizona today.  In addition, the company will officially welcome Arizona sports fans to its brand-new retail FanDuel Sportsbook lounge located inside the Footprint Center – home of the Phoenix Suns. The retail sportsbook is the first of its kind to be located inside an NBA arena bringing added excitement to Suns games and downtown Phoenix year-round. The legalized launch of mobile sports wagering in Arizona comes on the heels of FanDuel launching its daily fantasy sports product in the state on August 28. The FanDuel Sportsbook app is now available for iOS and Android.

To mark this historic occasion, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, and Phoenix Suns alum Channing Frye and NBA veteran Richard Jefferson, will cut the ribbon and officially open the FanDuel Sportsbook at the Footprint Center and commemorate the opening by placing ceremonial first bets later today.

Arizona marks the 11th state where FanDuel offers mobile sports betting, joining New Jersey, West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, and Tennessee. The company also has retail sportsbook locations in 10 states with Arizona joining Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, New Jersey, New York, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Michigan. 

In April of this year, FanDuel announced a multi-year market access partnership with the Phoenix Suns, designating FanDuel as the Suns’ Official Sportsbook and Daily Fantasy Sports Partner.

Stretching over 7,400 square feet, including an outdoor terrace, the FanDuel Sportsbook at Footprint Center will serve as a one-stop shop for fans to enjoy Suns games and other sporting events while placing wagers on the action. The sportsbook will be open year-round and feature five betting windows, one VIP window, 40 HD televisions, a 35-foot video wall, an MVP Room, and 26 self-service betting kiosks.

In celebration of the NFL season kicking off this evening, the FanDuel Sportsbook will host an exclusive Thursday Night Football watch party beginning at 4 pm PT for 500 fans ages 21+ (proper ID required). FanDuel customers in Arizona can enjoy the first game of the NFL season with surprise celebrity guests, free food, merchandise giveaways, and access to special offers from the FanDuel Sportsbook team that can only be obtained in-person.

“The fans of Arizona are some of the most passionate in sports, and that was evident during the Suns incredible playoff run this year,” said Mike Raffensperger, CMO of FanDuel Group. “Together FanDuel and the Suns share a mission of delivering absurdly fan-friendly experiences to our customers and we are excited to offer sports betting in a way that revolutionizes the live experience and brings fans closer to the game. We are thankful to the Suns organization for their partnership and look forward to making our lounge in the Footprint Center one of the preeminent sportsbook locations in the entire country.”

“Today is a defining moment for our organization, fans, and the entire State of Arizona,” said Suns President and CEO Jason Rowley. “We’re excited to partner with an innovative leader like FanDuel to bring the FanDuel Sportsbook to Footprint Center along with a multitude of new experiences to all sports fans. We’re committed to continuing to elevate the gameday experience and engaging fans at the highest level possible, and these new amenities are the latest example of our mission.”

The FanDuel Sportsbook app in Arizona is simple, secure, and convenient, with several key features, including:

●      New Way to Parlay: FanDuel is the only U.S. sportsbook with Same Game ParlayTM bets, which gives bettors the ability to build a parlay utilizing betting markets from the same game.

●      An Innovative Spirit: FanDuel was the first U.S. sportsbook to offer live streaming of sporting events inside a betting app, was the first to offer Bad Beat Relief, early payouts for championship teams, and the first to offer its crowdsourced Spread the Love promotion.

●      More Markets, More Bet Types: FanDuel Group offers more bet types and markets on all major sports than any other sportsbook in the market.

●      Sports Betting 101: FanDuel Sportsbook has an online betting guide to help customers learn the ins and outs of legal sports betting.

●      Commitment to Responsible Gaming: FanDuel is the industry leader in promoting responsible play including in-app tools that allow customers to set time, deposit and wager limits, as well as its PlaySafe site where customers can find additional support services. 

Residents of Arizona can now also watch and wager on live horse racing through FanDuel’s TVG mobile app and website. TVG is an affiliate of the FanDuel Group, and the largest Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) platform in the United States. In addition, TVG is also America’s dedicated horse racing network featuring both Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing from major racing venues in the United States and top international tracks from Europe, Japan, Australia and Hong Kong.

Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342.

FanDuel Group is an innovative sports-tech entertainment company that is changing the way consumers engage with their favorite sports, teams, and leagues. The premier gaming destination in the United States, FanDuel Group consists of a portfolio of leading brands across gaming, sports betting, daily fantasy sports, advance-deposit wagering, and TV/media, including FanDuel, Stardust Casino, and TVG. FanDuel Group has a presence across all 50 states and 12 million customers. The company is based in New York with offices in California, New Jersey, Florida, Oregon, Georgia, and Scotland. FanDuel Group is a subsidiary of Flutter Entertainment plc, the world's largest sports betting and gaming operator with a portfolio of globally recognized brands and a constituent of the FTSE 100 index of the London Stock Exchange.

