Pacific Notes: Booker, Nance Jr. Wilcox

Devin Booker has been one of the better rookies in the league this season and the Suns are enamored with the No. 13 overall selection, Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic writes.

“When you look at some of these guys who were great players in the league, their first couple years, it’s some up and down,” coach Jeff Hornacek said. “But with Book, he’s been mostly up. He’ll learn things as time goes on but he’s going to have a great career.”

The Kentucky product has seen extended minutes since Eric Bledsoe suffered a knee injury that will keep him out for the remainder of the season. Booker is shooting 47.3% from the field and is averaging 14.3 points and 0.9 steals in 30.6 minutes per game over his last eight contests.

Here’s more from the Pacific Division:

  • Julius Randle had been pegged as the Lakers‘ power forward of the future, but Larry Nance Jr. has made a case for himself to be the team’s cornerstone big man, Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com writes. Coach Byron Scott calls the competition between Nance and Randle “a nice little war,” Baxter adds. “Larry is one of those guys where he’s like the Energizer Bunny — he just keeps playing, and he plays harder and harder and harder,” Scott says. “So if you don’t match his intensity then he can embarrass you.”
  • The Clippers have recalled C.J. Wilcox from the D-League, according to the team’s website. Wilcox averaged 15.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists during his stint with the Canton Charge.
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