Melvin Booker facts for kids
| Point guard | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 20, 1972 Pascagoula, Mississippi, U.S. |
| High school | Moss Point (Moss Point, Mississippi) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Missouri (1990–1994) |
| NBA Draft | 1994 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 1994–2008 |
| Career history | |
| 1994–1995 | Hartford Hellcats |
| 1995 | Pittsburgh Piranhas |
| 1995–1996 | Grand Rapids Mackers |
| 1996 | Houston Rockets |
| 1996 | Denver Nuggets |
| 1996–1997 | Grand Rapids Hoops |
| 1997 | Golden State Warriors |
| 1998–1999 | Sony Milano |
| 1999–2002 | Scavolini Pesaro |
| 2002–2004 | Ülkerspor |
| 2006–2007 | Khimki |
| 2007–2008 | Olimpia Milano |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 166 (5.2 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 38 (1.2 rpg) |
| Assists | 74 (2.3 apg) |
Melvin Jermaine Booker (born August 20, 1972) is an American former professional basketball player. He played as a point guard and was known for his skills on the court. Melvin is also the father of current NBA star Devin Booker.
Contents
Early Basketball Days
Melvin Booker was a fantastic high school basketball player. He grew up in Moss Point, Mississippi. In his final year of high school, he scored an amazing 28 points per game. This made him the best player in his class that year.
Even with his great talent, big colleges in the area didn't try to recruit him. But the University of Missouri noticed him. Their coaches saw him while looking at other players from Mississippi.
College Success at Missouri
Melvin Booker joined the University of Missouri and became a star. In 1994, he was named the Big Eight Player of the Year. That year, he led his team to a perfect 14–0 record in their conference. They even made it to the Elite Eight in the national tournament.
He was chosen for the All-Big Eight team in both 1993 and 1994. As a senior in 1994, he was named a first-team All-American. He averaged 18.1 points and 4.5 assists per game that season. In 1999, Melvin Booker was honored by being added to the University of Missouri's Hall of Fame.
Playing Professionally
Even after his successful college career, Melvin Booker was not chosen in the 1994 NBA draft. But he didn't give up on his dream.
He played in the NBA for a short time. He played for the Houston Rockets during the 1995–96 season. The next season (1996–97), he played for the Denver Nuggets and the Golden State Warriors. In total, he played 32 games in the NBA.
After his time in the NBA, Melvin played professional basketball overseas. He played for teams in Europe and Asia until he retired in 2008.
Family Life and Coaching
While playing for the Grand Rapids Mackers in 1995, Melvin met Veronica Gutiérrez. They had a son named Devin Booker, who was born in 1996. While Melvin played basketball overseas, Veronica took care of Devin.
During the summer breaks, Melvin would bring Devin to his games. This helped Devin fall in love with basketball. After Melvin retired from playing in 2008, he moved back to his hometown of Moss Point, Mississippi. He brought Devin with him to help train him to become a great basketball player.
In 2011, Melvin Booker became an assistant basketball coach at his old high school, Moss Point High School. His son, Devin Booker, played college basketball for the University of Kentucky Wildcats. Devin was then drafted by the Phoenix Suns and is now a star player in the NBA.
See also
In Spanish: Melvin Booker para niños
