Damian Lillard knows a thing or two about loyalty and building a career the hard way, and he sees those same qualities in Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker.
In an interview with Duane Rankin, the Bucks guard praised Booker’s growth from a gifted young scorer into one of the NBA’s elite players, crediting his work ethic, mental toughness, and refusal to waver from his own goals despite outside noise.
“I always thought he was a special talent,” Lillard said. “But I think when you make it to the NBA, you can look around at each gig and say ‘that’s a special talent.’ And then when you start making money and an organization gives you the keys, that’s when you have a decision to make… Everybody’s not able to do that, even the most talented ones. So for him to become what he’s become, I can’t say I’m surprised by it, but you never know.”
On the surface, Booker and Lillard may not look like they have much in common. But as someone who has been with one team for his entire career, Booker is one of the few players who can match Lillard’s stance on loyalty. For Dame, however, being loyal isn’t tied to one team — rather, it’s about staying true to yourself.
“When I think of loyalty, I think of being true to who you are. It’s who you are and what you represent,” Dame continued. “He’s standing on his square about what he wants to accomplish. It’s not about what everybody else is doing. He’s standing on what he wants to do and who he is, and I think that’s the most important thing.”
Damian Lillard was the poster child for player loyalty in the NBA. For 11 years, he repped the Portland Trail Blazers despite being a small-market team that was not in play to win the title. As fans and members of the media pressured him to leave, Lillard resisted the urge until he finally forced a trade in the summer of 2023.
Lillard found out for himself that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, and he returned to Portland after two disastrous seasons in Milwaukee.
In Phoenix, Booker doesn’t plan to make the same mistake. Since he was drafted in 2015, Booker has never left the Suns, and he’s played 673 games for them over the past 10 years. Through various stars and failed team compositions (including Chris Paul and Kevin Durant), Booker has the steady hand, and he’s never given the Suns a reason to question his commitment.
Going into next season, Booker faces one of his toughest tests yet. Without Kevin Durant or a proven co-star, he’ll shoulder the Suns’ hopes almost entirely on his own, leading a young core that includes Jalen Green, Mark Williams, and Grayson Allen. At 28, with career averages of 24.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 7.1 assists on 46.1% shooting, Booker has the talent to keep Phoenix in contention — and he’s determined to do it without ever leaving the franchise that drafted him.
