LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The texts live on Devin Booker’s phone, dozens of them, stored like a digital memorial. Kobe Bryant was more than just a brief peer. He was a confidant and advisor, a mentor and a friend. Every so often, Booker will pull up Bryant’s number and scroll through, reading the encouragement (Book ‘em! Bryant wrote after Booker dropped 70 on Boston in 2017), advice and endless string of emojis.
“Kobe,” Booker said, “loved emojis.”
Bryant believed in Booker. The NBA is catching up. The Suns are the talk of Central Florida, running their restart record to 5-0 after beating Miami on Saturday night, inching, improbably, closer to the No.