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Devin Booker Breaks Phoenix Suns Franchise Record

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With 34 points in a loss against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night, Devin Booker is now the Phoenix Suns’ franchise record scorer. He is at 15,678 points, surpassing Walter Davis’ 15,666, a record which stood for 37 years. Booker came into the game needing just 23 points, which he achieved five minutes into the third quarter. If he hadn’t already, he has now officially cemented his name in the franchise’s history and is amongst the greatest Suns players of all-time.

His number one jersey is already almost certain of a place in the rafters. One thing that still eludes Booker and the Suns is a first NBA championship. Each season, that is the goal, but so far, they have fallen short. This year offers another opportunity, though as of now, they still look a long way off the league’s best despite the heroics of both Booker and Kevin Durant.

Devin Booker Breaks Phoenix Suns Franchise Record

Booker Has Transformed the Suns

A boy who grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is now a man who calls Phoenix his home. From the moment he got drafted by the Suns with the 13th overall pick in 2015, he has embraced the fans and city. Now in his 10th season with the franchise, it is almost impossible to imagine him anywhere else. Though following the blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic to the LA Lakers earlier this week, it’s hard to guarantee anything.

But despite years and years of losing, trade rumors, and efforts to unsettle him, Booker remained committed to the team that showed faith in him from the start. The 28-year-old has transformed the franchise from a perennial loser to a perennial playoff team. He is not just the face of the franchise, he is the franchise. Five losing campaigns began his NBA career, though the final one concluded with an 8-0 run in the bubble, which offered a glimpse into the promising future of the team. The addition of Chris Paul, and the continued growth of Booker, culminated in a run to the NBA Finals in 2021, which they lost in six games to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Playoff success has not reached those heights since for Phoenix, with some poor exits following. However, Booker’s influence means the Suns will always be in the conversation. Under new owner Mat Ishbia, the guard has made Phoenix a premier destination. First Paul, and then Durant, who made the Suns his first choice when asking out from the Brooklyn Nets. Bradley Beal waived his no-trade clause to play with the pair. Jimmy Butler is now intent on being traded to the Suns. Players around the league want to play alongside Booker and no doubt they will continue to do so.

Plenty of Records Broken… And More to Come

While he doesn’t have the accolades perhaps worthy of his talent, with four All-Star selections and a pair of All-NBA berths, Booker holds plenty of records. He holds the scoring records in four different arenas – TD Garden (70), Gainbridge Fieldhouse (62), Delta Center (59), and Footprint Center (58).

Booker has been cold-blooded his entire career – at 20 years of age he dropped 70 points in TD Garden, the sixth player and youngest to ever reach that mark. In his first playoff experience, he led his team to the finals, putting the team on his back, particularly in the Western Conference Finals when Paul was absent for games one and two. He set the record for most points by a player in their first postseason, producing 601 total points in 22 games.

In 2023, his playoff exploits were comparable with that of Michael Jordan, despite the Suns’ second-round exit. Booker became the first player since Jordan in 1992 to average 35+ PPG over the first eight games of the playoffs. Through eight games, he had provided 36.9 points on 60/49/88 shooting splits.

At just 28 years old, there is still lots to come from Booker. As long as he is on the team, the Suns will always have a shot at success. Every point he now scores will increase his distance as the Suns record points scorer and further secure his place in history.

Photo credit: © Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

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