Suns: Devin Booker All-Star Snub 'Political'

The Phoenix Suns weren't happy to see Devin Booker left out of the All-Star Game.

Jan 27, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) and Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) celebrate against the LA Clippers during the second half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

One of the game's best shooting guards won't be included in the 2025 NBA All-Star Game.

Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker wasn't able to crack either the list of starters or reserves for the Western Conference, a move that surprised many despite the team's overall poor start to the 2024-25 season.

Suns co-star Kevin Durant - who was voted as a starter - says the reasons for Booker missing festivities were political:

"You know how politics get," Durant said (h/t Duane Rankin, The Arizona Republic).

"We're playing in a narrative-based game. Sometimes it don't really matter what you do on the court. You've got to kind of sell your play, sell your personality a little bit and Book not even close to being that type of person.

"If you don't follow his game, then you're not going to get much from him. It's unfortunate that's the nature of our game. I wish it wasn't so political, but we all know he's an All-Star caliber player, MVP caliber player. Hall of Fame type of player that can do anything out on the court. I would love to have my teammate there with me, but knowing Book, he doesn't need that validation at all, but I wish he was there."

Suns coach Mike Budenholzer also spoke on Booker's snub before their tilt against the Golden State Warriors:

“Yeah like I said the other night. To me, Devin is clearly an All-Star in our league. He's one of the top two-guards in our league, top players. But you know there's always tough decisions. There's a lot of great players in our league, it's a testament to the talent in our league. But we feel clearly and definitively he's an All-Star, he plays like it every night. But you know, again, a lot of talent throughout our league.”

Booker himself was asked about missing the All-Star Game, you can read his comments here.