Devin Booker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Devin Booker

Booker at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game
No. 1 – Phoenix Suns
Shooting guard
Personal information
Born	(1996-10-30) October 30, 1996 (age 28) Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
High school	Grandville (Grandville, Michigan) Moss Point (Moss Point, Mississippi)
Listed height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight	206 lb (93 kg)
Career information
College	Kentucky (2014–2015)
NBA Draft	2015 / Round: 1 / Pick: 13th overall
Selected by the Phoenix Suns
Pro career	2015–present
League	NBA
Career history
2015–present	Phoenix Suns
Career highlights and awards
4× NBA All-Star (2020–2022, 2024) All-NBA First Team (2022) All-NBA Third Team (2024) NBA All-Rookie First Team (2016) NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2018) SEC Sixth Man of the Year (2015) Second-team All-SEC (2015) SEC All-Freshmen Team (2015) McDonald's All-American (2014)
Medals Men's basketball Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 2020 Tokyo Team Gold 2024 Paris Team

Devin Armani Booker (born October 30, 1996) is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before joining the NBA, he played one season of college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. His team had an amazing 38–1 record, and he was named SEC Sixth Man of the Year.

The Suns picked Booker in the first round of the 2015 NBA draft. He was the 13th player chosen overall and started playing at just 18 years old. In 2017, at 20, he became the youngest player to score over 60 points in a game. He set a Suns team record with 70 points against the Boston Celtics. In 2019, at 22, he was the youngest NBA player to score 50 points in two games in a row.

Devin is the son of former basketball player Melvin Booker. He has been chosen as an NBA All-Star four times. He has also been named to the All-NBA Team twice. Booker helped the Suns reach the NBA Finals in 2021. The next season, he was part of the All-NBA First Team. He also helped the Suns win a record 64 games. He is currently the second-highest scorer in Suns history. Booker has won gold medals with the U.S. Olympic team in 2020 and 2024.

Early Life and Family Background

Devin Booker's mother is Veronica Gutiérrez, a cosmetologist. His father is Melvin Booker, a former professional basketball player. Melvin was named the Big Eight Player of the Year in 1994. Devin's parents met when his father played for the Grand Rapids Hoops. This team was in Gutiérrez's hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Booker grew up in Grand Rapids with his mother. His father played basketball in other countries. Devin visited his dad often during the summer. When he was 12, he visited his father in Milan, Italy. He even played one-on-one with Danilo Gallinari, who was his father's teammate. Devin's father taught him that understanding the game (basketball IQ) is as important as being naturally athletic. In middle school, Booker became friends with future NBA players D'Angelo Russell and Tyler Ulis.

High School Basketball Journey

Devin Booker started his high school career at Grandville High School in Michigan. He played on different basketball teams there. In August 2011, he moved to Mississippi to live with his father. His dad had retired from playing and became an assistant coach at Moss Point High School.

Sophomore Year Highlights

In his sophomore year, Booker quickly became a top player. In one game, he scored 17 points, more than all his teammates combined. He also hit a game-winning shot from half court. A sportswriter noted he was averaging 22.7 points per game.

Booker once scored 54 points in a game, almost breaking a school record. He then scored 32 points, including another game-winning shot. This earned him ESPNHS.com's Southeast Player of the Week award. Colleges like Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Florida, and Michigan started showing interest in him.

He averaged 22.8 points per game for the year. He was named the South Mississippi Player of the Year. He was only the second sophomore to receive this honor. After this year, he played in top youth basketball leagues and camps.

Junior Year Achievements

For his junior year, Booker played as a point guard. This was because many older players had left. In one game, he scored 48 points. He followed this with 30 points, including 7 three-pointers.

Booker scored a season-high 49 points in another game. This performance caught the attention of Duke University. He averaged 29.7 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. He also had a great academic record with a 3.81 GPA.

He was named the Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year in 2013. He also won the Sun Herald Player of the Year Award for the second year in a row. More top colleges like North Carolina, Michigan State, and Kentucky offered him scholarships. Kentucky's coach, John Calipari, offered him a scholarship after seeing him play.

Senior Year and College Choice

In the summer of 2013, Booker attended many elite basketball camps. He was even voted to the all-star team at the NBPA Top 100 camp. He also won a three-point shooting contest.

In August 2013, Booker narrowed his college choices to Florida, Missouri, Michigan, Michigan State, and Kentucky. On October 31, he announced he would play for Kentucky. He liked the program's history and Coach Calipari. He signed his official letter to play for Kentucky on November 13.

Booker at the 2014 McDonald's All-American Boys Game

In his senior year, Booker scored 40 points in a game against Ballard High School. He later scored a season-high 45 points. On January 31, he became Moss Point's all-time leading scorer with 2,263 points. He finished his high school career with 2,518 points. He averaged 30.9 points per game in his senior season.

