Draft

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Phoenix Suns forward Josh Jackson surprised 9-year-old Suns fan Jazmyne Weber today with an invitation to join him on a trip of a lifetime to attend the 2018 NBA Draft Lottery in Chicago on Tuesday, May 15.  The surprise event was held at the Ability360 Sports and Fitness Center, where Jazmyne thought she was attending just another day of physical therapy.  The Suns also presented Jazmyne with a personalized sports wheelchair to help her pursue her passion of playing wheelchair basketball. 

Jazmyne, who was diagnosed with spina bifida while still in the womb, loves being active despite being a wheelchair user.  She is passionate about basketball and always cheers loudly for her favorite team, the Phoenix Suns.  Her bright, positive attitude is infectious and a source of inspiration for her family. 

The Suns were alerted to Jazmyne’s story thanks to their partnership with HopeKids, which provides events and a support community for families who have a child with a life-threatening medical condition.  Jazmyne will be joined on the trip to Chicago by her mother, Tordis Cooks, and 12-year-old sister Jhaviana Cooks.  The trip is extra special for the family from El Mirage, Ariz., as they had originally moved to the Valley from the Midwest.  Josh Jackson, who was raised in Detroit, will serve as their host and tour guide on the trip and will represent the Phoenix Suns at the 2018 NBA Draft Lottery on Tuesday, May 15 in Chicago. The Lottery determines the order of selection for the first 14 picks of the 2018 NBA Draft.

The Suns hold the best odds in the Lottery to land the No. 1 overall pick (25 percent), have a 64.2 percent chance to land a top three pick and are guaranteed a top four selection.

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Josh Jackson Invites Special Guest to Attend 2018 NBA Draft Lottery

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Suns Receive 4th Pick In 2016 NBA Draft Lottery

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Matt Petersen

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Draft Pick Tracker

Minutes after being selected 13th overall by the Phoenix Suns, Devin Booker spoke via conference call with local Phoenix media. The 6-6 guard addressed everything from his initial reaction to being picked by the Suns to a light-hearted challenge he’s willing to take on with Head Coach Jeff Hornacek…

MORE BOOKER: 5 Reasons to Get Excited | Suns Get ‘Steal’ | RISE Exclusive Interview | Booker’s Workout

I’m really excited. I like the situation there, joining the backcourt. There’s a lot of Kentucky guards. I’m really excited for the whole situation.

I feel like, with the up-tempo pace that we play, with Eric [Bledsoe] and Brandon [Knight] out there, also Archie [Goodwin], I feel like there will be a lot of open looks

On being compared to Golden State guard Klay Thompson…

I like the comparison. It might be unfair to Klay, but Klay’s already proven himself. I still need to prove myself, still, but I’m excited to learn. I’m excited to work. I’m ready for the whole process.

On what he’ll be able to show in the NBA that he didn’t get to show in college…

I think I’m a little more athletic than people know. I’m willing to show that, and also creating for others. Throughout my whole high school career, I played a lot of pick-and-roll. I wasn’t in the right situation to do that at Kentucky, but I feel like I can show all that when I get to Phoenix.

On being coached by and possibly shooting three-point contests with Jeff Hornacek…

We can schedule that. We can actually do that tomorrow. It’s not a bad look. I hear he’s a great shooter, but I feel the same.

On what’s next now that he’s in the NBA…

Just keep working. I know that I have a lot to work on. I’d be lying if I said I only had to work on one or two things. I still feel like I have to work on my shooting. I’m really excited to take on this next journey. I know that everything I did in the past is behind me now.

On the value of entering the league with an already-polished skill (shooting)…

I think having a directly translatable, elite talent is important in the league. If you’re going in there not sure of what position you are or something like that, it’s not a good thing. I know my shooting will be fine, but like I said, I still have a lot to work on.

On what he anticipates as a new challenge in the NBA…

I’d just say getting used to the wear and tear on your body. Going out on road trips and playing three or four back-to-back games in six nights…I know that’s going to be tough, but I feel like I’m ready for it. I signed up for this, so I feel like I’m ready to take on this next step.

I have that tunnel vision mindset to where I have a lot of goals I want to reach. I think with that mindset that I’ll be okay.

