Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker was recently asked to name his all-time starting five, and he paid tribute to two Los Angeles Lakers greats: LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.
“No disrespect intended to anyone — that could be LeBron, KD (Kevin Durant), Kobe, (Michael) Jordan, (Hakeem) Olajuwon,” he said.
Interestingly, the three-time All-Star doesn’t have a true point guard on the roster. But if such a five-man lineup exists, running the offense won’t be a problem because James can assume the point guard role without any problem.
While James has been deployed at one of the forward positions for most of his career, he can easily move to the No. 1 position and is often seen dribbling the ball and directing attacks.
The four-time MVP led the league in assists with 10.2 per game in 2019-20, demonstrating his ability as an efficient floor general. No other player reached double figures in that category that season, with Trae Young ranking second with 9.3 assists per game.
One unsurprising name on Booker’s list is Kobe Bryant. The Suns star has been vocal about how the late legend has been an inspiration to him. In today’s NBA, the 26-year-old is one of the players who is very similar to Kobe because of their similar mentality and offensive skills.
Many fans may recall that Booker’s motto, “Be a Legend,” came directly from the former Lakers superstar. Bryant wrote the message on Booker’s shoes after the two shooting guards faced off during Booker’s rookie season and Bryant’s farewell tour.
Considering Booker’s accolades, his idol might be smiling these days. In the 2020-21 season, he helped the Suns reach the NBA Finals. He was subsequently named to the All-NBA First Team the following season.
Booker hopes to further bolster his resume by winning a ring. Now, he has a prime opportunity to do that while playing alongside Durant and Suns newly acquired Bradley Beal.
Of course, there are some obstacles standing in their way, including the Lakers, who just made it to the Western Conference Finals and are looking to make a deep run in the playoffs this season.