Looking at the Phoenix Suns right now, the team is a visual representation of a playoff contender. They boast stars such as Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. They're currently fifth in the Western Conference and have won seven out of their last 10 games, the latest of which was a victory over the Houston Rockets on Thursday.
However, the road wasn't always this smooth for Phoenix. Prior to recent years, the team experienced plenty of heartache, particularly during Booker's first couple of seasons. They lacked offensive firepower, and management just couldn't provide Booker with an adequate supporting cast before the acquisition of Chris Paul in 2020.
Those years were hard for a young star like Booker, who was already the face of the franchise early on. Thankfully, it looks like there was support coming from a Suns legend at that time. Speaking to the media following Phoenix's win over Houston, Booker credited Amar'e Stoudemire for being in contact with him during the start of his career. Stoudemire constantly texted Booker and kept telling the young guard to keep going when things went south, per Arizona Sports' Kellan Olson.
Any Phoenix fan who tuned in during the first decade of the century would know that Stoudemire was a force to be reckoned with in his Suns years. Stoudemire's pick-and-roll with Steve Nash caused headaches to opposing defenses, and the big man himself was one of the biggest reasons why the team was a powerhouse in the West.
Presently, the Suns are fearsome competitors once more, and for Devin Booker, there's no better chance to take home the crown than with his current squad. The playoffs are less than two months away, and Phoenix looks to be in the mix of things yet again.
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