Mat Ishbia admits his relationship with Devin Booker was going through some hard times: "I am very lucky to have him"

To say that, over the past five years, the Phoenix Suns have been on a rollercoaster ride would be an understatement. The franchise has gone from being 2–0 in the 2021 NBA Finals to falling outside of the playoff picture, with nothing more than broken dreams and a whole lot of money spent. This season, there appears to be hope that they are finally getting on the right track.

However, there is one guy who stayed through thick and thin during all of these ups and downs, and that guy is Devin Booker. From the time he was just a wide-eyed Kentucky product to now, one of the most prolific scorers in the Association, Booker has remained a rock for the franchise.

And the owner, Mat Ishbia, made sure to give flowers to his star player, who stayed when it was more appealing to try to find his place under the sun somewhere else.

"It's truly special. Booker is a special guy. Obviously an amazing basketball player… but amazing person. He means so much to the Arizona community, the Phoenix community, and he knows that…" the CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage said in his recent appearance on "The Draymond Green Show."

Disappointment for the franchise and its fans

The last couple of campaigns were nothing but a disappointment for the Suns and their fanbase. After acquiring a "self-proclaimed" big three in Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and D-Book, expectations were sky-high. And as it often goes in life, those who fly high fall down hard. And boy, did the Suns crash.

That whole experiment failed miserably, and many began to wonder if it was time for the franchise to hit the total reset button and literally trade away every somewhat valuable asset to start a new page.

Yet amid all of that negativity, Booker decided to stay. The four-time All-Star agreed to a two-year, $145 million contract extension to remain in The Valley through the 2029–30 season.

All of this suggested to Ishbia that Booker is really a one-of-a-kind guy in this type of situation.

"On top of that, you know who your real friends are when everyone else turns their back on you. So, when we went through some tough times… It would be easier for that franchise player to be like, 'Hey, man, I put my time in, I'm ready to go. Instead, he did the reverse, he said, 'Listen, I'm with you Mat, I believe in what we are doing, I'm all in with you. I'll even sign an extension. I wanna be here with you,'" Ishbia pointed out. "He has had my back, I will always have his back. It's been special. And so very, very lucky to have him."

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Booker keeps the Suns on the right track

Now that Durant and Beal are gone, the new head coach, Jordan Ott, was appointed this summer, and the team added reliable pieces in Mark Williams, as well as Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green, acquired in a trade for KD. With all the changes, the Suns look better than ever.

Truthfully, the vibes are matching the scoreboard. The team from The Valley sits in sixth place in the highly contested Western Conference with an 11–7 record. And well, D-Book, after leading the Suns to the NBA Finals in 2021 — their first appearance in the championship round in nearly 30 years — continues that same run, averaging 26.9 points, 7.1 assists and 4.2 boards per contest.

However, all of those bad times have taught Mat a valuable lesson: through every high and low, Ishbia knows that having Booker in the locker room is not just valuable for wins, but for the soul of the franchise.

Related: Dillon Brooks is proud to see his "dawg" mentality impacting the Suns' play: "It shows that my energy is contagious"

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Nov 25, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.