Young prospects have been shuttling in and out of US Airways Center in the weeks leading up to the 2015 NBA Draft. Immediately after putting in hours of work to audition for the role of Phoenix's first-round pick, the soon-to-be pros spoke with local media.
Trey Lyles | Kelly Oubre | Bobby Portis | Devin Booker | Jerian Grant
Devin Booker — Shooting Guard, Kentucky
Info: 6-6, 206 pounds, 18 years old
2014-15 Stats: 21.5 mpg, 10.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 47.0 FG%, 41.1 3FG%
Draft Combine Measurements: 6'8.25" wingspan, 8.3% body fat, 8'6.5" standing reach
On whether he felt pressure being evaluated by so many NBA eyes…
[I felt] kind of comfortable. I credit being at the University of Kentucky for that. It’s the biggest stage in college basketball, so I’m used to being in the presser. That’s one of the reasons I went to Kentucky. At the end of the day, this has been my dream my whole life. You get excited, nervous, scared, everything, but at the end of the day, it’s what I wanted.
On talking briefly with Eric Bledsoe during his pre-draft workout…
I talked to him a little bit. He said ‘we could use another Kentucky guy , a knock-down shooter around here.’ You’ve got Archie [Goodwin]. The whole backcourt’s Kentucky, Brandon Knight also. I like the situation here.
On answering questions about his speed through workouts…
I’m not surprised [about the questions] because of the way I play. I make it more simple than it has to be. I keep it simple. I don’t do too much, but I can do those things. I feel like I’m a great athlete and I showed that a little bit. People can say what they want, but at the end of the day I’m going to keep working on my game. I always know I have things to work on.
Suns Draft Workouts: Devin Booker
On whether he’d look forward to the Suns’ style of play…
Being a shooter, that’s what you want, some shots. Like I said, it’s a great backcourt with Eric and B. Knight back there and also Archie. It’d be a great situation for me, I feel like.
On which shooters he looks up to…
I’ve been watching a lot of Klay Thompson and Steph Curry, you know the Splash Brothers. Kyle Korver is a great shooter and J.J. Redick [also]. Growing up I watched a lot of Rip [Richard] Hamilton and Ray Allen. Even when I wasn’t a shooter, when I was younger, I used to watch Rip Hamilton. He was one of my favorite players with the way he moved without the ball.
On when and why he focused on his shooting game…
When I moved to Mississippi, I was playing in high school and there wasn’t a lot of talent around me. I figured out that I wasn’t going to be able to get to the bucket a lot anymore. I had to take a lot of [jump] shots, a lot of time in the gym. I stayed consistent in my work and it came like second nature for me. Once people put that title on me as one of the better shooters, I just wanted to be the best shooter. That’s what I feel like I was out to prove.