While the U.S. team for the 2024 Summer Olympics includes several future Hall of Fame members, it was not the big three of LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant who caught the attention of Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards in Paris.

Anthony Edwards discussed with Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns and former NBA player Jalen Rose. talk about his experiences The 23-year-old shared an unexpected insight with Team USA at the Olympic Games in Paris.

“(Stephen Curry) had great games. (Kevin Durant) had great games. (LeBron James) had great games. But (Devin Booker) was the best player blocking shots. Because Book (can) score 70 points. I’m not lying, I was impressed watching him,” said the young Timberwolves superstar.

Devin Booker is the glue for Team USA

Booker averaged 11.7 points, 3.3 assists and 0.5 steals in 22.0 minutes per game at the Olympics. His high shooting percentages – 56.8 percent overall and 56.5 percent from three-point range – were partly the result of careful shot selection. Unlike in his NBA career, he was not used as a primary offensive force.

By the end of the tournament, Booker was arguably the sixth option on the team, behind Durant, Edwards, James, Curry and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid.

Anthony Edwards, who has faced Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns on the NBA court several times and has a record of 1-11, gained a new perspective on Booker through their time together at the Olympics.

Booker’s defense shines at the Olympics

In addition to his scoring skills, the 27-year-old Booker also took on the role of defender, a responsibility not normally assigned to him in the NBA. In the semifinal against Serbia, the U.S. team found itself in a difficult position, trailing 63-76 at the start of the fourth quarter.

While Stephen Curry directed the offense, Devin Booker focused on keeping point guard Vasilije Micic in check. After each basket, Booker immediately put pressure on Micic, disrupting his concentration in the first moments of possession.

At one point, Booker skillfully blocked Micic while Curry had the ball, paving the way for Chief Curry to make an easy layup. Booker’s dogged defense kept Micic completely at bay, leaving the Serbian guard with zero points and assists in the final quarter.

Booker has continued to refine his skills and has remained an extremely effective scorer even when carrying the brunt of the offense. While he hasn’t reached the 70-point mark since that remarkable night in his sophomore season, he has managed to score 45 or more points in at least one game each season.

Leads the Phoenix Suns on offense

Last season, he scored 62 points against the Indiana Pacers in late January. But his accuracy is only part of the story.

The Suns’ run to the 2021 NBA Finals showed that the 27-year-old can be a key factor in a team’s success and dispelled any doubts that had lingered due to Phoenix’s long struggles up to that point.

Despite his impressive offensive skills, Booker has long been considered a defensive liability. He is known for focusing on scoring rather than defense. He averages less than one steal per game over his career and often spends more energy on offense than on preventing his opponents from scoring.

What made Booker’s performance at the Paris Olympics so impressive was his commitment to defense. While the offensive load was shared among many talented players, no one would have expected Booker to take his defensive role with such seriousness.

The Olympics could prompt a reassessment of Booker’s abilities, as he excelled in a supporting role. U.S. national team head coach Steve Kerr praised him as “incredible throughout” and described him as “kind of our secret MVP.”