https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/devin-booker-37685.php. In August 2011, Devin scored 17 points in the fifth game of the season, against Gulfport High School. His score was higher than the rest of his team combined. Whenever Melvin traveled to other countries for his games, the fatherson duo would communicate through e-mails. When you ask people around Phoenix when they became aware of Bookers Mexican heritage, everyone has a different answer: the 2017 game the Suns played in Mexico, or the one in 2019; through the video the team put out for National Hispanic Heritage Month last year; or just this past season, as the Suns became one of the best teams in the league and Booker became an even bigger star. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Devin Booker 2015-16 Panini Complete Rookie RC #296 Phoenix Suns Pre-Owned $20.00 Seller: matts_cardz (12,281) 100% Buy It Now +$4.95 shipping Sponsored 2015-16 Panini Gold Standard DEVIN BOOKER RC Jersey /149 BGS 9 w/ 10 AUTO RPA $349.95 Seller: meets2 (955) 99.6% or Best Offer +$3.95 shipping Authenticity Guarantee 13 watchers Sponsored Devin soon started attending Grandville High School, and Melvin retired from professional basketball to stay closer to his son. Melvin Booker, his African-American father, played for the Continental Basketball Association Grand Rapids Mackers during the 1995-96 season. Booker and Phoenix are starting to build the kind of rare star-city relationship thats been most recently seen between Stephen Curry and the Bay Area. Devin Booker Personal Life. Devin Booker was born to play basketball as his father is a former professional basketball player. It was tough, Devin Booker said. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. This proved to be a significant culture shock for young Devin, but he handled it quite well. The relationship foundered after Devin's birth, and Veronica raised their son as a single mom while Melvin played international basketball in Europe. Some of my favorite times as a child was my mom whipping up her original Mexican dishes that she learned from her father, or when we got the chance to visit my grandpa on the weekends in his city and having him cook for us, Booker said. In the 1990s, Latinos made up just 20 percent of Phoenixs population. I still have mixed feelings about it, Gutierrez wrote. Let these kids know that, especially with the NBA today, its not one race. It ended up being one of the best decisions Ive ever made. Devin visited his father during his summer holidays, in Moss Point, Mississippi, a place that had a significant black population. Booker has said in the past that this has been much easier for him to do in Phoenix, a city with a population. The two hit it off, and a year later, Devin was born. I appreciate my dad actually telling me to make the move. I meet a lot of people around the basketball business that talk about him like, People may not know who your father is, but he could hoop, Devin Booker said. Join. I havent gotten around to it yet, but thats the goal. That was the same night former Suns great and Hall of Fame point guard Steve Nash saw his name and likeness enshrined in the franchises Ring of Honor at halftime. Since Melvin was playing basketball overseas most of his life, the one-on-one that he got with his father was good for him.. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages, 5 takeaways from Durant's debut with Suns, Durant expected to make Suns debut tonight, David Benner, Pacers longtime PR director, dies, NBA DFS Picks: Yahoo plays & strategy for March 1, Kia Rookie Ladder: State of chase after All-Star, NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer Wednesday 3/1. It was all his decision, Melvin Booker said. Ever since he was 8 months old he was coming with me in the summertime. The athletes parents, Melvin Booker and Veronica Gutierrez, led successful careers of their own as they raised him, and have been a huge part of his life. He ended up at the fourth spot in the race for the 2016 Rookie of the Year award. NoseBlind2 22 days ago. Devin and his father were around each other daily for the first time. He began his standout basketball career at Moss Point High School . Stuntin like his daddy: How Devin Bookers father paved his path to the NBA. Who the f is this guy lmao. For her to allow it to happen is unbelievable.. Someone taking pride in their culture and background is always something that we try to teach kids as well, so thats a learning experience for them and it definitely increases fandom for Latinos in general just because its someone representing their culture and our people.. Its unheard of for a player of the year in his conference and a second-team All-American to go undrafted for reasons I dont even know today. Melvin Booker was the epitome of cool when his son was selected, but inside the emotions were high. His maternal grandfather was born in Mexico but migrated to Michigan. We all had an understanding that it would be the best decision for me reaching my dreams. and people say this sub is not woke enough. Im in a position where Im coming into now, where I understand how important it is. While Devin grew up, his fathers lifestyle influenced him greatly. RELATED: Devin Booker accepts spot on U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball Team. My journey and my path, I hope it opens up something in their minds to let them know that they're capable of doing exactly what I've done, Booker said. Who are Devin Booker's parents? Lugo, who had draped the flag around his back, was trying to get to his seats in the 200 level, but he kept getting interrupted by people asking to take a picture of the flag. Please enter a valid email and try again. 