Lakers' JJ Redick recalls off-court moment that showed Devin Booker's true character

10/28/2024 11:07 PM

Many things don’t take Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick’s attention away from basketball, except for Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker. Way before the two squared off as player and coach, they squared off as two players. Between Redick’s retirement and accepting the Lakers head coaching position, he and Booker spoke on The Old Man and The Three podcast.

However, it wasn’t what they talked about that stood out, it was everything before. Redick recalled Booker’s meticulous approach before their episode began.

“We had our producer setting up and Devin took a lot of pride in participating in the setup process,” Redick said. “The lighting, what was in the background, the camera angles, what was on the table. It resonated with me because I’m a very particular person and there’s a level of obsession about things.”

Basketball has a high amount of obsession for players who strive to be great. One of Booker’s idols, Kobe Bryant, had an insane work ethic. His desire to be great inspired a whole generation and the entire game of basketball. That translated over to Booker, and many of his NBA counterparts. As a result, the Suns traded for Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal within the same calendar year.

JJ Redick understands Devin Booker’s character

Great players see greatness usually before anyone else does. Although Redick may not have the resume of an NBA great, he’s certainly respected across the league. He and Redick competed in the 2017-18 season when Redick was playing for the Philadelphia 76ers. He experienced how much of a ‘f**ing killer’ Booker is on the court.

Fast forward to the 2024-25 season and that killer mentality hasn’t changed. The two-time All-NBA guard has improved every season. From his defense to his playmaking, Booker is usually in contention for the top shooting guard in the league. After coming up short of a championship in 2021, the world saw Booker’s greatness. For Redick, he saw that greatness up close.

“I think sometimes players, and Devin is one of these guys, that are obsessed with basketball,” Redick said. “Obsessed with the game and obsessed with all that goes into being a great basketball player. That obsession carries over to the rest of their life, I know that. That was just cool for me to kind of watch what normally is a five-to-10-minute process, (become) a 45-minute process. It was awesome to watch."

From the basketball court to the podcast studio, the day-to-day is filled with a thoughtful and careful approach. The Suns Big 3 has Booker as the head of the snake, and will likely continue to be that for the remainder of the season.

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