Kevin Durant had his eye on Devin Booker way back when the latter was just entering the draft. Durant reportedly wanted the Oklahoma City Thunder to draft Devin Booker in the 2015 NBA Draft. This would have placed Booker alongside Durant and Russell Westbrook. And, the collaboration would form a potentially young “Big 3” in Oklahoma City Thunder. Unfortunately, the Thunder ended up picking Cameron Payne with the 14th pick, while Booker went to the Phoenix Suns at number 13.
Ironically, Durant and Booker eventually became teammates but years later and on a different team. In early 2023, Kevin Durant was traded to the Phoenix Suns, which united him with Devin Booker.
Durant and Booker’s first season together wasn’t a championship run. Apparently, Kevin Durant suffered an ankle injury early on that limited his playing time. And, the Suns fell short in the playoffs.
Devin Booker’s admiration for Kevin Durant
Devin Booker was a Durant fan well before they shared the court. He even admitted to having a resurfaced tweet from 2011 where he called Durant his favorite player (though LeBron was considered the best at the time).
In a two-month-old interview on The Old Man & The Three, Booker spoke about enjoying having a teammate like Durant who prioritizes basketball as much as he does. Booker especially talks about Durant’s dedication.
Devin Booker and Kevin Durant dominate as Suns Rally in Game 3 against Nuggets
The Phoenix Suns avoided going down 0-3 in the Western Conference semifinals against the Denver Nuggets. All thanks to team’s performance by their two star players, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.
Devin Booker was on fire throughout the entire game. He put up a game-high 47 points. Kevin Durant started slow but found his rhythm. He overcame a rough shooting start (4 for 7) by drawing fouls and converting free throw attempts. Durant finished the game with 39 points.
Booker and Durant together scored 86 points. This combined effort contributed to a portion of the Suns’ total score (121 points).
This win has led the Suns to cut the Denver Nuggets’ lead in the series to 2-1. Next, the team will need to steal a win in Denver (Game 4) and tie the series.