Suns star Devin Booker has almost single-handedly returned the Phoenix Suns to a state of contention in the West. After being drafted in 2015, he quickly emerged as one of the NBA’s top scorers, and Phoenix went to work surrounding him with star-level talent.
It wasn’t long before the Suns become a true contender, led by the partnership of Book and veteran guard Chris Paul.
But even after all he’s been through to make the Suns relevant again, Booker has an attachment to another franchise, hundreds of miles away from the Arizona desert: the Detroit Pistons.
As he revealed in a recent press conference, the Pistons are have been his favorite franchise since he was a kid growing up, and playing against them now still brings a sense of excitement to the young star.
“As a kid, growing up two hours west, you don’t get the chance to come over here often and watch the Pistons play. So to be able to turn this around and get the opportunity to play against my favorite franchise is good time.”
It’s no surprise that Pistons fans have been daydreaming about Booker one day joining the team, and it’d be one heck of a move.
But, for now, that possibility remains unlikely as Booker seems committed to bringing a championship to Phoenix.
“Championship basketball and nothing less than that,” Booker responded when asked what type of foundation this season laid for the Suns moving forward, via Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “So, going into next season, on a Tuesday night playing against Cleveland, if we don’t have it, we will be quickly reminded about the details and if you don’t want to give it your all right now, what can happen and this feeling right now that we’re feeling can happen. This isn’t something you want to feel. I haven’t felt a hurt like this in my life. So, that’s when I know we have a base and a foundation. Just championship basketball at all times.”
Booker, 25, is actually having a relatively rough season by his standards. With averages of 23.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game on 43% shooting, his numbers are down across the board.
Still, despite his struggles, the Suns remain a force to be feared in the West. They boast an NBA-best 33-9 record through 42 games and seem on track to make another trip to the Finals.
Obviously, there are some concerns about his long-term future in Phoenix. But, for now, both he and the front office remain focused on meeting their goals this season.
