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Devin Booker and Tyler Ulis Celebrate Draft-Night Reunion

As the second round of Thursday's NBA Draft began, Ryan McDonough's cell phone started ringing.

The General Manager of the Suns thought it might be another team inquiring about a draft-night deal. Instead, he saw that the caller was one of his own players.

"I know who we should draft," Devin Booker told him.

It didn't take McDonough long to realize why Phoenix's up-and-coming shooting guard was calling on such a busy night. The 37-year-old GM connected the dots in seconds and realized that one of Booker's best friends and former teammates -- Kentucky guard Tyler Ulis -- was still on the board. With Phoenix holding the 34th overall pick, the opportunity was there to make the pick.

With a few minutes still remaining until the decision needed to be made, however, McDonough decided to have a little fun at the Booker's expense. He innocently mentioned a few other names, including one that made Booker blurt out in frustration, "I don't even know who that is!"

Little did Booker know that his push for Ulis actually mirrored the Suns' draft board, which had Ulis ranked much higher than 34th. Phoenix snatched up the 5-10 point guard with their last pick, strengthening a backcourt rotation with more speed and passing ability.

As it happened, Ulis and Booker were at a draft-night party together in Chicago. When it was clear the former Kentucky teammates would be reunited in purple and orange, the celebration was immediate.

When Ulis joined fellow Suns rookies Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss for local media interviews on Friday, he made sure to acknowledge his friend's part in getting drafted.

"[Booker] told me earlier that he's going to keep telling me every day, 'I'm the reason you're in the NBA,'" Ulis laughed. "We're both really excited and I'm happy to be here playing with him again."

For his part, Booker is too.