Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker was recently asked to name his all-time starting five, and he showed respect to two Los Angeles Lakers greats: LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.
“No disrespect to anybody — probably go Bron, K.D. (Kevin Durant), Kobe, [Michael] Jordan, [Hakeem] Olajuwon,” he said.
Interestingly, the three-time All-Star’s lineup doesn’t have a true point guard. But if such a five-man unit were to exist, playmaking wouldn’t be a problem, as James could assume the point guard role with no trouble.
While James has been slotted at one of the forward spots for most of his career, he can move to the 1 with ease and is commonly seen bringing up the ball and directing the offense.
The four-time MVP showcased his ability to be an effective floor general when he led the league in assists per game in the 2019-20 season with 10.2. No other player reached double digits in that department that season, with Trae Young coming in second with 9.3 assists per contest.
An unsurprising entry in Booker’s list is Bryant. The Suns star has been vocal about the fact that the late legend has served as an inspiration for him. In today’s NBA, the 26-year-old is one of the players who closely resembles Bryant because of their similar mentalities and offensive skill sets.
As many fans may also recall, Booker’s “be legendary” mantra directly came from the former Lakers superstar. After the two shooting guards faced off during Booker’s rookie season and Bryant’s farewell tour, Bryant wrote that message on Booker’s shoes.
Devin Booker spoke about the time he met Kobe, and how he told him to "be legendary." @DevinBook pic.twitter.com/Op3dm6Lzp7
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 28, 2021
Booker probably has his idol smiling these days given the accolades he has earned. In the 2020-21 campaign, he helped bring the Suns to the NBA Finals. He then secured an All-NBA First Team selection the following season.
Booker is looking to build his resume further by winning a ring. He now has a terrific opportunity to achieve that goal while playing alongside Durant and new Suns acquisition Bradley Beal.
Of course, several obstacles stand in the way, including the Lakers, who are fresh off a Western Conference Finals appearance and are looking to go deeper in the playoffs this season.
