As he enters his 10th year of high school, Devin Booker is about to etch his name in Phoenix Suns history by breaking the franchise’s all-time points record.

Although Booker doesn’t turn 28 until October, he is already on his way to becoming one of the best, if not the best, players in Suns history. While his younger years were marked by defeat, he has led the team to far greater success recently, including a trip to the 2021 NBA Finals and four consecutive playoff appearances.

He has also helped create a new winning culture for the team and brought in the league’s best talent. A trade from Phoenix was often rumored, but Booker has instead brought players like Chris Paul, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal to town.

Devin Booker will break the Phoenix Suns record in 2024-25

Walter Davis is currently the Suns’ all-time leading scorer with 15,666 points. He achieved this in 766 games. Booker has 14,529 points, but has played 168 fewer games, namely 598. To overtake six-time All-Star Davis for first place, Booker would need to score 1,138 points. Last season, the guard averaged 27.1 points per game. If he were to start the new season at the same pace, he could reach the required number of points in just under 42 games.

That said, it’s just a matter of when, not if, he’ll break the record, assuming he stays healthy. In February, Booker overtook Alvan Adams (13,910) to move into second place. A 25-point game against the Sacramento Kings was enough, and after that success, eyes were already on the top spot.

At the time, superstar teammate Durant commented:

“He is a genius of the game. The work he puts in shows every game night.

“He inspires a whole generation of players. If he reaches those milestones, I expect the same from him. With the work he’s done, he deserves to be the all-time leading scorer in Suns history. I can’t wait for that day.”

As fans look forward to the start of the NBA season in October, that day is getting closer and closer.

Building on Olympic successes

After an embarrassing four-game first-round loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Suns are looking to bounce back this season under new head coach Mike Budenholzer. After the struggles of the brand new Big Three of Booker, Durant and Beal, it feels like a make-or-break season for the franchise. With a different voice at the helm and weaknesses offset by free agency, however, the Suns are poised for much more success this time around.

A trip to the Paris Olympics with the U.S. team ended in style when Booker and Durant won the gold medal. Booker, in particular, showed a different side of his game that may have gone unnoticed in recent years. Not known for his defensive prowess, Booker was the “role player” on the team of superstars. That’s not to say Booker himself isn’t one, but his efforts made the game much easier for players like Lebron James and Steph Curry. Coach Steve Kerr called him the team’s “secret MVP.” Of course, that’s not a role he’ll fill with the Suns, but he’s proven he has the defensive toughness the team so desperately lacked last season, which could prove to be a key difference in a playoff environment.

Help for the backcourt is on the way

Booker took on a creative responsibility he hadn’t had to bear before, and the Suns’ lack of a point guard on the roster was a mistake that proved costly. Booker is primarily a shooting guard and covered the position well alongside Beal, but their play also led to sloppiness and indecision on the ball. Despite the added pressure, he still scored 27.1 points per game and set a career-high with 6.9 assists. While Booker still produced elite scoring numbers, he was part of a team that ranked 25th with 14.9 turnovers per game. The Suns’ front office addressed these offseason issues by signing free-agent guards Tyus Jones and Monte Morris.

The signing of Jones and Morris could change the team’s entire season outlook. Jones has led the league in assist-to-turnover ratio for the past six seasons. Morris isn’t far behind, ranking second in four of those seasons. With these ball handlers, the number of turnovers should drop significantly. Additionally, the reduced pressure on Booker could lead to an improvement in his scoring average as he focuses more on scoring than creating goals. This could put him in position to break the Suns’ all-time scoring record even earlier in the season.