She made it happen. It brought tears to my eyes. The Suns just in general, the whole Valley is behind the Suns, said Beltran. For her to allow it to happen is unbelievable.. Hollywood Life Except this one is not based on just loyalty and winning, but also heritage. But living around it and the culture and getting to see it day to day is a lot better. 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.. While in high school, Devin exhibited his remarkable sporting talent. Moreover, Devin has always appreciated this fact since being drafted by Phoenix . After retiring from professional basketball in 2008, Melvin used his time to help Devin prepare for his own career and was hired as an assistant coach to his old high school, Moss Point High School, in 2011. Were going to see him do and be more involved in our community.. After his first day of high school in Mississippi, Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker had his dad quite worried that he was going to pack his bags to go back to Michigan. READ MORE: D-I-S-R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Widespread appreciation grows for Devin Booker after regular season indifference. Doesn't booker have more wins against luka overall? Melvin Booker, his African-American father, played for the Continental Basketball Association Grand Rapids Mackers during the 1995-96 season. In the next game, Devin scored 19 points against TexasArlington to set a new season-high score. Devin averaged 30.9 points per game as a senior despite being double- and triple-teamed during the 2013-14 season at Moss Point. 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. I still have mixed feelings about it, Gutierrez wrote. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Thanks, Pops: Bookers father, Melvin Booker, played professionally from 1994-2008, including for two seasons and three different NBA teams (Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors). In a match against the New Orleans Pelicans in November 2016, Devin scored a career-high of 38 points, and a few days later, he bettered it by scoring 39 points against the Los Angeles Lakers. He became the first Phoenix Suns player in 28 years to touch the 38-point mark consecutively in two matches. Playing in Russia with the time difference it would be 3 in the morning there and the middle of the day for us. At just 20 years old, Devin Booker became the youngest NBA player to record a 70-point game. They never married but dated for many years and had Devin, Melvins only child, in 1996. Most people have been doing that all their kids life. The elder Booker was the 1994 Big Eight Player of the Year at the University of Missouri and a former professional basketball player. Weve already felt the need to defend him for five or six years, because of the trajectory of his career and the way he was talked about early on, Vigil said. Imagine how I have to paint that picture over the airwaves so that those who listen to us who are Mexican, so that they can feel proud of a guy who shares their blood being an NBA star and who might be the most important player in the city since Larry Fitzgerald.. They needed the painting in five hours for a Fathers Day gift. 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. Who are Devin Booker's parents? Moss Point wasnt suburban Grand Rapids where Devin grew up. In March, Devin scored 34 points against Miami Heat to achieve yet another career milestone and his careers best performance to date. I remember him as a little kid and all he talked about is that he wanted to be a professional basketball player, Melvin Booker said. Telephone conversations between father and son werent the norm during the elders playing days since international calls were very expensive. My draft night was one of the worst nights ever, Melvin Booker said. Melvin Booker also thought the fast-paced, trash-talking and tough style of basketball would make his . 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 told Suns.com. Kobe wrote the same message on the KOBE XI PEs he gave Book in 2016 , (via @DevinBook, h/t Sneakercenter/Instagram) pic.twitter.com/D1jgnhcPXs, Peer approval: Bookers arrival as a star may have been a foregone conclusion. It means a lot to me. It's not one culture. Who the f is this guy lmao. The city I grew up in and the high school was predominantly black. Let these kids know that, especially with the NBA today, it's not one race. His maternal grandfather hails from Mexico. It was special. A post shared by Devin Booker (@dbook) on Jun 19, 2017 at 5:27pm PDT. The 2014 McDonalds All-American selection averaged 30.9 points per game in his senior season. Kendall and Devin rekindled their two-year romance last month following a short-lived breakup. I am a very proud father and I know my son is living his dream. His mom even has the same last name as us: Gutirrez.. For those who arent fans, Bookers heritage may be what finally draws them in. You have people from all over with extreme talent. 1.4K. I dont think any kid can just make that move that I made but I understood the goal that was at hand and I just embraced the Mississippi culture, you know, the inner city and it was good for me, Booker said. 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. Other Latinos dream of bringing Booker home for dinner to introduce him to their most favorite Mexican dishes. 