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Phoenix Suns: Devin Booker, The Rookie Everyone’s Overlooking

By Gerald Bourguet

Dec 7, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) and forward Mirza Teletovic (35) react after defeating the Chicago Bulls at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 7, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) and forward Mirza Teletovic (35) react after defeating the Chicago Bulls at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Phoenix Suns are still a work in progress, but rookie Devin Booker is proving himself as a regular fixture in the rotation.

Phoenix Suns
Dec 7, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) and forward Mirza Teletovic (35) react after defeating the Chicago Bulls at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports /

The Phoenix Suns aren’t quite where they want to be at 10-14 this season. They’ve lost nine of their last 12 games and despite being only a few games out of the eighth spot in the Western Conference, the Suns have been maddeningly inconsistent.

Every time it feels like they’re ready take a step forward, like when they closed out tight fourth quarter games against the Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic, they take a step backward, like Friday night’s disappointing home loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.

But even with the Suns perpetually mired in NBA mediocrity and obscurity, there have been plenty of bright sides in the Valley of the Sun.

With Markieff Morris struggling (and possibly on the move soon), Leuer has stepped in to fill his minutes surprisingly well; Alex Len has played extremely well despite Tyson Chandler‘s absence over the last eight games; and Mirza Teletovic has been a beast from three-point range (45.5 percent on the season) after a slow start.

But if you’re looking for the biggest reason Suns fans have continued tuning in despite the team’s up-and-down play, look no further than 19-year-old rookie Devin Booker.

From Drake celebrations to his oh-so-sweet touch from three-point range, Booker’s recent emergence in head coach Jeff Hornacek‘s rotation has been a welcome sight.

Booker is only averaging 6.0 points and 1.2 rebounds in 14.7 minutes per game on the season, so he’s not going to be in the Rookie of the Year race anytime soon. But while his maturity, positivity and — let’s face it — his baby face made him an early fan favorite, his play over the last few weeks has endeared him to the fan base as someone the Suns will want to keep around for years to come.

That’s impressive for any rookie in the first month of his NBA career, but it’s worth exploring how he’s become the best overlooked rookie in the league.

Next: Three-Point Shooting

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