Devin Booker's First Press Conference as a Phoenix Sun

Ryan McDonough

First, let's start off with some Ryan McDonough quotes from last night.

His opening statement,

"I'll start off by just saying how excited we are to have Devin Booker coming to Phoenix and joining our organization. He was a guy that really stood out throughout the season at Kentucky... He shot the ball tremendously well all year from

three and the free throw line. That was obviously a weakness of ours last year, especially late in the season after the trade deadline. We struggled to space the floor and shoot the ball from three and we think at the shooting guard position, he has prototypical size, athleticism and a terrific stroke. He tested as one of the best athletes at the Chicago combine. I think because of his role at Kentucky and the overwhelming talent they had on the team, you didn't get to see all of what he could do."

On Booker's character,

"One of the things that stood out for us was, as you know we had about 80 to 90 players in for workouts in the pre-draft process and there were probably a handful of guys, maybe even less than that, maybe just a couple of guys who when they got to phoenix the night before their workout asked our interns and the people shuttling to and from the airport, 'hey, can I get in the gym? I want to get some shots up. I want to get a workout in.'"

Full audio here - Ryan McDonough Interview (2015 Draft)

McDonough today on Devin Booker,

"...If you put him on the court today or tomorrow, as an 18 year old guy, teams would respect him, respect his shot. We kinda hope they leave him open for jump shots, we'd certainly take that, but even the threat of him or a player like him opens up the court, as he mentioned for Eric (Bledsoe) and Brandon (Knight) and those guys to drive. So that will be his immediate role, immediate value, but one of the things that really impressed us in the workout process was there was a whole lot more to his game than making spot up shots. His athleticism stood out, his potential, his versatility off the dribble, and defensively he was certainly a lot better than I think we thought going into the process."

Devin Booker

His opening statement,

"I don't know much about Phoenix and I'm looking to learn. I'm blessed to have this opportunity to play here. I can't wait to be involved with the team. I'm going to bring a winning attitude and a competitive spirit as I did at Kentucky. I just can't wait to make a brotherhood with these other teammates, which are a lot older than me, but Eric (Bledsoe) tweeted me last night talking about that he's got a backpack ready for me, so I guess I got to get ready for my rookie duties."

His immediate thoughts after being selected by the Suns,

"... it's tough to put into words because I've wanted this dream my whole life. I've worked so hard. Ever since 'Ive been five years old, I've been playing basketball. To be in this position that I am now, it really shows how hard work really does pay off."

On joining other former Kentucky Wildcats,

"I feel like it's going to make the transition easier for me. Just a tweet (Eric Bledsoe tweeted him about his rookie duties), it just shows you that they're here for me and that they'll help my transition. I know Archie (Goodwin) a little bit, he's kind of closer in age with me. I know Brandon (Knight); they've all been back to Kentucky, so I'm sure it's going to make that transition a little bit smoother."

On the other parts of his game besides shooting,

"In this league, you have to come in with a defensive mindset now. A lot of players have showed that becoming an elite, two-way player is really important and it keeps you on the floor. you can't just be a one-sided player. You can't stay on the

court that way. I think I can surprise a lot of people, I think a lot of people are realizing that I'm more athletic than they were saying I was. I can create better for others and for myself, but at the end of the day I want to do what the team needs me to do to win."

On his competitive nature,

"Everything I do is competitive you know, video games, ping-pong, just everything, and that's just the competitive nature I have and it translates well to the court for me."

Full audio here - Devin Booker Press Conference