Dawn Staley calls Devin Booker the 'unsung hero' of Team USA

There isn’t enough spotlight for every player on Team USA. After Team USA’s convincing 110-84 win over Serbia on Sunday, South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley praised Devin Booker for his ability to exceed in his role.

“Devin Booker is the unsung hero,” Staley said. “You know KD is gonna be KD. But, Devin Booker plays both sides of the ball, can score a whole lot of basketball points and also defend. He’s like the quiet assassin of that group.”

Without drawing too much attention, Booker tallied 12 points, three rebounds and five assists in the win over Serbia while shooting 4-5 from beyond the arc. Booker started on the star-studded team on Sunday but he’s willing to do whatever it takes for the team to succeed.

“Whatever it takes to be effective,” Booker said ahead of the Olympics. “Doing the extra stuff, offensive rebounding, defending at a high level, figuring out the spacing, just trying to be a glue guy.

“I hear everyone say that everyone is catching up to us. It keeps us hungry, it keeps us motivated… We still want to claim our dominance over the world.”

The 2024 Paris Olympics is Booker’s second appearance on the worldwide stage. Booker boosted Team USA to a Gold Medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as well, averaging 9.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.

Not Devin Booker’s first rodeo as a role player

Although Booker is now a four-time NBA All-Star with the Phoenix Suns, this isn’t his first time as a role player. During his lone season at Kentucky, Booker came off the bench, supporting a loaded roster with future NBA players such as Karl-Anthony Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein and Trey Lyles.

In 38 games at UK, Booker averaged 10.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 21.5 minutes per contest. For his efforts, he was named the 2015 SEC Freshman of the Year and was a SEC All-Freshman Team and All-SEC Second Team selection.

Staley knows how pivotal players like Booker are to a team’s success. She boasts three Gold Medals as a player and one as a coach. Moreover, she’s cemented herself as one of the all-time greats at the collegiate level.

At the helm of South Carolina, Staley has reeled in three national titles (2017, 2022 and 2024). Further, she’s won the SEC Tournament eight times and has been named the SEC Coach of the Year seven times.