Book
Devin Booker’s last name is Booker. Someone removed one syllable. The remaining four letters — B, o, o, k — became his primary nickname. The creative process, in its entirety, took approximately zero seconds. You take the word “Booker,” you delete “er,” and you have “Book.” This is less nickname and more abbreviation.
Devin Booker is a genuinely excellent scorer with a career full of moments that deserved a better name. He has scored 70 points in a game. He was an All-Star. He made the Finals. The most creative thing anyone could say about him was: shorter last name.
That his last name has more letters than necessary. That is the complete thesis. “Book” describes a reading object and the first four letters of his surname. Neither meaning applies to basketball.
APEX has quite a bit to say about Devin Booker. His Offensive Impact scores during his Phoenix prime were elite. Shot creation, efficiency, usage — the model registers a legitimate scoring threat who warrants serious analytical attention. There is a rich portrait of a basketball player available in the data.
None of that portrait is in the word “Book.” A book is a bound collection of pages. Devin Booker is a 6’6” two-guard who can score from anywhere. The nickname communicates that his last name ends in “er.” APEX cannot confirm or deny last names ending in “er.”
He dropped 70 points against the Boston Celtics in 2017, the highest single-game total in Suns history. He could have been “Seventy.” He could have been “The Scorer.” He could have been almost anything. The committee settled on removing two letters from his last name. This is the worst possible outcome for a player this good.
“His last name, minus two letters. He dropped 70 points once and this was the best we could do. Criminal.”