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. Four seasons later, Booker became the Suns first All-Star since Nash. As Booker has embraced his Latino side, those whove long followed his career have seen incremental changes to everything from the way he dresses to what he drivesmuch of which seems to be a hat tip to this culture. Who Is Melvin Booker? But once I got there, they embraced me, they took me in and I ended up getting more intact with that side of my family also, my dads side, it was a really important time., Looking back, Booker believes the diversity of his upbringing has made him more relatable to people and teammates of different backgrounds. Ochoa said the data shows that people are listening to his broadcasts on the other side of the border, and the Suns organization has tried to connect with the Latino community, too, sending basketballs and uniforms to kids in Sonora while also continuing to make and sell the Los Suns jerseys that were part of the Noche Latina collection that the league created for cities with large Latino populations. As a father, hed do anything I wanted to do. Veronica is Puerto-Rican and Mexican American, and Melvin is African-American. The couple did not marry but remained on good terms. Down to just people saying Kobe when they shoot a piece of trash in the garbage. 70-point special: On March 24, 2017, Boston led Phoenix by as many as 26 before Booker, 20, surged in the second half, hitting on drives, pull-ups and 3-pointers. The Phoenix Suns 2015 first road draft pick Devin Booker poses for a portrait on June 26, 2015 at US Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona. One even stopped behind it and crossed himself. In a March 2018 game against Oklahoma City Thunder, he scored 39 points. Thats how she ended up at a Suns game a few years ago on Latino Night and found out about Bookers heritage. Ahead of Game 6 of the Lakers series, Booker drove a Grand National to Staples Center. Booker has this charisma that people connect with, Ochoa said. Every day has been a learning process for me. But that was the sacrifice I had to make to provide for him and my family as well., Devin Booker says his father is now one of his best friends.. Macias has seen Mexican-influenced murals of Booker and the Suns pop up around the city, including one the Suns commissioned with Los Suns jerseys and players painted as Dia de los Muertosstyle skeletons. Melvin is African-American and Veronica is Puerto-Rican and Mexican American. For a mother to just let her son move with a father I didnt spend much time with She raised me most of my life. Devin Booker said he owes his mom the world for allowing him to depart to Mississippi and primarily raising him beforehand. Its definitely something that I want to do. He is not living through me. Huh, I thought Gary Trent was Luka Doncic father. Originally from Mississippi, he became a great player in high school before getting signed to play for the University of Missouri. Im definitely going to rep that side of my heritage, always., (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images). Melvin Booker, however, believed that Moss Point High would benefit from his sons presence on and off the court. I think all of this is even cooler because he has Mexican blood in him, and hes carrying that with him, Gerardo said while looking at a marquee that featured Booker in the center. Everyone wants to see a little bit of themselves in the athletes that theyre watching on TV, Vigil said. Its a night I will never forget, he said. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Heres a look at 10 things to know about Phoenixs standout guard, his life and his NBA career. I think thats why he is eager to learn more now.. And while the Gutirrez brothers and other Latino fans have plenty of respect and appreciation for a player like Chris Paul, whose arrival last offseason helped turn the Suns into a contender, what they feel for Booker is something much greater: a cultural connection. Gutierrez and her son said yes before his sophomore season. Oops. However, the matter did not do much damage to his career. Also, being the support for your family and being the backbone of your family and how important that is.. I havent gotten around to it yet, but thats the goal. Get to know them better here. In another January game against the Indiana Pacers, he scored 32 points to become the third-youngest NBA player and the youngest Suns player to score more than 30 points in a game. This season was to mark his fifth appearance in the competition before ultimately pulling out due to injury. In June 2015, he was selected by the Phoenix Suns as the 13th overall pick. That Hispanic culture is seen both in the stands and throughout the fan base, but what many might not know, is that the Suns also represent Hispanic heritage on the court. Letting Devin leave Michigan was by far the hardest decision of my life. Devin Booker was the leading offensive force on the Phoenix Suns and led them to their first appearance in the Finals since 1993. Playoff ready: Any questions about how Bookers scoring would translate to the postseason were answered swiftly. He did eventually make it to the NBA, first playing 11 games