On the influence of a father who played professional basketball…

It had a big impact. I actually grew up in Grand Rapids with my mother and my dad was playing overseas 10 months out of the year. I didn’t get to see him much growing up, but just knowing your father is a professional basketball player just gives you that drive. The two months I used to visit him in the summer, and just seeing the things the basketball could do for you, how far it can take you in life, it showed me a lot. I was really, really blessed to have a father like that in my life.

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Post-Draft Q&A with Devin Booker

Jessica Taylor

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2015 Suns Mock Draft Tracker

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.

RONDAE HOLLIS-JEFFERSON — Small Forward, Arizona

2014-15 Stats: 28.7 mpg, 11.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.2 spg, 50.2 FG%

Draft ombine Measurements: 7'2" wingspan, 5.0% body fat, 8'8" standing reach

On what he wanted to show the Suns in his workout…

I go hard, no matter who’s there, no matter whether the chips are up or down, missing shots, making shots, I’m going to go hard. You only get better. You’re going to mess up through your process in life. You’re going to make mistakes. As long as you keep going hard, you keep fighting, the outcome will be in favor for you.

On whether he was motivated by working out against guys in his draft range…

I don’t see it. I don’t see it. I think you should be juiced up no matter who you play. Anybody could come at you. If you’re the underdog or if you’re being talked about or mentioned more, you should be ready no matter what. I see it as playing basketball. I’m going to enjoy it and go hard.

On how he would write out a scouting report of himself…

First off, you’ve got to match his [my] intensity. Second, you’ve got to know where he is at all times. he’s a good offensive rebounder, good defensive rebounder, great defensive player. He’s good in transition getting to the basket. He’s good at finding his teammates. He struggles a little bit from beyond the arc. He’s got a solid pull-up game, watch out for that.

On how his defense will help him in the league…

I’d say now the league is trying to make sure teams and guys can score. They also want to see guys play defense. Me having that mindset of being a defensive stopper, one of the best to play defense, I feel as though me making the transition to the NBA and learning more about how to play defense…it will only make me better. I’d say that would definitely get me on the court and keep me on the court for a little while.

On how he’s tried to improve his jump shot…

Just repetition [with] the little things that make your jump shot better. Holding your follow-through up. Making sure you get into your stance. Making sure you’re getting into that bend and up and off in one motion, smooth. Getting it off early rather than late is always good. I just keep working at it.

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Draft Prospect Interview: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson

Trey Lyles | Kelly Oubre | Bobby Portis | Devin Booker | Jerian Grant

JERIAN GRANT — Point Guard, Notre Dame

2014-15 Stats: 37.1 mpg, 16.5 ppg, 6.6 apg, 1.7 spg, 47.8 FG%

Draft Combine Measurements: 6'7.5" wingspan, 5.6% body fat, 8'4" standing reach

On how he would fit in the Suns’ guard-oriented offense…

I know they like to get up and down and they like to have two point guards, two guards that can handle the ball. That’s something I’ve played my whole life, so it’s definitely a spot I see myself fitting in.

On how comfortable he’d be playing off the ball more…

I don’t think it’d be a big adjustment. It’s something I’ve done my whole life. Obviously college and the NBA are a lot different, but playing off the ball I think is the same.

On what he hoped to show the Suns in his pre-draft workout…

They’ve seen me play for four years, so there’s not much I’m going out there to really prove. Maybe just being able to knock down open shots, knocking down shots is something that I like to [show].

On why his assist-to-turnover ratio was so low in college…

I think I have a high basketball I.Q. I really study the game. I’ve been around it my whole life. Just making the right plays, knowing what plays to make and how to take care of the ball, I think, is important.

On the influence of his father (former NBA player Harvey Grant) and brother (Sixers forward Jerami Grant)…

I talk more to [Jerami]. He was in this [pre-draft] process last year, so I get more advice from him. I talk to my dad and my brother, too.

Having people that you can talk to, that you trust, is very important.

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Draft Prospect Interview: Jerian Grant

Devin Booker — Shooting Guard, Kentucky

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.

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.

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.

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Draft Prospect Interview: Devin Booker

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