Last Thursday night, the Utah Jazz drove a monster truck over the Phoenix Suns in a comically-lopsided 34-point trouncing. Devin Booker—a glittering cherub who makes watching the lottery-bound Suns tolerable—finished with only seven points in 31 minutes. He went 3-for-14 from the floor and didn’t attempt a single free throw. That dud led to a scolding from Earl Watson.

“[Booker] can’t worry about being efficient, shooting 50 percent,” he said. “You have players who’re dominant in this league, when they struggle, they get to the free-throw line. They might shoot 10 of 25 but also shoot 10 or 15 free throws, and that’s something he has to learn to live with. We’ve discussed it, he embraced it and he could be something special.”

The NBA’s youngest player got the message: Don’t shy away from being your team’s go-to offensive resource when shots aren’t falling. Get to the line; stay unapologetically aggressive. The following morning, Booker texted his coach an apology and promised he’d bounce back that night against the Los Angeles Lakers.

“I texted back, told him I love you,” Watson said. “He told me he loved me too, and then he decided to come out and play and have a good game tonight.”

Booker shot 5-for-18 in L.A. More importantly, he scored 21 points and went 10-for-10 at the line. Phoenix won by five.

Twenty minutes after the final horn, Booker sat in the far corner of the Staples Center visiting locker room with four enormous bags of ice strategically strapped to his knees and ankles, a towel draped over his shoulders and an abbreviated smile on his face. 

“I have a short memory. If my team needs me to score, then I need to be aggressive, get to the line, throw lobs to Tyson, just get our shooters open. I try to put as much pressure on the defense as I can,” Booker said. “If you’re not getting to the line and you’re not efficient from the floor, you have no purpose out there.”

The Suns are a trainwreck, but their 2015 first-round pick is the most delightful surprise from the most hope-inspiring draft class in nearly a decade. His advanced offensive skill-set, physical makeup (he’s nearly the same size as Klay Thompson) and sophisticated mentality are perfect for a franchise that’s desperate for a young building block with All-Star potential. Booker has only played 63 games, but the production, aesthetic beauty and intelligence in his game already indicate that Phoenix has struck gold.

“Devin’s summer league, to me, was amazing,” Watson said. “I saw the ability to handle the ball off the dribble, catch-and-shoot, post, isolations, assists, pick-and-rolls, play pick-and-roll basketball, and I think it helped that I was assigned to work Devin out, so I could see a lot more intimately what he can eventually become.”

You can fry an egg on Booker's jumper. If his shot motion were a rock, you could skip it across a lake. He’s shooting 42.5 percent on catch-and-shoot threes and 56.9 percent on catch-and-shoot twos. This is the primary trait that made him a lottery pick out of Kentucky, but it’s far from all he can do. Booker’s deliberate off-ball movement is precise; he gets to his spots without wasting any energy. In transition, he’s more efficient than both Splash Brothers, per Synergy.

All of it is wonderful to see from someone who is so inexperienced, but none of it surprises him. In a league that’s filled with the most self-sure people in the world, Booker’s confidence is the foundation of his success. Mentally, he’s well beyond his years.

“I think he came in with an extremely high basketball IQ and a poise in his game that most rookies don’t have,” Suns point guard Ronnie Price said. “It takes guys three, four years to be able to play at the pace he’s already playing at this early in his career.”

Since Eric Bledsoe’s season officially ended in late December, Booker’s efficiency has flattened beneath the weight of a much larger role. He’s shooting 40.4 percent from the floor and 31.9 percent behind the three-point line in those 36 games. He’s also tallying 17.1 points and 34.6 minutes per game. Only Price and Brandon Knight average more touches, but both guards have also missed significant time during that stretch. 

On most nights, Booker has been Phoenix’s lead option, which is a major leap from how he started the year, a backup off guard without a solidified role. The fact that A) his three-dimensional skill-set basically appeared out of thin air, B) his 21st birthday won’t arrive until the eve of his third opening night, and C) he doesn’t even need 24 hours to absorb and implement helpful advice, is an incredible sign. 

He’s fearlessly dedicated to being great, and at this stage there is no ceiling. If Booker is already this good, what will he look like in five years?