Devin Booker Opens Up on Sarver, MVP Conversation and More
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Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker has placed himself front and center of the league's MVP race.
Heading into Friday night's game against the Houston Rockets, Booker was averaging 29 points per game and is the reigning NBA Western Conference Player of the Month.
Although us in the media are able to talk with Booker frequently, The Athletic's Sam Amick was able to sit down with Booker for a one-on-one interview where he opened up on a few different subjects:
Devin Booker Opens Up on Sarver, MVP Conversation and More
Robert Sarver's Investigation and How Media Believed It Would Impact Phoenix:
"I don’t think it’s fair to think that that would come in between what we have going on in this locker room. There’s too many level-headed guys. We have too many conversations that we keep in house between the team. Like, we have a lot of educated people on this team.
"We’re pretty close, and we talk about everything. Our group chat is going. And we keep everything in (house) and talk about it here. And, you know, a decision was made (regarding Sarver), so there’s really nothing else we can do or say about it. Media day was tough, and that was it."
Shrugging Load Management and Playing Often
"Every day I wake up grateful for the opportunity to play, and I’ve never lost sight of that, back from being the little kid who wanted to be in the NBA. And I haven’t lost sight of those kids that are up in the stands that might be seeing me for the first time.
Booker then followed up on a later question with:
"That’s what wakes me up in the morning. That’s back to being inspired by the little kid up there. Like, my thing is — and Kob’ said it too — inspiring the youth (is everything). A kid grows up and is like, ‘Man, I want to be Devin. I want to dress like him. I want to play like him.’ I’ve never lost sight of that. That’s what keeps me going. Haters can do what they want and say what they want."
Having Haters With So Much Success
"I just realized the situation. Now, I’m more on the bigger stage, where people know about me, so there’s gonna be more haters. That’s life. There’s people that hate on LeBron James and Steph Curry — still, to this day. So once you embrace that (reality) and just realize that there’s different types of people, you get it. There’s haters, and there’s supporters."
MVP Talk
"I’m not even in that race. I just let these people say what they want. Like bro, I focus on hoops only … And historically speaking, if you look at last year, like somebody (else) might have got MVP (in his situation) if it wasn’t me. Best team in the league with whatever (production).
"But the criteria changes, the media changes. I think it’s good for the NBA, (but) there’s just certain people that they want to push more than others. And that’s just the nature of life."
