By Oscar Heanue
Fresh off a decorated All-Rookie season, Booker is continuing to turn heads in the Las Vegas Summer League. The 19-year-old sophomore took over Phoenix’s first summer league game, scoring a team-high 28 to go along with eight rebounds and six assists.
With Booker taking the reins, Phoenix was able to earn a double-digit win over the Portland Trail Blazers. While Booker is known primarily as a sharpshooter, he used the game as an opportunity to show off a varied set of skills, including slashing ability, court vision, and tenacity on the boards.
A balanced all-around offensive approach allowed Booker to take control in the second half. Booker was able to draw defenders to the perimeter with his lethal shooting stroke, giving him the opportunity to slip by for backdoor cuts. This was exactly the plan early in the third, as he blazed by the Portland perimeter defense and into the lane, receiving a bounce pass and throwing down an emphatic two-handed jam. From there, Booker took over, scoring 17 in the third quarter alone. The 19-year-old scored with NBA-level polish, raining deep pull-up threes and slashing in for off-the-glass lay-ins.
Midway through the third, referees had to intervene in a confrontation between Booker and Blazers big man Noah Vonleh. After a physical collision, words were exchanged, and the Suns’ Marquese Chriss joined in to defend Booker. Booker later explained that the “chippiness” of the third quarter contributed to his explosive performance, telling reporters that he “just wanted to take over.” Booker’s on-the-court response was clear, as his scoring burst helped push the Suns’ lead to double figures.
As the focal point of the offense, Booker was able to not only act as a scorer, but as a floor general for his team. Early on, Booker showed his ability to create for his teammates with drive-and-dish assists to Chriss and big man Alan Williams. Booker also demonstrated comfort with the ball in his hands, often taking the ball up the court for his team and using his high-level handles to create open looks. Even beyond his comfort and passing ability, Booker utilized his tremendous court vision to find teammates at a distance. An outlet assist to rookie forward Dragan Bender in the late third ranked among Booker’s most impressive passes of the night, and forced the defense to remain more vigilant.
Booker will be joined in Phoenix by two lottery picks this year, forwards Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss. With guards Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight suffering major injury, the baby-faced Booker had the opportunity to take charge in the Suns’ offense. It remains to be seen whether Booker will see similar minutes following the return of Phoenix’s veteran guards, but after earning All-Rookie honors, a spot in the three-point shootout, and posting multiple 30-point games as a 19-year-old rookie, Booker will likely have a major spot in the Phoenix lineup.