15 days ago. But Devin didnt want to leave his mom and his friends. Being able to touch those types of communities in this area makes all this that much better.. Melvin Booker, however, believed that Moss Point High would benefit from his sons presence on and off the court. Gerardo can rattle off facts about Booker like hes a walking Wikipedia page: Bookers mom is Mexican American, and his grandfather was born in Los Nogales, Mexico, a town near the Texas border. That was the only reason I put Devin there. With his fathers influence, Devin naturally fell in love with the game of basketball as a child. The more Booker researched his Hispanic background, the more he saw the similarities between his own ideals and the Mexican heritage within his bloodline. Middleton found Lopez for the go-ahead basket with 24.8 seconds remaining. Spend some time in Phoenixespecially latelyand that last sentiment rings true. That's something that's been with me in my blood since birth.. He would say, So you want me to practice for two hours and then you want to do more stuff? I said, Thats what you need to be great. I kind of knew he didnt have an idea, so thats when he came to me.. Hollywood Life, Latest Hollywood Celebrity & Entertainment News. Theyve been Suns fans since they were little and growing up in South Phoenix, and they have faint memories of the Steve Nashled teams of the mid-2000s, as well as fresher memories of the Suns drafting and building a team around Devin Booker. Devin initially refused to go to Mississippi. In the next game, Devin scored 19 points against TexasArlington to set a new season-high score. I fell in love with the city. I think growing up, were usually in one part of the country, one region, the Midwest, West Coast kids, or from the south. Devin visited Missouri twice, but his dad says he didnt pressure him to go there. Music booms through two speakers as a DJ and a hype man practice their lines, but the area is virtually deserted. Davon lives a single life. In October 2017, he scored 34 points against the Portland Trail Blazers to finish his 21st career game with 30+ points. 2023 ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. Noticing his immense talent, Melvin tried hard to bring his son back to Mississippi permanently. And once he did, Ochoa noticed Booker became more comfortable discussing it publicly, like he did when the Suns played in Mexico City in January 2017. I got to see the guys like Michael Jordan play up close, Melvin Booker said. Fathers Day was the following day, and the representative asked Doctor if he could paint a portrait of Booker and his dad, Melvin, who played basketball at Mizzou. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. He always helped my mom out when she was in need, which was really important for me. I think thats why he is eager to learn more now.. 3-Point Contest: The league noticed Bookers shooting stroke immediately and invited its youngest player to participate in the 2016 Three-Point Contest. I see that as a wink to us because I think he knows thats how we dress. Broadway_Baller 6 days ago. The supermodel enjoyed a trip to Mississippi with the NBA player where she was introduced to some of his hometown roots. Oops. That meeting included a gift: a pair of signature shoes on which Bryant had written Be legendary.Booker has since gotten the phrase tattooed on his arm, and admitted his idol was very much on his mind when he scored 47 points in Game 6 to eliminate Bryants former team in the first round of the 2021 playoffs. One of them shows the elder Booker then playing for the Golden State Warriors driving against, you guessed it, the Phoenix Suns. 204. Ayton also had 11 rebounds. Beginning his career as a sportswriter, Benner then served with the Pacers for 28 years, retiring last season. Huh, I thought Gary Trent was Luka Doncic father. After being cut by the Atlanta Hawks in training camp, Booker played five games with the Denver Nuggets and 16 games with the Golden State Warriors during the 1996-97 season. He did eventually make it to the NBA, first playing 11 games for the Houston Rockets during the 1995-96 season. Some of my favorite times as a child was my mom whipping up, you know, original Mexican dishes that she learned from her father or when we got the chance to visit my grandpa on the weekend.. Ive been here, putting my head down, grinding, you know, these past five years, trying to get to this point, to at least give them competitive basketball. As of early 2021, Davon has an estimated net worth of around $500 thousand. Hikaru has been surpassed for the number one spot on Chess.com's Blitz global leaderboard. Even then, he still dedicated portions of his post-practice routine to footwork and shot-making on the block. My favorite part about being Mexican is the culture and being a part of the heritage, Booker said. Melvin Booker averaged 5.2 points in 17 minutes in just 24 NBA games and believed that he didnt get a true shot. Melvin Booker played in the American minor leagues for the Hartford Hellcats and Pittsburgh Piranhas and had two stints with Grand Rapids. Doctor said it wouldnt be his best work, but hed do it. Like Devin, Melvin spent many years as a professional basketball player. Booker also won a gold medal on the 2020 U.S. Olympic team in Tokyo. Born In: Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States, See the events in life of Devin Booker in Chronological Order, (American Professional Basketball Player Who Plays as the Shooting guard), https://www.nba.com/suns/news/suns-draft-points-view-devin-booker#gref, https://hoopshype.com/2017/03/11/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-devin-booker/, Devin Booker was born on October 30, 1996, in Michigan, to an AfricanAmerican father, Melvin Brooker, and his MexicanAmerican and Puerto Rican partner, Veronica Gutirrez. It was his mother, Veronica Gutierrez's hometown, and his father, Melvin Booker, who played for CBA's Grand Rapids Hoops. The Suns just in general, the whole Valley is behind the Suns, said Beltran. Its a feeling like no other. Veronica is a Mexican-American and her father was born in Mexico. My Mexican culture has taught me a lot about myself. To the Gutirrezes, both of whom are first-generation Americans with Mexican parents, Bookers background is a source of pride. He taught his son to shoot with the correct form. The ones in downtown Phoenix, those are a little different.. From 1997-2008, Melvin Booker made a living playing most notably in Italy with stints in Turkey and Russia. Eventually, Melvin ended his career to return home to coach his high school team and focus on his son. From influencing his love of basketball, to showing him how to build a strong relationship, his folks are definitely a part of his success story. 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