Suns' Kevin Durant sounds off on Devin Booker All-Star game snub
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Mike Budenholzer said it, even Devin Booker said it, and now Kevin Durant expresses his support for his fellow Phoenix Suns star. Although Booker explained how the All-Star Game should be expanded, it doesn’t negate his not being a part of it. Still, Durant, much like his head coach, explained how and unfortunately why his teammate didn’t make it.
“You know how politics get. We’re playing in a narrative-based game,” Durant said via AZCentral’s Duane Rankin. “Sometimes it doesn’t matter what you do on the court. You’ve got to kind of sell your play, sell your personality a little bit and Book not even close to being that type of person.”
Booker is one of the most laid-back, chill players in the league. He’s rarely on social media, and from an outsider’s perspective, has a simple life. He has his dogs, plays basketball, and gives back to the community. Booker isn’t in the headlines too often outside of basketball, for better or for worse.
Funny enough, he renovated a North Phoenix basketball court through his initiative. But again, he’s not the braggadocios type. He’ll go about his business and won’t go crazy about it. As a result, the casual NBA fan might not know much about Booker off the court.
However, his play speaks for itself. Booker is averaging 25.7 points, 6.8 assists, and 4 rebounds per game. He’s also shooting close to 45% from the field. Following a concerning start to the season for the Phoenix guard, he’s started to heat up. In January, he’s had 8 games of scoring 30+, including a 5-game stretch of scoring 30+.
His numbers speak for themselves, as the Suns were 1-4 when he missed five games with a groin injury. Either way, Booker will miss out, while Durant will be the lone Phoenix participant.
Kevin Durant is mad about Devin Booker not making the All-Star game
All-Star games are typically ones that are already decided before they happen. However, there’s an interesting caveat to them. The voters prioritize winning. It’s how players like James Harden are in the game ahead of Booker. That’s no disrespect to Harden or his team’s success, but winning matters.
Before the Suns’ recent hot streak, they’ve consistently flirted with a potential play-in spot. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers have been in the thick of the Western Conference standings. They’ve teetered between third and sixth place in the conference throughout the season.
On the flip side, the Suns haven’t had that consistent winning stretch. After starting the season 7-1, Durant sustained a calf injury that dampened his MVP run. As a result, it hindered the team’s success too. They weren’t the same during the injury, or even when he returned.
Plus, Booker’s mediocre performance through the first 15-20 games wasn’t exactly what Phoenix needed. But as great players do, they find a way out of the slump, and Booker’s done exactly that. Either way, he’ll be watching the game from the sidelines or in his home.
It’ll be a nice reset for Booker as the team hopes to carry its momentum into the second half of the season.
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