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. He was named SEC Sixth Man of the Year.

The Suns drafted Booker as the 13th overall pick in 2015. He quickly became one of the league's top scorers. At 20, he scored 70 points in a game, a Suns record. He is a four-time All-Star and a two-time All-NBA member. Booker is also the Suns' all-time leading scorer. He helped lead the Suns to the NBA Finals in 2021. He also won gold medals with the U.S. Olympic team in 2020 and 2024.

Early Life and Family

Devin Booker's mother, Veronica Gutiérrez, is a cosmetologist. His father, Melvin Booker, was a professional basketball player. Melvin was named the Big Eight Player of the Year in 1994. Devin's parents met in Grand Rapids, Michigan. His father was playing basketball there.

Devin grew up in Grand Rapids with his mother. His father played basketball in other countries. Devin visited his father often during the summers. When he was 12, he played one-on-one with Danilo Gallinari in Milan. His father taught him that basketball smarts are as important as athletic skill. In middle school, Devin became friends with future NBA players D'Angelo Russell and Tyler Ulis.

High School Basketball Journey

Devin started high school basketball in Michigan. After his freshman year, he moved to Mississippi. He lived with his father, who had retired from playing. His father became an assistant coach at Moss Point High School.

Sophomore Year Highlights

In his sophomore year, Devin quickly became a top player. He averaged 22.7 points per game. In one game, he scored 54 points. This was close to the school record. Many colleges started showing interest in him. He was named the South Mississippi Player of the Year. This was a big honor for a sophomore.

Junior Year Successes

For his junior year, Devin played as a point guard. He scored 48 points in one game. He also had a 49-point game. This performance caught the attention of Duke University. He averaged 29.7 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. He was named the Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year in 2013. He also won the Sun Herald Player of the Year Award for a second time.

Senior Year and College Choice

Devin continued to excel in his senior year. He participated in several top basketball camps. In August 2013, he narrowed his college choices. He picked Florida, Missouri, Michigan, Michigan State, and Kentucky. On October 31, he announced his decision. He chose to play for the University of Kentucky. He liked the program's history and coach John Calipari.

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

In December, Devin scored 40 points in a game. He also set a season-high with 45 points in another game. On January 31, he became Moss Point's all-time leading scorer. He finished his high school career with 2,518 points. He averaged 30.9 points per game in his senior season. After the season, he was named to the USA Today All-USA third team. He also played in the McDonald's All-American Game.

College Basketball at Kentucky

Booker in October 2014

Devin Booker played for the Kentucky Wildcats in the 2014–15 season. In his first exhibition game, he scored 16 points. He later set a season-high with 19 points against Texas-Arlington. He made five three-pointers in that game.

In 38 games for Kentucky, he averaged 10.0 points per game. He also had 2.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists. He earned the SEC Sixth Man of the Year award. He was also named to the SEC All-Freshman Team. On April 9, 2015, Booker decided to enter the NBA draft. He gave up his remaining college years.

Professional Career with the Phoenix Suns

Starting Strong: All-Rookie Honors (2015–16)

The Phoenix Suns drafted Devin Booker as the 13th overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft. He signed his first contract on July 13, 2015. He made his NBA debut just before his 19th birthday. He scored 14 points in that game.

On January 19, 2016, he scored 32 points against the Indiana Pacers. He set a Suns' rookie record with six three-pointers. He became the third-youngest player in NBA history to score 30 points in a game. Booker also participated in the Rising Stars Challenge. He competed in the Three-Point Contest, becoming the youngest player ever in that event. He finished third in the contest. He ended his rookie season with 1,014 points. He was the fourth-youngest player to reach 1,000 career points. Booker earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors.

Growing as a Player: Sophomore Season (2016–17)

Booker in November 2016

In the offseason, Booker trained to improve his game. He was invited to practice against Team USA. He became the starting shooting guard for the Suns. He scored career highs of 38 and 39 points in early November.

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

On March 24, 2017, Booker made history against the Boston Celtics. He scored 70 points in a single game. He became the sixth player in NBA history to reach 70 points. At 20 years old, he was the youngest player to score 70 points. He also had eight rebounds and six assists. Booker finished the season averaging 22.1 points per game.

Overcoming Challenges: Injuries and Milestones (2017–18)

On November 6, 2017, Booker reached 3,000 career points. He was the fourth-youngest player to do so. 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.