for the Houston Rockets during the 1995-96 season. With Booker being Hispanic, I think it just opens the eyes to our culture around our Hispanic heritage, Lugo said. His father was a brilliant young NBA player when he met Veronica during on one of his tours for the Continental Basketball Association.. First, Lugo commissioned a graphic designer friend to mock up the design. Click to Subscribe to Get Our Free HollywoodLife Daily Newsletter, Devin Booker Celebrates 'Beautiful' Girlfriend Kendall Jenner On Her 26th Birthday -- Photos, Kendall Jenner Wishes BF & 'Best Friend' Devin Booker A Happy 25th Birthday -- See Cute Photos, Kendall Jenner Feels Attacked By Boyfriend Devin Bookers Pumpkin Carving Diss, Devin Bookers Dating History: All About His 2-Year Romance With Kendall Jenner & Past Loves, 13 Obscure Sex Acts You Might Not Know About (But May Want to Try), How Black Creators Can Expand Their Network with LinkedIn, General Hospital Spoilers February 27 March 10. 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. But getting to the age that Im at now, understanding how important that is, thats a part of me, something that Im growing to realize. On November 2, 2014, Devin scored 16 points, playing for his college team, against the University of Pikeville. With that, he began a great college basketball career, which paved the way for his future career in the sport. Devin quickly became a very good shooter and continued to grow to 6-foot-6. 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. That didnt stop him from shooting 41.1% from 3-point range in the Wildcats march to the Final Four. Perla Macias, Jasons wife and a Mexican national who moved to the States at 6 years old and just recently became a citizen, has been involved with Latino outreach organizations around Phoenix. Paolo Banchero leads the way as the Kia Rookie of the Year chase begins to head for the finish line. He is the only child of former professional basketball star Melvin Booker, who is Devin's father. Hes learning a lot. With this, he became the third player in NBA history to achieve the feat. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Interest-Based Ads. 25. Devin Booker was born on October 30, 1996, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I dont look back on that. But Melvin Booker said the relationship and bond grew so much closer during his sons three years at Moss Point. Hed let them have the seats he got in his contract and then try to help them fall in love with Booker. His grandfather was born in Los Nogales, Mexico, right near the Texas border. Devin soon started attending Grandville High School, and Melvin retired from professional basketball to stay closer to his son. 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. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. She made it happen. It was better for my life.. He went on to play in the NBA for the Houston Rockets during the 1995-1996 season and the Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors during the 1996-1997 season. Spin: Booker led the Suns in . Booker, not knowing Spanish, wasnt as comfortable sharing that side of himself until Watson encouraged him to. He made his professional NBA debut against the Dallas Mavericks two days before his 19th birthday. Ever since he was 8 months old he was coming with me in the summertime. While Devin grew up, his fathers lifestyle influenced him greatly. His job is to do the play-by-play, but as Mexicans say, sometimes you need to echarle ms crema a los tacos, or add a little bit of spice to the meal. His completed his first season at the university with an average of 10 points and was sure about earning a respectable place in the NBA draft which was just around the corner. Devin Booker got "Be Legendary" tatted on him. To see it turn out the way it turned, the process is quicker than he expected and now to see him having the success hes having on this level is amazing. Getting the tacos, like for realnot the ones in Michigan, not the ones in Missouri. Gutierrez allowed Booker, then 12, to visit his father one spring break in Milan, where the son played one-on-one with a future pro in Danilo Gallinari and showed the potential of being a special player. The brothers got their Suns fandom from their father, who came to love the team during the Seven Seconds or Less era. So good, it should come with a spoiler alert. 1 / 3. Bryant noticed the young Booker as well, especially when he tried to use one of his own patented post moves against him in Bryants last career game at Phoenix in 2016. Melvin Booker also believed that his son would be much taller than him. He found a role model in his father and started practicing basketball in school. Devin and Mya have become very close over the years and hes often seen sharing sweet moments with her. 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. Tacos, like for realnot the ones in Michigan, not the ones in Missouri she ended up at Suns! To Staples Center season was to mark his fifth appearance in the since... Best performance to date melvin retired from professional basketball player his careers best performance to date NBA.! Born on October 30, 1996, in 1996 Suns player in 28 years to touch the 38-point mark in. 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