Devin Booker’s All-Star Case Is About More Than Stats - It’s About Impact
PHOENIX - As the 2025-26 NBA season hits its midseason stride, the Phoenix Suns have emerged as one of the Western Conference’s most consistent threats - and at the center of it all is Devin Booker. The numbers are solid, no doubt.
But Booker’s case for an All-Star reserve spot goes beyond the stat sheet. It’s about control, poise, and the kind of leadership that defines winning basketball.
Let’s start with what’s been obvious to anyone watching the Suns this season: when Booker is on the floor, Phoenix doesn’t just play well - they play with purpose. They dictate pace, control possessions, and look like a team that knows exactly what it wants to do.
That’s not a coincidence. That’s Booker’s fingerprint all over the game.
Before his recent ankle sprain in Atlanta, Booker was putting together one of his most complete seasons to date. He’s averaging 25.6 points and 6.2 assists per game - numbers that place him comfortably in the top 20 league-wide in both categories.
But it’s the efficiency and decision-making behind those numbers that tell the real story. His mid-range game remains elite, but it’s the improved playmaking and defensive commitment that have elevated his overall impact.
Look at the Suns’ offensive rating with Booker on the court - it jumps. Their turnover rate?
It drops. These aren’t just random fluctuations; they’re indicators of a team that runs smoother when its leader is engaged and in rhythm.
Booker’s presence calms the offense and sharpens the execution. That’s not something you can fully capture in a box score, but it’s something every coach and teammate feels.
And this season, context matters more than ever. The Western Conference guard pool has thinned out due to injuries, including Jalen Green, who was one of the few other high-usage guards in the mix.
That opens the door for Booker, but it also highlights the difference between volume scorers and complete players. While others bring flash, Booker brings responsibility - leading the offense, drawing the top perimeter defenders, and still finding ways to deliver in big moments.
The ankle injury? It complicates the timeline, not the truth.
All-Star selections are about a body of work, not a week-to-week availability report. And Booker’s body of work this season has been undeniable.
He’s the reason the Suns are in the conversation as a legitimate Western Conference threat. He’s the reason they’ve exceeded expectations.
And he’s the reason the offense hums when it’s supposed to.
Suns fans have made their voices heard - and they’re not wrong. There’s been a long-running frustration around how Booker has been evaluated in All-Star discussions.
When the team struggled, critics said he needed to win. Now that Phoenix is winning, the goalposts seem to move again.
But this year, the case is clear. Booker isn’t just a deserving All-Star - he’s the embodiment of what an All-Star should be: a player who sets the tone for a winning team, night in and night out.
So yes, the numbers are there. But more importantly, the impact is there. If the All-Star Game is truly about recognizing the league’s most influential players this season, then Devin Booker has already earned his spot.