Doing these kinds of articles is not suppose to be easy. I try to challenge myself to do articles that go beyond the normal box scores and recaps. These articles are suppose to help you and I think outside the box or take a new perspective/angle to an idea or thought we previously had.The last article I wrote was on who is the current face of the Arizona Diamondbacks. I had to do research on stats and player popularity to help figure that out. The same process will have to be done when I write my next article on who the face of the Arizona Cardinals is. When it comes to who the face of the Phoenix Suns is, this one is a no-brainer. Every media personality, fan, Phoenix resident will all say the same name in one unified voice - Devin Booker.
Booker has been the only bright spot for the team the last few seasons as they have missed the playoffs for the last decade. From the moment he stepped on the court as a rookie, he showed flashes to the kind of scorer he can be. By his second season he was already getting the acclaim as one of the best pure bucket-getters in the NBA.
In his second season, he put on a show in a losing effort against the Boston Celtics by dropping 70 points. The highest total by a NBA player since the late-great Kobe Bryant dropped 81 on the Toronto Raptors in 2006. This kind of performance has had Suns fans drooling at the mouth for more. The idea of Devin Booker's potential 5 years down the line if he is already dropping 70 as a sophomore was tantalizing.
Like Bryant, Booker is cut from the same cloth. He has the mentality and will to win like any of the great's before him. With the talent to match, it is undeniable that Devin Booker is the best talent and player on the Suns. The only thing holding him back right now from elevating his name and brand across the NBA is the lack of winning.
If Booker can elevate his team back to the promised land, then his legacy in Phoenix will rival that of Steve Nash and Charles Barkley. Both of those guys had arguably the greatest years dawning the purple and orange, but can never get over the ultimate hump - winning a championship.
Booker is a ring away from being in consideration for the greatest Suns player EVER. Barkley and Nash weren't drafted by the team like Booker was. They didn't go through the constant hardships, turmoil, and dysfunctionality that Booker has had to endure in his young career. A lot of guys with Booker's skill level would have requested a trade already, instead of withering away your best years in a desert.
So far, Booker looks committed to stay the course with the team as they try to establish the culture around him. He is the most recognizable and popular player, but how long can he put up big numbers on a non-playoff team. Eventually the fans and team will turn on him and be ready to move him for assets. Or he'll be ready to go the Anthony Davis route and go someplace where he thinks he can have more success.
Either scenario doesn't bode well for the team or Booker's legacy in Phoenix. He has the stronghold for face of the team, but that doesn't mean much when the team is always at the bottom of the standings. If Booker can start making the playoffs and possibly win a chip, then there will be real discussion about 'Who is the greatest Suns player of all-time.'
