Devin Booker Interview Quotes After Winning Three-point contest
InsideHoops.com
February 17, 2018
Suns guard Devin Booker won the 2018 NBA Three-point shootout contest tonight. Here are Booker interview quotes after winning the event.
Q. Rookie season you told the fans you were going
to come back here and win this and bring the
trophy home to Phoenix. You're a man of your
word and you did it. So your thoughts on that?
DEVIN BOOKER: I'm really excited about it. I always
said I always want to represent the city the best I can,
with the support they always show for me since day
one. So season not going how we planned, but I know a lot
of the city was ready for this All-Star Weekend, having
somebody participate. So I'm glad I could win it.
Q. You talked about having a different approach to
this year's three-point contest in terms of your
preparation. Obviously it worked well in your
favor?
DEVIN BOOKER: Yeah, my preparation was none. My
rookie year I stayed at the gym extra, shot off the rack
a lot more. This time I just got here, practiced right
before I went out there and ended up coming out with
the win.
Q. When you hit the floor, did you know? Did you
have the mindset this was coming home with you
tonight?
DEVIN BOOKER: I had that mindset until the first
round. I thought I was going to be out, but it's a
wildcard with that rack, honestly. It's hard to shoot off
the rack, as you can see. These guys are much better
shooters than we all shot today. So the rack's difficult,
but ended up coming out with the big win.
Q. Just overall thoughts, feel really good?
DEVIN BOOKER: I feel really good, really excited. Like
I said, after I took third my rookie year, something I
always wanted was to win the three-point
championship, and I got to do it.
Q. This is another accomplishment in your career,
which is just starting. How do you take this victory
going forward for the season and for your career?
DEVIN BOOKER: Like I said earlier, our season hasn't
been the brightest part of our year, obviously. So I
know the fans have been behind us 100% throughout
the whole time. So I know they're going to be excited
about this, get to bring home three-point championships since I think they told me 2004-2005,
so it's kind of a big deal.
Q. Now you've got a champion of the three-point
game. Do you have any other personal goals for
the rest of the season?
DEVIN BOOKER: Yeah, I'm going dunk contest next.
No, I'm just kidding. No, you know, obviously, hopefully
I can come back and maybe win it again. But for me
All-Star Weekend is a good time to get away from the
season. Now it's time to lock back in, get ready for the
season, and finish out the year strong.
Q. I know you're an excellent scorer. Do you
always consider yourself an elite three-point
shooter?
DEVIN BOOKER: I always -- people used to always
say I was just a shooter. When I was in college, that's
really all I did was spot up shots. Once I got to the
NBA, I adjusted and showed a little bit more than
people said, I was a scorer that could shoot. But I like
to think of myself as a an elite shooter for sure.
Q. I just got a text that says this was an event
record in the championship round, your 28 points.
You're setting records all over the place. Is this
just another one on your belt?
DEVIN BOOKER: I mean, it's a big deal, I'd say,
knowing the history of the three-point shootout, all the
legends of the game that have been in it from Peja
Stojakovic, Larry Bird. I'm glad my name can be
mentioned with those guys. But like I said, I'm happy
to get the win.
Q. You just mentioned some of the legends that
have been associated with this award, with this
competition. To know that you're bringing that part
of the legacy back to Phoenix, a city that's
obviously had some ups and downs with the Suns
team this year, what does that mean to you?
DEVIN BOOKER: It means a lot. Like I said, it's been
unconditional love since day one since I've been in
Phoenix. Obviously, all three years I've been in the
NBA we haven't exceeded the expectations that we've
set for ourselves. So, like I said, I know people are looking forward to
this. All throughout the city people are wishing me luck
throughout the week. Everybody hit me today, all the training staff, coaches, everybody texted me today
wishing me good luck. I'm excited I got the win.
Q. Can you explain just the difficulty involved in
just shooting in that format, one after another?
DEVIN BOOKER: Not only shooting one after another,
just shooting off the rack, I'd say that's the wildcard.
We take thousands of jumpers a year, and we never
shoot off the rack.
So I said it before the competition, you know, we
should change the three-point shootout to have
somebody pass for you. I think it would throw a twist in
the game. It would be kind of like the Home Run Derby
with a pick who pitches to you, but someone to pass to,
I think it would be a good look.