https://twitter.com/DevinBook/status/1701736480362934458
"I'll do it" in response to this tweet from Kyle Kuzma 10 months ago:
USA basketball better get some nba stars that know how to play a role. Anybody can be nice with the ball in their hands but can you be cool with defending and going to the corner for a few possessions?
Devin Booker has been executing his role with the same dedication as he demonstrated during his tenure at Kentucky. It's nice seeing prominent stars willing to buy-in as a role player. Whether you think he should be starting or not, it is understandable why Steve Kerr would choose to include him in the starting line-up.
by tyler1118
14 Comments
Booker is in the starting lineup because he’s a 9 year vet
He’s only doing it cause his former teammate Chase Budinger is also playing in these Olympics.
People tweet like they didn’t win the Olympics every year since 2008 lol. We do lose fiba/World Cup sometimes sure
Dbook been auditioning this role all year. Unfortunately him and kd are the best two defenders on their team. Before Royce signed anyway
Someone pointed out that Devin Booker wasn’t a highly touted player basically his entire life and he spent A LOT of time as just a role player before breaking out into NBA superstar status. It’s much easier for someone like him who has the experience of just being a rotation guy to go back to doing just that. Sometimes a little bit of humility growing up pays dividends.
I honestly think his defense has been excellent so far. He’s not jrue or Derrick white but he’s been actually fairly disruptive
People just don’t watch basketball, Booker did the same thing last Olympics.
There is nothing surprising about what he is doing right now lol, he knows ajust to a lesser role.
Plays good defense and play offball because it’s one of his strength.
Bro he did it at Kentucky playing with college athletes. Of course he will be able to do it playing with a few top 15 of all time hoopers. Not saying he doesn’t have any ego, but Book is so much more level headed and chill than basketball fans think. Dudes loved in basketball circles
Well of course Book and Kuzma were trained to play their role…. By a Kardashian.
book is a basketball chameleon
Kuz tryin to sneak into the lineup
I think most anyone is willing to buy-in to be a role player if it means a free gold medal. Players don’t care about other tournaments, but the Olympics are special.
Not sure why Dwade got so much hate as a commentator, both of the two provided good insight and made it entertaining. Dwade typically isn’t that great I get it, but his takes this time were respectful to both teams, fair, and still fun with a little bit of jest like “go somewhere else” when Lebron was getting posted on.
I bring him for one comment he made about Dbook, about him buying in and doing his role. I believe it’s incredibly tough to play the roles of Jrue, Dbook, and White, who need to make the right play at the right time, whether that’s passing to your designated scorers/superstars on a semi-open look early on the shot clock vs taking the green light at discretion; we saw that a lot with Jrue and Dbook just letting it fly. Sure you want to listen to the gameplan and get it to KD or Steph, but it’s crucial to keep the defense honest and contribute to the offensive load.
I used to not like Dbook early on, punchable face, diva, etc, but once those workout videos came out you could tell this guy was a through and through professional who took his job very seriously. Even through the “we’re not doubling in open gym” debacle and his shortcomings in the eyes of haters and fans, it became clearer and clearer that this guy is someone you want on your team.
It’s tough getting up 20 shots a game with his kind of play, it takes a lot of your legs away and a ton of mental fortitude. I completely get why players like him, Kobe, and Dame would ball-watch and play less than stellar defense, and don’t even bring up Kobe’s 1st team defense awards, I know as well as any 30 year Laker fan that Kobe was often lazy enough to have it be a critique. Sure when he wanted to he would lock any of the opponent’s best player down, and in the playoffs his team defensive iq was a major factor alongside Dfish and Ariza/Artest/Gasol, but it’s just not doable 100%, which is why him and MJ were such demons.
I love how Dbook has joined the team and earned a starting role, my starting lineup was Steph, Jrue, KD, Lebron, and Embiid, but it’s been Steph, Jrue, Dbook instead, with Dbook starting over Jrue a fair amount. He has played screens and switches extremely well, been a pest on ball, and spaces the floor like a vet, all alongside his ice cold jumper. Huge statement by him, and the Suns are gonna seriously improve from this Olympic run.
I hate Devin Booker normally, but I like Olympics Devin. I think it’s hard for most players who are normally a big feature on their team to get a groove as a role player but I think he’s done great. I think AD has been pretty good, he’s just like being a roll guy and playing great defense. I think embiid has been solid seeing great screens to get other guys scoring, his defense has been pretty good but his communication has been a little lacking. I think he needs to make his offensive reads a bit quicker though, he’s still used to holding, making a move and then shooting. He can’t be his normal self out there, gotta take catch and shoot, and gotta pass as the double team is getting there.