Several NBA Draft Prospects Compared Themselves to Phoenix Suns Players

There's no doubting who incoming prospects model their games after when entering the league.

The Phoenix Suns currently don't have a selection in the 2022 NBA Draft, yet their influence on the incoming flux of talent can't be overlooked. 

The Athletic's Mike Vorkunov recently published a piece asking NBA draft prospects what player they compared themselves during meetings with teams. 

Eight of the top prospects compared themselves to either Devin Booker or Mikal Bridges, dependent on their position and skills of course. 

Booker has emerged into one of the best scorers in the league, recently coming off his third straight All-Star appearance and a first team All-NBA nod that made him eligible for a four-year, $211 million extension on top of the extension he already carved out for himself since being a first-round selection. 

Any prospect would love to compare talents, but perhaps bank accounts might be preferred too. 

Bridges has built himself into a strong defensive presence, falling short in Defensive Player of the Year voting before nabbing first team all-defensive honors. Bridges earned a four-year, $90,900,000 extension last December. 

Cam Johnson has already blossomed into an important piece for the Suns and is eligible for his first rookie-scale extension this offseason.

Here's what each prospect offered on why they chose any three of the Suns' players:

Seven NBA Draft Prospects Compare Themselves to Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges 

Wisconsin G Johnny Davis

Comp: Devin Booker

Why: “I like the way he scores the ball. He’s a three-level scorer.”

Nebraska G Bryce McGowens

Comp: Zach LaVine/Devin Booker

Why: “Their ability to get to their spots and score at all three levels. Use their athleticism. They’re just talented players.”

G League Ignite F MarJon Beauchamp

Comp: Mikal Bridges and Matisse Thybulle on defense; he told the Pacers that he sees Paul George as his potential on offense.

Toledo G Ryan Rollins

Comp: CJ McCollum/Devin Booker/Jordan Poole

Why: “Combo guards that can create for themselves and others.”

Memphis F Josh Minott

Comp: A mix between Mikal Bridges and Derrick Jones Jr.

Why: “Both exceptional defense; one more athletic than the other. But like Mikal Bridges style of play in terms of just knowing the right reads, creating transition and knock down the open 3 and, then not a liability on many switches. Something like that, and I feel like I’m pretty versatile defensively. And weakside, just help defense and in transition-wise, like a Derrick Jones Jr. He might definitively have more athleticism than me. But I say somewhere up there, you know.”

UCLA F Peyton Watson

Comp: Mikal Bridges

Why: “One player I have kind of done a lot of film study on and a player I feel like I can be like is a Mikal Bridges type of defender. Most definitely I feel like I can fill that role for an NBA team, and I’m just focused on maximizing my talent and being the best player I really can be. A lot of people kind of say I’m one of the bigger mysteries in this year’s draft, but I can’t wait to just get out there start playing and show what I can do on both ends of the floor.”

Florida State F John Butler Jr.

Comp: Cam Johnson/Chris Boucher/Jonathan Isaac

Why: “I really love how those players have made an impact early on and just found a role.”

Seton Hall F Jared Rhoden

Comp: Mikal Bridges

Why: “(He) could just utilize his versatility both on the defensive end and on the offensive end. Just using his length. I’m someone who uses my length and my angles just to affect the game, whether it’s defensively getting after smaller guards or being able to switch on in the modern-day NBA, guarding four-men, guarding bigger threes. Offensively, keeping the game simple. Whether it’s just laying the ball up either quick offensive rebounds, putbacks, catches, shoot 3s, playing off close outs and just, you know, keeping the game real simple like Mikal Bridges does.”

Three other players also compared themselves to former Suns big man P.J. Tucker. 

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