Devin Booker is an old soul and probably the guy who drives to the local gas station to pick up the Saturday paper.
He would do that to clip out the story about how badly his team played. He finds and thrives off of motivation.
We can make that assumption because Booker, before making his return from a hamstring injury on Thursday in Game 6 of the first-round series, went out of his way to acquire some physical bulletin board material.
A couple of New Orleans Pelicans fans showed up to the game with red shirts that simply read “(Expletive) Jae Crowder,” as the Suns forward has made himself a villain in this series. Fans had chanted the four-letter word along with Crowder’s name earlier in the series.
Booker and assistant coach Jarrett Jack appeared to find those shirts amusing enough to where Jack tracked down some extras and handed them to Booker before the game.
“It’s really a beautiful thing,” Booker said wearing his new t-shirt after a 115-109 win. “It’s respect at its highest level. I don’t know. … Good for Jae. People that didn’t know his name before they went to the game know it now.”
Two Pelicans fans sitting in the second row tonight pic.twitter.com/llGxl5Drl1
— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) April 28, 2022
Look at Booker’s glee as he heads back to the locker room with his new shirt. He probably was excited to show his teammates.
#RallyTheValley #ValleyProud @Suns pic.twitter.com/q56uaTogpC
— Mr.ORNG (@PHXMRORNG) April 28, 2022
Crowder and the Suns responded to such motivational materials.
Crowder went 2-for-22 from three-point range in the first five games of the series but hit his first three on Thursday to lead off Phoenix’s Game 6 scoring. He ended Game 6 with nine points, four rebounds and three assists as the Suns advanced to the next round of the playoffs with a 115-109 victory.
Then, he showed off a cool new shirt!
hm pic.twitter.com/d8FkOLtNAP
— Kevin Zimmerman (@KZimmermanAZ) April 29, 2022
“I’m embracing it right now,” Crowder said. “Was a great crowd, great atmosphere on the road, tough environment. I’m glad I could put this shirt on with a smile right now.”