Devin Booker Practice Media Availability | Phoenix Suns | 10-17-25

training camp. What are your expectations for the team? Uh take it day by day, you know, get better every day, you know, play with a lot of energy. Um play with a lot of pride. Curious when you look at team step like standard standard you want to play to. How would you summarize that in terms of maybe two or three things that the team trying to meet that standard? Yeah, say standards are, you know, effort and and communication um are always the main two that sit with me. So, um we can make everything work if if we have those things dialed in. And you know, it might not always be at its best, but you know, even our our low days have to be higher than most. You had these going into a season, done this now for two years. Um just maybe the energy wise for you part of a new part of the new year which is my 11th season. I mean, how are you doing with all that now? Yeah, I mean we have to get off to a good start. Um, you know, I think that’s important and I’ve been stressing that, you know, for the remainder of the season. Um, don’t get too high, don’t get too low, you know, if we’re going a win streak or if we drop the first game, um, our first couple. So, you know, we still have to continue to get better regardless in wins and losses. And, you know, that’s a big part of this. I know after you play against guys for a handful of years and have had them as teammates, there’s a different connection that forms there. But with Dylan, is it different considering the personality that we see on the court and how he seems a lot more chill off the court? Yeah, I mean I always expect that. Um, you know, I never really get caught up in, you know, the the stereotypes or, you know, the personas, you know, people tend to put on. So, um, you know, I knew he was a nice guy all along and I know at the same time he’s he’s always going to compete. So, you know, that’s what we need on this team and, you know, he brings a lot of it. Every team at this point in the year is talking about wanting to play fast, we need to play with pressure defensively, things like that. But what’s the key to maintaining that early, not only early in the year, but throughout the entire season? Uh, I say, you know, being being in shape. Um, I think depth helps. Um, and I think structure helps, too. You know, there’s there’s playing hard and there, you know, there’s playing hard the right way. Um, you know, she just don’t want to be out there running in circles, but um, it’s it’s controlled playing hard and, you know, we set those principles. Um, we’re all on the same page, so you know, we can hold each other responsible. Did you approach your conditioning differently at all this summer with the extra time? Um, no, you know, I usually I’m usually active regardless, so you know, I never really get too far out of shape anymore. that competitive edge that Dylan brings. How have you been to see the team feed off of that and motivating other guys? I mean, it’s it’s a domino effect. Um, you know, the communication with it, too, just being vocal. Um, it keeps everybody in tune to the game, even the people that, you know, are on the bench that might not necessarily be in the play. Um, our huddles have been great, our timeouts have been great. So, you know, we need to maintain that throughout the season when things get rough. Also, Well, you’ve been on a variety of different rosters. Talk about the where this team kind of ranks on the connectivity scale. It’s a lot of different teams to try to, you know, we just have to give it some time, man. Um, definitely happy with with the way we’re going. I’m happy with our youth. Um, you know, we seem connected to me, but maybe we go out there the first game. There might be some miscommunication. So, you know, we’re still going to have to learn each other. There’s going to be some bumps and you know the quicker we can figure those out and learn from them the better. There’s been obviously previous few years championship expectations and looking at a group now it’s a young group. So that team not placed on a young team. So how do you manage that in your mind? Okay, look I’ve been competing trying to win a title and now I’m on a young team that isn’t going to be that’s not going to be called upon any still want to compete in the game. Yeah, the expectations, you know, obviously weren’t weren’t good to us in that regard. Um, you know, I always expect to win games, you know, so that’s my expectation now. And, you know, I understand we’re young. I understand we have some learning to do, but, you know, that’s the nature of the game. You know, we we take it day by day. You know better than me how important the dynamic between you and Jaylen is going to be to your guys this season. With him off the court right now, how are you balancing still finding ways to grow with him and improve that relationship without the onc court time right now? I mean, he’s involved, you know, he’s right there on the sideline in every drill, you know, talking through it with us. So, you know, I think he just needs to, you know, get back to trusting his hammy. Um, you know, get his wind up to to playing playing standards and, you know, he’ll be fine. He’ll be a plugand play. How much does that help for you when a guy is injured, but you know, his reputation like not missing a game in nearly three years? Like, he’s going to do absolutely everything possible to get back. Yeah. Uh, I mean, that was never a doubt. You know, we we know he loves the game. We know he loves to play and we know it’s not easy on him being being out right now. So, you know, we got to rally behind him as a team and, you know, keep his head level and, you know, make the transition easy when he comes back. What have been your impressions of marketing to see him up close now? Yeah, I like Mark a lot. Um, he has a motor. Um, super skilled touch. Um, he he has it all. Does passing surprise you a little bit? That’s something he’s clearly been working on the last year. I haven’t seen a lot of that. I just seen a lot of a lot of scoring though, a lot of dunks. So, yeah. How does having depth from the post, what what does that allow you to do offensively to have skill? Uh, yeah, it’s important. You know, that’s the anchor of our defense. You know, the center position is is super important um on both both sides of the ball. Um it’s a connector piece on the offensive end and defensively, you know, they got to be high energy. They got to protect the protect home. Um, and we have versatility at that position. Is there anything you want to find out about this team in the first couple of weeks of the season? Um, I don’t I don’t know. I think that’s a good question. Um, I just want to see everything we’ve been working on translate. I know you’ll be watching tonight. How interested are you in what Houston’s doing? Teams going too big. We were talking about small ball just a couple years ago. I don’t know what they’re going to call it now, but just with what they’re doing with their lineup. Yeah, I mean it was successful for him last year. Um, you know, so, so we’ll see. You know, the game I always say the game’s constantly changing and evolving and, you know, it’s a copycat league, so once somebody figures something out, you know, other teams start doing it. So, you know, you can only tell once, you know, once the game once the ball’s jumped up and, you know, we get to playing. Kevin’s always thought of himself as a guard, right? Yeah. I mean, he is. He has a skill set of a guard. De talking about style of play. How much do you feel like that will you guys in game in terms of pressure defense playing with pace? How much do you feel like that’ll regard to who you’re playing to give you guys a fighting chance? Yeah, I mean I think that’s the key. I think that’s the recipe right now. Um especially after watching last year playoffs, um Indie, Cleveland, all them guys matching up with each other, you know, they they were all doing similar things and OKC does a lot of that too. So, you know, everybody’s chasing them right now.

Devin Booker speaks with media after practice on October 21, 2025.

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