Anchored by the coach-executive tandem of 2021 Coach of the Year Monty Williams and general manager and 2021 Executive of the Year James Jones and led by two-time All-Star Devin Booker and future Hall of Famer Chris Paul, a new chapter of the Phoenix Suns has arrived. The franchise’s culture is emphasized by relentless defensive identity and complemented by the “0.5” offensive system predicated on ball and body movement, quick decision-making, and unselfish basketball. As Arizona’s original professional sports franchise, the Suns have been regarded as one of the most successful NBA franchises on and off the court as leaders positively impacting The Valley. Led by Managing Partner Robert Sarver, Suns Legacy Partners, LLC operates the Phoenix Suns, three-time WNBA Champion Phoenix Mercury and Footprint Center at the heart of downtown Phoenix, a venue that recently underwent a $245 million transformation, making it the preeminent destination for sports and entertainment in the southwest.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, TVG, a FanDuel Group company, is one of the largest legal online gaming services in the US, processing more than $2 billion in horse racing wagers annually from residents of 34 US states. TVG network airs races from more than 150 racetracks worldwide and is among the most widely distributed horseracing networks in the world, operating TVG and TVG2 in more than 50 million US homes and in HD on Spectrum and DirecTV.  The company has demonstrated its commitment to the racing industry, its horse owners, tracks, and fans through sponsorship of several prominent races, including the TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile, the TVG.com Haskell Invitational, and the TVG Pacific Classic. For more information about TVG, visit tvg.com.

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FanDuel Group Brings America’s #1 Sportsbook to Arizona in Partnership with Phoenix Suns

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Suns Gorilla y Bailadores Exploran La Ciudad de México

Booker Signs Autograph After Being Ejected

Even when he's in the dog house, Devin Booker doesn't show his teeth.

The Suns guard killed 'em with kindness on Wednesday night after being ejected for the first time in his young career.

Late in the fourth quarter of Phoenix's 120-104 loss to Denver, Booker received his second technical foul of the game. He gave a thumbs up to the referee, smiled toward his teammates and calmly walked off the floor. 

But before entering the tunnel, Booker stopped to make a young fan's night by signing a quick autograph. He also fist-bumped another fan to show gratitude for the support.

Watch the entire sequence below. We promise you've never seen someone kicked out of a game quite like this before. Booker, as Suns fans already well know, doesn't follow the norm.

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Devin Booker Signs Autograph for Fan in Classiest Exit Ever

Highlights: Devin Booker Ups Career High with 39 vs. Lakers

Devin Booker has become a household name in the Valley of the Sun.

Now national writers are flocking to Phoenix to see for themselves what all the fuss is about.

A week after Booker became the youngest player in NBA history to score at least 38 points in consecutive games, three different publications penned profile pieces on the second-year Suns guard.

Below are links to and highlights from each:

Suns' Devin Booker Has a Knowledgeable Workout Guru: His Father

The story delves into how Booker developed his game growing up as a teenager in Mississippi with his dad, Melvin, who played professionally in the NBA and across Europe.

"Devin Booker can remember his alarm going off at 4:30 a.m. The idea was to beat the summer heat when he and his father arrived at the beach for their morning workout. So Booker would rub the sleep from his eyes and then go about the unpleasant business of becoming a better basketball player."

The Phoenix Suns Are Revolving around Devin Booker's Rapidly Rising Star

After Booker's breakout rookie campaign, the article follows how the 20-year-old has handled the expectations of a franchise building its future around him.

"He hasn’t stopped running, either. If there was any doubt Booker wasn’t ready to accept the mantle of being The Guy in Phoenix, he’s quickly dispelled that notion with his play through the opening few weeks of the regular season."

Devin Booker Is Already Everyone's Darling, but Can He Become an Actual Star?

This post focuses on Booker's versatile skill set and how he modeled his game after many legends in the NBA.

"Booker credits aspects of his offensive repertoire to simply being a student of the game. Growing up in Michigan when the Pistons were in their heyday during the mid-2000s, Booker became a big fan of Rip Hamilton and has since developed a small relationship with the former All-Star guard. Hamilton texted Booker before the start of the season and told him to be aggressive right from the opening tip, advice that the Suns guard has embraced."

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Rise of Devin Booker Featured in NY Times, Washington Post

Highlights: Suns Drop Seesaw Battle with Warriors

Like any NBA franchise, the Suns want to build their own identity with a talented crop of up-and-coming players. But if there’s a model for success in the league to measure yourself against, it’s the Warriors.

