The legacy of Kobe Bryant not only lives in what he accomplished himself, but hundreds of basketball players he impacted, including guys like Devin Booker.
On the Rejecting the Screen Podcast, host Adam Stanco was joined by former Suns head coach Earl Watson to share about the first time Devin Booker faced Kobe Bryant and how it later inspired him to drop 70 points in a game.
Earl Watson: This was the night before the game and Devin Booker is texting me at like one in the morning like I can't sleep man. I'm just so excited. I'm so excited. I'm like go get some sleep. There's a game tomorrow. You know I'm coaching in Phoenix. I'm not that far removed from reality. If I lose this game, I can get fired just for losing to the Lakers. That's how it works. So I said, dude get some sleep I need you, I have you and like three g league players. We have to be ready to go.
So he gets some sleep and comes in for shootaround, Book is so excited. He was like you think he's playing and I said I think he's playing. It was so funny, in front of our bench. Devin catches it in the mid-post, Kobe's defending him, and Devin was trying to hit him with his own move. Kobe blocked it
Kobe (post-game audio): Playing against Booker and he went straight into my move the first time he caught it, you're not going to beat me on my move man.
Earl Watson: Devin was lowkey laughing, feeling disrespected, his face turned red, and I think it was the greatest moment in Devin Booker's life. Even though he blocked it. You could just see it coming like the rocker fadeaway move…
Kobe (post-game audio): I mean, it was great to see, absolutely great to see because I remember I did the same thing with MJ.
Earl Watson: So after the game, Kobe always had this amazing mutual respect for each other. After the game when I hugged him and talked to him, it was like, you know, man, love you like a big bro you always been there and I asked one favor.
He said, what is that? I was like, let me send Devin Booker down to your locker room at the end of the game and get your number. He needs you in his life to be successful. There is only so much I can give him right but you can give him that next-level mentality and coming from you it's going to change his life. He was like yes send him down. It was a cool man.
When he went down there, he signed Devin's shoes and they said be legendary… It was a year and a day later on the day before the game, I was like be legendary because I knew Devin Booker always celebrated that moment and that's the same game Devin had 70 in Boston.
Adam Stanco: Can't make that stuff up.
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