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Kentucky Basketball: LeBron James Praises Devin Booker

By Maxwell Ogden

Jan 27, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) and Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) fight for a loose ball during the second quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 27, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) and Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) fight for a loose ball during the second quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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Four-time NBA MVP LeBron James called former Kentucky Wildcats standout and current Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker a future All-Star.

If a high school recruit signs a scholarship with John Calipari and the Kentucky basketball program, then they likely have NBA potential. That may seem hyperbolic to outsiders, but it’s an objective truth.

Few players embody just how deep the Wildcats’ NBA-caliber depth is on a yearly basis quite like Devin Booker.

Booker was overlooked by many draft analysts due to the fact that he didn’t consistently show anything but a jump shot at Kentucky. He was drafted at No. 13 overall in the 2015 NBA Draft, which many deemed an overplay.

During an appearance on the Open Run podcast, four-time league MVP and three-time NBA champion LeBron James heralded Booker as a future All-Star (h/t Matt Goins of The Lexington Herald-Leader).

"“That no one knows about? You know what? I’m going to be honest,” James answered. “If it’s someone who is under the radar right now that I believe is going to be a really, really, really good, all-star player in the league — it’s Devin Booker from the Phoenix Suns.”"

That’s high praise from the highest of places in the modern NBA.

Booker finished the 2015-16 season with averages of 13.8 points, 2.6 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.3 3-point field goals made per game. That includes averages of 19.2 points and 4.1 assists after the All-Star Break.

According to Basketball-Reference.com, Booker has more 30-point games before the age of 20 than all but three players in NBA history.

The only three players ahead of him: LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Carmelo Anthony.

Based off of that statistic alone, it’s not very difficult to see why James thinks so highly of Booker. The Phoenix Suns guard is already scoring at a rate that’s only been seen by three surefire Hall of Famers.

There’s no guaranteeing that Booker will follow the same path, but he’s certainly on a remarkable trajectory.

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Booker continues to make the Kentucky basketball program proud.

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