In the NBA, is it better to be cool or successful? Allen Iverson was cool — maybe the coolest there ever was — but he never won a championship. He was a deserving MVP and had some influence on future generations of fans and players, but he never got over the hump.

Then there was the supporting actor Robert Horry – who is certainly not the first player that springs to mind when you think of effortless cool – but who won an incredible seven NBA championships. None as a star player though, so how about Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks? Winner of possibly the toughest title of all time. Popular in Dallas? Yes. Successful? Of course. But Cool? Um…

As you know by now, Booker’s stock price rose significantly this summer in the wake of his Olympic gold medal win, which sparked an “I’m Going to Do It” movement. Booker also capitalized on the moment, posting a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the U.S. team’s gold medal win and the celebrations that followed.

His aura is as strong as ever, and not just because he left the club the night the team won gold on the bike. The perception of Booker has changed, and that’s largely because he was willing to accept a role on Team USA while also being a starter and on the court in crucial moments. It doesn’t hurt that superstars like Stephen Curry and Anthony Edwards were drawn to him, too.

But if you were told that Booker could only win an MVP or a championship from now until the end of his career, which would you rather see him win? This question might come down to age, as younger fans might cite a title as the ultimate goal. And it is.

But a strange thing happens as you get older – as this writer, already 30 years old, can attest – that financial security and what you mean to a fan base become, if not more important, then at least goals that you can understand much better. Booker is beloved in the Valley – he could go down in history as the Suns’ greatest player of all time – and an MVP trophy would further confirm that.

Steve Nash is a fascinating example here. He’s currently in the running for the title of greatest Sun of all time and has two MVP trophies. He may not have a Larry O’Brien to his name, but Suns fans love him anyway. In many ways, it was his failure to win it all – even though he clearly gave it his all in Phoenix – that drew fans to him even more.

A bit like Reggie Miller, who spent his entire career with the Indiana Pacers and never even made it to the NBA Finals. Privately, Miller may admit he should have gone somewhere else to get a ring, but he probably hasn’t had to pay for a meal in Indiana since he retired. That kind of admiration is hard to quantify.

So if we’re talking pure aura, the prospect of Booker being named MVP while scoring around 28 points a night alongside Kevin Durant is the pinnacle, right? Add to that continued playoff appearances, but the individual trophy as validation for a career that’s quickly becoming Hall of Fame.

But wait a minute. The Suns have never won a championship. Can you even imagine what that would be like with Booker playing a key role in it? If he was somehow forced to play third fiddle to Durant and even Bradley Beal (we know, we know…don’t kid us), but brought the chip to the Valley. That would be immortality.

Whichever way you look at it, Booker’s standing in Paris has clearly increased. He is no longer behind Jayson Tatum and even Jamal Murray, and the prospect of him becoming either MVP or champion is not far off. He would accept a championship – that’s the essence of “I’ll do it right here” – but in reality there is no wrong answer here, just personal preference.