Mostly through the draft and player development, Golden State went from a lottery club to a perennial championship contender.

Former Suns general manager Steve Kerr, now the head coach of the Warriors, recently spoke about the parallels between the current Phoenix roster and Golden State prior to its meteoric ascent.

“If you look four or five years ago with the Warriors, when Steph (Curry) and Klay (Thompson) were really young, they hadn’t quite turned the corner,” Kerr told sfgate.com. “Eventually they did with (coach) Mark (Jackson), and getting (Andrew) Bogut, becoming a great defensive team.

“I like what the Suns are doing. It’s a team that’s going to be interesting to watch over the next couple years.”

Phoenix fell to Golden State on Sunday night, 133-120, but for the second time this year already, the Suns gave the title favorites all they could handle. The team held a 114-109 lead with five minutes left in the final period before the Warriors finished with a flurry of clutch shots.

“You let a team get going, especially one that is as talented as these guys are, with all this fast, athletic talent, then they are coming downhill at you and it’s tough to corral them,” Kerr said postgame about the Suns’ effort.

Although Phoenix is just 3-8 to start the season, there are signs of growth impossible to ignore. For instance, the Suns are one of just four teams to have three players scoring more than 18 points per game. The others? Golden State, Cleveland and Minnesota.

“Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson,” Head Coach Earl Watson said. “Five years from now, you’re going to say Eric Bledsoe, T.J. Warren, Devin Booker.”

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Steve Kerr Sees Similarities between Young Suns, Warriors

Highlights: T.J. Warren Continues Hot Start with 20 vs. Warriors

If you ask the Suns, they’ll tell you T.J. Warren’s emergence so far this season isn’t surprising. The team saw the forward’s potential begin to blossom last year before he went down with a foot injury in January.

Now healthy again, Warren has opened the 2016-17 campaign on a tear – averaging 20.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game through the first 11 contests.

Those numbers are finally beginning to grab the attention of experts across the country. Over at Sports Illustrated, Jeremy Woo recently named Warren as one of five late bloomers who are worth the hype.

“One clear early candidate for Most Improved Player is T.J. Warren, who has evolved into a consistent offensive role and emerged as a legitimate second scorer next to Devin Booker,” Woo wrote. “Warren’s never been known as a jump shooter, but has spotted up effectively and added a welcome dimension to a slightly wonky mixed bag of offensive tricks—floaters, dribble fadeaways and shots off the glass.”

The list also includes Julius Randle of the Lakers, Otto Porter of the Wizards, Jusuf Nurkic of the Nuggets and Zach LaVine of the Timberwolves.

Warren’s best game of the year to date came against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Oct. 28, when he dropped a career-high 30 points on 13-of-18 shooting.

Last season, Warren averaged 11.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.8 steals in 47 games (43 off the bench). The 23-year-old now starts for the Suns and is on pace to shatter many of his previous personal bests. Phoenix, and now NBA pundits, believe he will only continue to improve.

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NBA Analyst Says T.J. Warren's Evolution Is Worth the Hype

Devin Booker continues to etch his name in the NBA record books.

After pouring in a career-high 38 points on Friday night against the Pelicans, the second-year Suns guard turned in quite the encore performance two days later in Los Angeles – scoring 39 on the Lakers.

The back-to-back stellar outings gave Booker the distinction of the youngest player in NBA history to drop at least 38 points in consecutive games (20 years and seven days).

LeBron James didn’t accomplish the feat until he was 20 years and 348 days, while Kobe Bryant was 22 years and 95 days.

However, with the Suns falling 119-108 on Sunday night at the Staples Center, Booker was in no mood to celebrate personal achievements.

“It's about wins and losses," Booker told azcentral. "Maybe later in my career, I can look back on things like that but now I'm in the mindset where I am ready to get wins. Everybody looks good when you win and that's what we are trying to do. Scoring as many points as you want and not making the playoffs is not a good look so my ultimate goal is to make the playoffs."

Booker actually began the game on a cold streak, making just three of his 12 first-half shots. But in the third and fourth quarters, the young guard hit his stride and connected on 10-of-17 attempts from the field. He also made all 10 of his free throws and created for others with seven assists.

“Devin did a great job in that second half of getting guys involved and looking for his own shot," Head Coach Earl Watson said.

Regardless of age, Booker became the first Suns player to score at least 38 points in back-to-back games since Tom Chambers during the 1989-90 season.

Last week, ESPN ranked Booker as the 46th best player in the NBA – quite the accolade for someone so young. But if he continues to play like he did last week, that number might quickly start to look too low.

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Devin Booker Makes History with Second Straight Big Game

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