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Stephen A. Smith says Devin Booker has more of Kobe’s mentality than Jimmy Butler

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Stephen A. Smith said on the “Club Shay Shay” Podcast that Devin Booker has more of Kobe Bryant’s mentality than Jimmy Butler.

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A couple weeks ago, Andre Iguodala said that Butler was “closest that I’ve seen to Kobe Bryant with that mentality.”

However, Smith disagreed with Iguodala for one particular reason–offense, which is why he said Booker is more like Bryant in terms of mentality.

“Jimmy Butler works, but the difference between Jimmy Butler and Devin Booker is Jimmy Butler doesn’t care that much about offense until the postseason arrives,” Smith says. “Kobe cared about it all the time, and Devin Booker cares about it all the time. They (are) coming out looking for their short from opening tip-off. Jimmy Butler, sometimes you literally feel like you got to throw something at him just to make him shoot the basketball. It’s not a priority for him. And that is why I would say no on (the Jimmy Butler to) Kobe comparison.”

Booker has previously stated that he is not a fan of all the Kobe Bryant comparisons in the past.

“I’m inspired by Kobe Bryant and the Mamba mentality, but I am not Kobe Bryant,” Booker said in an interview in 2021.

Nonetheless, this is a ringing endorsement for the Suns’ star guard.

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Brendan Mau is a Phoenix Suns insider and college sports reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau

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