Which Athlete in Phoenix Demonstrates the Highest Level of Loyalty?
In professional sports, success and titles are prioritized over loyalty, creating an environment where recent accomplishments hold more weight than past achievements.
Phoenix is a city that has witnessed the sadness of watching skilled athletes end their careers wearing different uniforms than the ones fans were used to seeing them in.
Arizona sports fans have had to watch as some of their favorite hometown stars, like 2022 National League MVP Paul Goldschmidt and former Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson, found success in other cities.
The fluctuating nature of sports in Phoenix underscores the importance of recognizing the commitment and reliability of hometown athletes such as Nick Ahmed of the Diamondbacks, D.J. Humphries of the Cardinals, and Devin Booker of the Suns.
Yengols.com reports that the top three most loyal Phoenix athletes are those who have remained in the Valley the longest after being drafted by one of the region’s four professional sports teams.
A point system was utilized to identify the most loyal athlete currently active in Phoenix. Points were given based on the following criteria: two points for each season played with the team, two points for each contract signed, two points for each contract lasting three or more years, and four points for any adjustments made to the pay structure to benefit the team’s salary cap.
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Phoenix’s most loyal athletes
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Which Phoenix Athlete is the Most Loyal?
Ahmed has shown unwavering loyalty as a Phoenix athlete, scoring a total of 32 points. This includes 18 points for playing for the team for nine consecutive seasons, 12 points for signing six contracts, and three points for committing to a three-year contract with the club.
According to our calculations, Humphries scored 30 points and Booker recorded 28 points following Ahmed.
While Humphries contributed four points by restructuring his contract, Ahmed outperformed him by signing three contracts and spending seven years with the team in the trio.
Both Booker and Humphries had three contracts each, but Booker did not receive any points for renegotiating his deals with the Suns.
Ahmed and Humphries recognized as some of the most loyal athletes in Phoenix
Ahmed, Humphries, and Booker have consistently proven themselves as reliable athletes for the Phoenix teams.
Since his debut season in 2014, Ahmed has participated in 816 games during his nine seasons with Arizona.
During that time, the UConn graduate has amassed 636 hits, 68 home runs, and 305 RBI, with a career WAR of 12.4. They have also served as the team’s community liaison and representative for the MLB Players Association.
Humphries, who was chosen in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft from Florida, has appeared in 83 games and consistently been a dependable member of the Cardinals’ offensive line.
In 2021, the Union, South Carolina native made his Pro Bowl debut and solidified his future with the team by signing a three-year, $66.6 million extension before the 2022 season began.
In his eighth season with the Phoenix Suns, Devin Booker may be at the bottom of the list, but he is definitely top of mind for many in Phoenix as the cornerstone guard for the team.
Booker has consistently been the top scorer for Monty Williams and the team, maintaining an average of over 24 points per game each season from 2017 to 2022.
The former Kentucky Wildcat is expected to have a career-best scoring average of 27.9 points per game this season, along with enhancements in field goal percentage (47.0%), free throw percentage (88.0%), assists per game (5.8), and rebounds per game (5.4) when compared to last season.
The Suns’ hard work has paid off, as they are now tied for third place with +700 odds on the BetMGM Sportsbook Arizona NBA Championship board.
Author
Peterson Christopher brings more than seven years of experience in sports and sports betting coverage in Arizona to his current role as lead writer at yengols.com. He has also contributed to ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly, and the Green Valley News in the past.
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