Booker was named to the USA Today All-USA third team. He also played in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game, scoring 31 points and earning MVP. He joined future Kentucky teammates in the 2014 McDonald's All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic.

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes

Name	Hometown	High school / college	Height	Weight	Commit date
Devin Booker G	Moss Point, MS	Moss Point	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	Oct 31, 2013
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:   ESPN grade: 93
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 28, 6 (SG)   Rivals: 29  ESPN: 18, 1 (MS), 3 (SG)
Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources:

College Basketball Career

Booker in October 2014

At Kentucky, Booker quickly showed his skills. In his first exhibition game, he scored 16 points. He had 18 points in a win against Montana State. In another game, he set a new season high with 19 points, including five three-pointers.

In the 2014–15 season, Booker played 38 games for Kentucky. He averaged 10.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game. He was honored as the SEC Sixth Man of the Year. He was also named to the SEC All-Freshman Team and the All-SEC Second Team.

On April 9, 2015, Booker decided to enter the NBA draft. He gave up his last three years of college eligibility. Several of his Kentucky teammates also declared for the draft that year.

Professional NBA Career

The Phoenix Suns selected Devin Booker as the 13th overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft.

First Season: All-Rookie Honors (2015–16)

Booker signed his first contract with the Suns on July 13, 2015. He played well in the Summer League, averaging 15.3 points. He made his NBA debut just before his 19th birthday. He scored 14 points in his first game.

On January 19, 2016, he scored 32 points against the Indiana Pacers. He set a Suns rookie record with six three-pointers. At 19 years old, he became one of the youngest players to score 30 points in an NBA game. He was invited to the 2016 Rising Stars Challenge. He also competed in the Three-Point Contest during the NBA All-Star Weekend. He was the youngest player ever in the contest and finished third.

Booker in November 2016

Booker scored a career-high 35 points in March. He led all rookies in points (22.4) and assists (4.9) that month. By April, he reached 1,014 points for the season. This made him one of the youngest players to reach 1,000 career points. He finished fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting. He also earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors.

Becoming a Star (2016–17)

Booker continued to improve in his second season. He trained with coaches and played against Team USA. He became the Suns' starting shooting guard. He scored career highs of 38 and 39 points in November.

On January 12, 2017, he scored 28 points in one quarter. This set a Suns record for most points in a quarter. He had another 39-point game two days later. This made him the youngest player to have two games in a row with 39 or more points. He was again named to the U.S. Team for the 2017 Rising Stars Challenge.

On March 24, against the Boston Celtics, Booker made history. He scored 70 points in a game. He became only the sixth player in NBA history to do so. At 20 years old, he was the youngest player to score 70 points. He also had eight rebounds and six assists. He finished the season averaging 22.1 points per game.

Injuries and Milestones (2017–18)

On November 6, 2017, Booker reached 3,000 career points. He was the fourth-youngest player to achieve this. He had seven games with 30 or more points in the first 17 games of the season. On December 4, he scored a season-high 46 points.

Booker missed some games due to injuries, including a left adductor strain and a hip contusion. On February 17, he won the Three-Point Contest at All-Star Weekend. He set a new record with 28 points in the final round.

On March 2, Booker reached 4,000 career points. He was the third-youngest player to do so. He missed the last 12 games of the season with a right hand sprain.

Franchise Player and Record Breaking (2018–19)

On July 7, 2018, Booker signed a big five-year contract extension with the Suns. He missed some early games due to a hand surgery and a hamstring strain. On January 24, he became the fifth-youngest player to reach 5,000 career points.

On March 25, he scored 59 points in a game. Two days later, he scored 50 points. This made him the youngest player in NBA history to have two 50-point games in a row. He was also the first Suns player to score 50 points in back-to-back games. He sprained his left ankle in April and missed the rest of the season.

First All-Star Season (2019–20)

On November 23, 2019, Booker had 35 points, a career-high 12 rebounds, and 9 assists. From December 27 to January 7, he scored over 30 points in seven straight games. This broke a Suns franchise record. On January 28, he became the fourth-youngest player to reach 7,000 career points.

Booker was named an All-Star on February 13, 2020. He replaced an injured player. He also competed in the Three-Point Contest again and finished second.

In the 2020 NBA Bubble, Booker helped the Suns win all eight of their games. On August 4, he hit a game-winning shot at the buzzer against the Los Angeles Clippers. He averaged 31 points per game during these games.

Playoff Debut and NBA Finals (2020–21)

On January 22, 2021, Booker reached 8,000 career points. On February 1, he made his 700th career three-pointer, including a game-winning shot. He passed Dan Majerle for 10th place on the Suns' all-time scoring list. He was named Western Conference Player of the Week for the first time.

