Alright, let’s talk about this Devin Booker situation, or rather, my journey with watching the guy. For the longest time, I just had him filed away, you know? Another one of those super talented scorers on a team that, well, wasn’t really going places. That was the easy label, the one you’d hear a lot. And honestly, I didn’t push much beyond that myself for a while.
Then, I don’t know exactly when, but I decided I needed to actually see for myself. Not just the highlights, not just the end-of-game stats that pop up on your phone. I mean, really sit down and watch the Phoenix Suns play. Game after game. That became my practice, my little personal project. I wanted to see what was really there, beyond the noise and the hot takes that fly around constantly.
So, I started doing that. I’d tune into Suns games, even when they weren’t the marquee matchup. And slowly, you start picking up on things. The scoring, yeah, that’s obvious. The dude can fill it up, no question. But it was more about how he was doing it, the little things. I’d watch his footwork, how he worked off the ball (or didn’t, sometimes, early on), how he reacted when things weren’t going his way. That’s the stuff you miss if you’re just box score watching.
I specifically remember focusing on his midrange game. In an era where everyone was screaming “threes or layups,” Booker kept that part of his arsenal polished. And it wasn’t just random tough shots; there was a craft to it. That took time to appreciate, to see the setup and the execution. It wasn’t always pretty, especially when the team was struggling, but you could see the work.
Then, of course, things started to change for the Suns. New teammates came in, big names even. And my “practice” of observing Booker got a new dimension. How would he adjust? Would he still be the same guy? Would the team dynamic actually shift? It was fascinating to watch someone try to evolve under that kind of spotlight, with new expectations.
Through all this, the narratives around him would swing wildly. One minute he’s this, the next he’s that. And having put in the hours just watching, I found myself less swayed by the loudest voices. It’s not about being a “hater” or a “stan,” as they say. It’s more about understanding that player development, and team dynamics, are messy. It’s not a straight line. There are good games, bad games, frustrating habits, and moments of brilliance all mixed together.
So, this whole exercise, this continuous “practice” of watching and trying to understand what’s happening with Devin Booker and the Suns, it’s really just about forming my own perspective. It’s about seeing the player, not just the stat line or the latest viral clip. And it’s ongoing, really. Every season, every game almost, adds another layer to it. It’s a bit more work than just reading headlines, but I find it a lot more rewarding, to be honest.
