Devin Booker was sensational at the Paris Olympics, playing a crucial role in Team USA’s Gold medal win as a starter. Booker’s exploits were understated by the media but generated a lot of love from teammates and coaches. Stephen Curry and Anthony Edwards gave Booker credit for his defense, bringing up Kyle Kuzma’s viral tweet about NBA stars needing to step up and be role-players for Team USA.
Anthony Edwards: “Book out there guardin’ like that, what got into you lightskin ahh n***a?”
Steph Curry: “What Kuz say? What Kuz Say?”
Locker Room: (in unison) “I’ll do it.”
Anthony Edwards: “Book out there goin like that, what got into you lightskin ah n*gga.”
Steph Curry: “What Kuz say? What Kuz Say?”
The whole locker room: “I’ll do it.”
😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/VUtguHGCyg
— CantGuardBook (@CGBBURNER) August 20, 2024
After Team USA’s fourth-place finish at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Kuzma implored NBA stars who declare for the Olympics to embrace being a role-player and doing the little things that the team needs. Devin Booker responded to Kuzma’s post by saying he would be the one to do it, a statement he lived up to at Paris.
I’ll do it https://t.co/77PBGNEQ0W
— Book (@DevinBook) September 12, 2023
The clip of Curry and Edwards hyping Booker up is a small part of a larger video Booker uploaded to his Instagram titled, ‘I’ll Do It,’ in reference to the challenge from Kuzma that he accepted in September 2023.
Booker averaged 11.7 points and 3.3 assists at the Olympics. While his stats don’t jump off the page, he was consistently dialed in on giving his maximum defensive effort and fitting into the offense when required.
Anthony Edwards, Steve Kerr, And Carmelo Anthony Hailed Booker As Team USA’s Unsung MVP
LeBron James left the 2024 Paris Olympics with the MVP trophy for his incredible contributions to Team USA throughout the tournament. Many believed Stephen Curry deserved it over him for his performances in the last two games of the competition, but the respect of an MVP was also handed out to Devin Booker.
Teammate Anthony Edwards couldn’t hide how impressed he was with watching Booker.
“Steph had great games, he (KD) had great games, LeBron had great games, but Book was guarding the best player, turning down shots, Book (can) go for seventy, not gonna lie, I was impressed watching him.”
Steve Kerr went out of his way to hype Booker’s performances after Team USA clinched Gold.
“Devin Booker is an incredible basketball player. Nobody asked about him. He was our unsung MVP. I just wanted to say that.”
Even Team USA legend Carmelo Anthony had to chime in, praising Booker for changing his role and being the most adaptable player on the team.
“The one person on the team who had to change their role was Devin Booker. I’ve accepted the role of being a pick-and-pop guy… Devin Booker comes from that. In college, he came from that. He came off the bench. He’s used to earning his minutes and working his way and hard work. People forget about that. He was more adaptable to that role. He was the unsung hero on that team. That’s hard to do.”
Booker hopes to carry these traits into the NBA regular season while hoping his offensive production can stay elite. He averaged 27.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.9 assists last season, but will need to find a way to improve around the margins to give the Phoenix Suns a better shot at competing for a title.
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