Booker was named an All-Star for the second year in a row. He and Chris Paul became the first Suns duo since 2010 to be All-Stars. They helped Phoenix reach the playoffs for the first time since 2010.

Booker made his NBA playoff debut on May 23. He scored 34 points in a win against the Los Angeles Lakers. On June 3, he scored a playoff career-high 47 points. He also had 11 rebounds, helping the Suns beat the Lakers. The Suns then swept the Denver Nuggets 4–0. This sent them to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2010.

In Game 1 of the Conference Finals, Booker had his first career triple-double. He scored 40 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists. The Suns won the series and reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993.

In the 2021 NBA Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks, Booker scored 27 points in Game 1 and 31 points in Game 2. He broke Rick Barry's 54-year-old record for most points in a first NBA playoff appearance with 601. The Suns lost the series in six games. Booker averaged 27.3 points in his first playoffs. He had two 40-point games in the Finals.

Franchise Record Wins and All-NBA Honors (2021–22)

Booker in April 2022

In the 2021–22 NBA season, Booker was named Western Conference Player of the Week twice. He helped the Suns achieve a franchise-record 18-game winning streak. He was named an All-Star for the third year in a row.

On March 24, 2022, Booker scored a season-high 49 points. He became the fourth-youngest player to score 11,000 points. The Suns finished the regular season with the best record in the league (64–18). Booker was also named to the All-NBA First Team for the first time.

In the playoffs, Booker scored 56 points in the first two games. He then missed three games due to a hamstring injury. He returned to help the Suns win their first-round series. However, the Suns lost in the Western Conference Semifinals to the Dallas Mavericks in seven games.

Contract Extension and More Records (2022–23)

On July 7, 2022, Booker signed a big four-year contract extension with the Suns. He was also featured on the cover of the NBA 2K23 video game. On November 18, he scored 49 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists. On November 30, he scored a season-high 51 points in just three quarters.

He was named Western Conference Player of the Month for October and November. On December 17, Booker scored a season-high 58 points. He became the sixth-youngest player to reach 12,000 career points.

Booker returned in February 2023 after missing 21 games with a groin injury. On February 24, he made his 1,052nd career three-pointer. This passed Steve Nash for the most three-pointers in Suns history. On March 8, he scored 44 points. He became the first Suns player to have four straight games with at least 35 points.

In the playoffs, Booker scored 45 points in Game 3 against the Los Angeles Clippers. He tied Charles Barkley's Suns record for most 40-point playoff games. In Game 5, he scored 47 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds. He broke Barkley's records for 30-point and 40-point playoff games. In Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals, he tied his playoff career-high with 47 points. The Suns lost the series to the Denver Nuggets in six games.

Fourth All-Star Selection (2023–24)

On November 17, 2023, Booker had 24 points and a career-high 15 assists. On November 26, he hit a game-winning three-pointer.

On January 19, 2024, Booker scored 52 points, with 25 in the first quarter. On January 26, he scored 62 points in a game. He became the ninth player in NBA history with multiple 60-point games. He also set a scoring record in the Gainbridge Fieldhouse arena. He was named Western Conference Player of the Week and Player of the Month.

On February 1, Booker was named to his fourth All-Star Game. On April 1, he scored 52 points and made a career-high eight three-pointers. He became the first NBA player since Wilt Chamberlain to score at least 50 points in three straight games against the same team. The Suns lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Booker was named to the All-NBA Third Team. He and Kevin Durant became the third pair of teammates to each average over 27 points in the same season.

Playing for Team USA

Devin Booker has connections to both Mexican and U.S. national basketball teams because of his mother's background. In 2016, he practiced with the U.S. Olympic team.

In 2021, Booker and Team USA won the Olympic gold medal in men's basketball at the Tokyo Olympics. He was also chosen for the 2024 Olympic team for the Paris Olympics. He played a very important role in Team USA winning another gold medal. Coach Steve Kerr called him their "unsung MVP."

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

Playoffs

College

Personal Life and Interests

Devin Booker's maternal grandfather is from Mexico. Devin is the only child of his father, Melvin Booker. In 2020, Booker became a global ambassador for the Special Olympics. He supports this organization because his younger half-sister has a genetic condition.

Booker is a big fan of Detroit sports teams. He often wears gear from the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Lions.

He has his own charity called the Starting Five. This foundation gives $100,000 to five different nonprofit organizations each year. He plans to donate $500,000 to Phoenix charities every year for five years.

In 2019, Booker bought a house in Paradise Valley, Arizona. It is 5,590 square feet.

Devin Booker was added as a playable character in the video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. This special game pack was released on May 3, 2024.

See also

In Spanish: Devin Booker para niños

• List of National Basketball Association single-game scoring leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career free throw percentage leaders
• List of oldest and youngest National Basketball Association players
• List of second-generation National Basketball Association players
• NBA regular season records
• List of Puerto Ricans