Devin Booker is the greatest player EVER in Suns history

ajcardfan

I see you.
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 13, 2002
Posts
36,648
Reaction score
20,903
Name me a more dominant player in Phoenix in four years than Barkley who's not named Nash or Booker. Maybe he wasnt a 100% effort guy and his exit was acromonius, but he was arguably the best to ever lace them up in Phoenix.
Depends on the criteria you select "All Time Greatest Suns" player. He played for the Suns only 25% of his career. I loved those teams, loved to watch him play. He is the only Suns player I ever met in person and talked to. He was really cool about it.

If we had won a championship, which we absolutely should've, I would say "sure". For all his greatness, I also remember some very painful times, which included stuff like him missing clinching free throws and other things, in the most brutal playoff losses ever. Those back to back losing 3 to 1 leads to the Rockets.

So, no, I don't put him top 3. But, what a ride he gave us those 4 years. Highest of highs, lowest of lows. Those teams were also the most loaded with talent, so he had great support.
 

SeattleCardinal

Hall of Famer
Joined
Sep 9, 2018
Posts
1,224
Reaction score
1,415
Location
Washington state
Marion was a pretty complex personality, based on what I read in the “Seven Seconds or Less” book by Jack McCallum a few years ago. He really felt unappreciated much of the time.

His “colorful” rant on Twitter Spaces a couple of years ago kinda reinforced that. :)
 

ajcardfan

I see you.
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 13, 2002
Posts
36,648
Reaction score
20,903
Booker
Nash
Barkley
Davis
KJ?
Yes. He was the spark that lit the team out of suckage in the 80s. Maybe Phoenix a place worth Barkley coming to. Played all but one year with the Suns.

I used to so enjoy watching him routinely dominate John Stockton.
 

SeattleCardinal

Hall of Famer
Joined
Sep 9, 2018
Posts
1,224
Reaction score
1,415
Location
Washington state
Hard to argue against Nash, when he won two MVPs as a Phoenix Sun. But Booker is closing the gap, if he hasn’t already. Nash, Booker and Barkley are on the Suns’ Mount Rushmore. Not sure who the fourth head is…
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,537
Reaction score
51,772
Devin Booker is the greatest Suns player ever. He has played for the Suns since age 19.

What I want to cement his legacy, is for him to remain in a Suns uniform his entire career. This seldom happens anymore. It needs to change.

The Suns need to keep former greats within the organization even after they retire.
 

TJ

Frank Kaminsky is my Hero.
Joined
Apr 2, 2005
Posts
33,725
Reaction score
18,570
Location
South Bay
Depends on the criteria you select "All Time Greatest Suns" player. He played for the Suns only 25% of his career. I loved those teams, loved to watch him play. He is the only Suns player I ever met in person and talked to. He was really cool about it.

If we had won a championship, which we absolutely should've, I would say "sure". For all his greatness, I also remember some very painful times, which included stuff like him missing clinching free throws and other things, in the most brutal playoff losses ever. Those back to back losing 3 to 1 leads to the Rockets.

So, no, I don't put him top 3. But, what a ride he gave us those 4 years. Highest of highs, lowest of lows. Those teams were also the most loaded with talent, so he had great support.

Sounds like part of your criteria is tenure length with the team. If I say 5 or more years, which would rule Barkley out, who would you include? KJ?
 

TRW

ASFN Addict
Joined
Jan 13, 2003
Posts
7,451
Reaction score
6,753
Location
Avondale, AZ
Did you read Foul! I did.
I did too. Many years ago. Connie got screwed royally in that scandal. He was later given a huge settlement by the NBA when it was pretty much proven he had absolutely nothing to do with the point shaving thing. For about 3 seasons with the Suns he was as good as it gets.
R.I.P. Hawk.
 

Superbone

Phoenix native; Lifelong Suns Fan
Joined
Jul 31, 2005
Posts
5,885
Reaction score
2,843
Location
San Diego, CA
I did too. Many years ago. Connie got screwed royally in that scandal. He was later given a huge settlement by the NBA when it was pretty much proven he had absolutely nothing to do with the point shaving thing. For about 3 seasons with the Suns he was as good as it gets.
R.I.P. Hawk.
Yep, I read it as a kid. And now I'm 60! I met him once at an Arizona casino. Really nice man.
 

Raindog

I didn't come here to be liked!
Joined
Apr 22, 2008
Posts
4,721
Reaction score
5,312
Hard to argue against Nash, when he won two MVPs as a Phoenix Sun. But Booker is closing the gap, if he hasn’t already. Nash, Booker and Barkley are on the Suns’ Mount Rushmore. Not sure who the fourth head is…
Westphal, Walter Davis, KJ, and Connie Hawkins are all the top candidates for the fourth spot, I would guess. Jerry Colangelo if you were to not just limit it to players.
 

CardNots

ASFN Lifer
Joined
Sep 12, 2002
Posts
3,649
Reaction score
2,969
Location
Jenks, Oklahoma
I was at the viewing at the old Coliseum....even that place was rocking.
The mad house on McDowell? literally the roof would shake which brings myself to another thought. The fans in the stands today couldn’t rock a rockin chair, sad.
I knew people who had a trip planned and delayed their trip to watch suns playoff games. Does that happen anymore or 250,000 people on the streets for a parade at 100+ plus temperatures to celebrate losing a championship to MJs bulls?

while I’m going down suns memory lane, I miss cotton and jerry the most.
 

Covert Rain

Father smelt of elderberries!
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2005
Posts
33,985
Reaction score
11,798
Location
Arizona
There an are very few players that transcend their team. Barkley was a huge draw on the road (I think it’s the only time in Suns history that the Suns were the #1 away draw in the NBA), he gave us national attention, a ton of nationally televised games etc.

Book is finally getting some national respect but he is widely hated by a bunch of fans from other teams. I have been to a bunch of out of state games with this bunch and did the same during the Barkley era what I was traveling a lot and it’s not the same. I would see 10X the number of Barkley jerseys on the road than I do Book ones.

Book will be #1 when all is said and done IMO. He will own just about every Suns record and possibly at least have one title. At that point it will be no question IMO. Hell if he wins it this year or next it won’t be any question.
 

Raindog

I didn't come here to be liked!
Joined
Apr 22, 2008
Posts
4,721
Reaction score
5,312
I have been to a bunch of out of state games with this bunch and did the same during the Barkley era what I was traveling a lot and it’s not the same. I would see 10X the number of Barkley jerseys on the road than I do Book ones.

But to be fair, that could also be because the Book era jerseys are fugly as all get out. :D
 

DJ Tabooh

Hall of Famer
Joined
Jul 14, 2021
Posts
1,073
Reaction score
877
Location
Austin, TX
xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

Y’all…..the stuff DBook is doing isn’t normal. Like….no one else in the history of basketball has had a stretch like this in the playoffs.
 

Staff online

Forum statistics

Threads
534,777
Posts
5,246,203
Members
6,273
Latest member
sarahmoose
Top