Devin Booker named NBA Western Conference Player of the Month

ZGeogheganKSR

After being tabbed as the NBA’s Player of the Week a few days ago, former Kentucky guard Devin Booker just won an even bigger award.

Booker was named the NBA’s Western Conference Player of the Month for January on Thursday afternoon. This is the third time (Oct./Nov. 2022; Feb. 2021) in his nine-year professional career — all with the Phoenix Suns, the most in franchise history — that he’s been recognized with this honor.

Throughout the month of January, Booker posted per-game averages of 30 points, 4.4 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.1 steals across 36.5 minutes in 16 contests. The Suns went 11-5 during that stretch. He shot 53.9 percent from the field, 40 percent from beyond the arc, and 86 percent from the free throw line. A 62-point performance against the Indiana Pacers on Jan. 26 highlighted what was an incredible individual stretch for the one-time Wildcat.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, who played his college ball at Louisville, was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month.

DEVIN BOOKER ☄️

Your @Kia NBA Western Conference Player of the Month! pic.twitter.com/v3tsJxwnXi
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) February 1, 2024

Booker, a three-time NBA All-Star, is on the cusp of being named to the midseason event for a fourth time. The 2024 All-Star Game reserves will be announced this evening on TNT where Booker is projected to be near the top of the mix for one of the 14 reserve spots.

Despite missing some time early in the 2023-24 season due to injury, Booker is currently playing arguably his best basketball since arriving in the league. In 39 games so far, he’s averaging a career-high 28.3 points to go along with 4.9 rebounds, and 7.3 assists in 36.2 minutes per outing. Alongside future Hall-of-Famer Kevin Durant, Booker and the Suns hold a 28-20 record, good enough for sixth in the Western Conference.

Booker is the second former Wildcat to win a Player of the Month award this season, joining Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who won it in December.