He missed some games due to injuries. However, he returned to play well. On February 17, Booker won the Three-Point Contest. He set a new record with 28 points in the final round. On March 2, he reached 4,000 career points. He was the third-youngest player to achieve this.

Becoming a Franchise Leader (2018–19)

On July 7, 2018, Booker signed a big contract extension with the Suns. He scored 35 points in the Suns' first game of the season. He had many games with over 30 points. On January 24, he became the fifth-youngest player to reach 5,000 career points.

On March 25, he scored 59 points against the Utah Jazz. Two days later, he scored 50 points against the Wizards. He became the youngest player in NBA history with consecutive 50-point games. He was also the first Suns player to score 50 points in back-to-back games.

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, 2019, to January 7, 2020, 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, finishing as the runner-up. In the 2020 NBA Bubble, Booker helped the Suns win all eight of their games. 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. He also made his 700th career three-pointer on February 1. He hit a game-winning three-pointer with 1.5 seconds left against the Dallas Mavericks. On February 8, he scored a season-high 36 points. He was named Western Conference Player of the Week for the first time.

For the second year in a row, Booker was named an All-Star. He and Chris Paul became the first Suns duo to be All-Stars since 2010. 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, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists. On June 3, he scored a playoff career-high 47 points. He also had 11 rebounds. This helped the Suns win their series against the Lakers. The Suns then swept the Denver Nuggets. Booker had 34 points and 11 rebounds in Game 4. This led the Suns to their first Western Conference Finals since 2010.

In Game 1 of the Conference Finals, Booker got his first career triple-double. He had 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 Finals, Booker scored 27 points in Game 1 and 31 points in Game 2. He broke a 54-year-old record for most points in a first NBA playoff appearance. Despite his efforts, the Suns lost the Finals in six games.

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

During the 2021–22 NBA season, Booker was named 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. Booker and 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 had a hamstring injury. He missed three games but returned to help the Suns win their first-round series. The Suns lost in the Western Conference Semifinals.

Contract Extension and More Records (2022–23)

On July 7, 2022, Booker signed a four-year, $224 million contract extension. He was also featured on the cover of NBA 2K23. On November 18, he scored 49 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists. On November 30, he scored 51 points in just three quarters. He was named Western Conference Player of the Month.

On December 17, Booker scored a season-high 58 points. He became the sixth-youngest player to reach 12,000 career points. 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 Clippers. He tied Charles Barkley's record for most 40-point playoff games. In Game 5, he scored 47 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds. He broke Suns franchise 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, but they were the only team to win more than one game against the eventual champions, the Denver Nuggets.

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 against the New York Knicks.

On January 19, 2024, Booker scored 52 points. He had 25 points in the first quarter alone. On January 26, he scored 29 points in the first quarter. This set a Suns franchise record for points in a quarter. He finished that game with 62 points. He became the ninth player in NBA history with multiple 60-plus-point games. He also set single-game scoring records in four different arenas. Booker 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 had 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 opponent. The Suns lost in the first round of the playoffs. Booker was named to the All-NBA Third Team.

Suns' All-Time Leading Scorer (2024–25)

On February 3, 2025, Devin Booker passed Walter Davis to become the all-time leading scorer in Phoenix Suns history. On February 7, he scored a season-high 47 points.

National Team Career

Devin Booker has connections to both Mexican and U.S. national basketball teams. He played on the 2016 USA Select Team. This team practiced against the 2016 U.S. Olympic team. In February 2020, he was a finalist for the 2020 Olympic team.

In 2021, Booker and Team USA won the Olympic gold medal in men's basketball. He was also named to the 2024 Olympic team for the 2024 Paris Olympics. He played a key role in their gold medal win. Coach Steve Kerr called Booker their "unsung MVP."

Personal Life

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 his younger half-sister, who has a genetic condition.

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

Booker has his own charity called the Starting Five. It gives $100,000 to five different nonprofit organizations each year. He planned to donate $500,000 to Phoenix charities per year for five years, starting in 2020.

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 was released on May 3, 2024.

Career Statistics

NBA Regular Season

NBA Playoffs

College Statistics

See also

In Spanish: Devin Booker para niños

• List of NBA franchise career scoring leaders
• List of NBA single-game scoring leaders
• List of NBA career free throw percentage leaders
• List of oldest and youngest NBA players
• List of second-generation NBA players
• NBA regular season records