Does Devin Booker's picturesque playoff run have shades of Kobe Bryant?
Devin Booker's ascension has some in the sports world wondering if the Suns' star is a mini Mamba.
Amid his spectacular NBA Finals run, the Suns' star has recently drawn comparisons to his idol and mentor, former Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant.
Booker has been instrumental in leading Phoenix to within two wins of its first championship. The 24-year-old guard has had two 40-plus-point games – including four double-doubles and one triple-double – and is averaging 27.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists this postseason.
He is the fifth player age 25 or younger in the past 15 years to lead his team in scoring on their way to the NBA Finals, and he is the fifth-youngest player in league history to reach 9,000 career points, right behind Bryant. In his 20-year career, Bryant was an 18-time All-Star and made 15 postseason appearances, winning five championships. In Booker's six-year career, the two-time All-Star has yet to win a title, and this year marks his first playoff appearance.
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On Wednesday's "The Zach Gelb Show," former Suns general manager Ryan McDonough shared why he believes that Booker has both the skills and the confidence to accomplish the same career accolades as Bryant.
"He's been in that elite group with Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, LeBron James and some of the all-time greats. That's what he's done. So I think anybody would be lying if they said they thought he was going to be that good that quickly in his career," he said. "If you look at the history of the NBA, usually the leading scorer on the championship-winning team is a veteran player, a guy in his late 20s or early 30s. If Devin Booker can do that in his mid-20s, I think that means the future is pretty bright for the Phoenix Suns.
"Devin's basketball hero, his role model is Kobe Bryant. We played a game, when I was GM of the team, one of Kobe's last games. I think it was his last game in Phoenix. After the game, he and Booker hugged and exchanged jerseys, and Kobe gave Devin his shoes and signed them and said, ‘Be legendary, Kobe.'
"It meant so much to him that Kobe did that, that when Kobe tragically passed away … Devin got that tattooed on his body, I believe. … He's embraced that 'Be legendary' mantra and [has] really run with it. They're obviously different people, different personalities. But some of the maniacal work ethic, that competitive spirit, that relentless determination to do anything to win that Kobe Bryant had, Devin Booker has it. And I think that's why, in my opinion, given his age and the age of most of the core of the Phoenix Suns, the team's ahead of schedule."
While McDonough is confident that the two are very similar, it might seem like quite a leap to suggest that Booker can become the next Bryant. Or is it?
If you ask Skip Bayless, it's certainly a possibility.
On Friday's "Undisputed," Bayless shared just how close he believes the Suns' star can get.
"I’m seeing [Booker] attack more," Bayless said. "He’s not quite as athletic as Kobe, but he’s still pretty athletic. … Devin Booker is surprising me. He ranks fourth in the playoffs in defensive win shares. I will bet you, by next year, he will start making All-Defense teams.
"I bet you before his career is over, he will A) win a scoring title and B) be first-team all-defense. … And when Kobe won his only MVP in 2008 … he was First-Team All-Defense."
Skip Bayless on similarities between Devin Booker and his mentor, Kobe Bryant ' UNDISPUTED
On the other hand, Bayless’ cohost, Shannon Sharpe, said the opposite, insisting that it was like comparing apples and oranges.
"The thing is we’re talking about Kobe as the complete product," he said. "This kid [Booker] isn’t finished yet. Can we let him get to, like, Year 10? What is this, year [six] for him? We gotta let him get a little further down the road before we start bringing [up] Kobe. … I don’t think he’s gonna reach Kobe. Kobe was arguably one of the two or three best players in the NBA at 25.
"I don’t think he’s close to Kobe, and I don’t think he’ll finish close to Kobe. That’s not a knock on his talent because I think he is phenomenal. But I think [by comparing the two] we’re selling Kobe short now."
Regardless of what side you're on, Booker has proven himself a force to be reckoned with, and the future is bright for the Suns' star.
Especially if he continues to follow in the footsteps of one of the best to ever play the game.
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