That was what made me. For those who arent fans, Bookers heritage may be what finally draws them in. With Booker being Hispanic, I think it just opens the eyes to our culture around our Hispanic heritage, Lugo said. Now shes a diehard fan who makes a point to go to the players entrance before every game to welcome the team. He's just not. Melvin Booker gave strong credit to Gutierrez for doing a great job of keeping me connected while he was playing professional basketball and allowing him to get off-season time with his only child. I always say Im fortunate enough to live around it, see it around the stands, and see it around the city. Knowing that you're capable of doing that and seeing somebody in front of you that has done it before, I know it can be inspiring. Its helped me out a lot, he said. With Booker's help, his younger half-sister, who has microdeletion syndrome, will be a Special Olympics worldwide ambassador in 2020. Devin, a three-time NBA All-Star, is a professional . I shared a locker room with [Hakeem] Olajuwon, [Clyde] Drexler and Sam Cassell.. Spend some time in Phoenixespecially latelyand that last sentiment rings true. Thats part of the reason I grind so much, Devin Booker said. Melvin Booker also believed that his son would be much taller than him. Devin Booker's sister, Mya Powell, has always been in the limelight for her bond with the NBA player. I fell in love with the city. Jarred Vanderbilt is Devin Booker's grandfather. 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. and people say this sub is not woke enough. From his upbringing to being Gigi Bryant's favorite player, here's some things to know about the Hawks star. 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.. To capitalize on his popularity after those performances, Booker worked out deals with Nike and Zucaritas, the Mexican version of Frosted Flakes, to make a few return trips. . The elder Booker was the 1994 Big Eight Player of the Year at the University of Missouri and a former professional basketball player. He continued to play brilliantly, earning praises from a popular Press-Register sportswriter, Creg Stephenson, who wrote that Devins average of 22.7 points during the season showed that he had developed to be one of the best players on the coast. My favorite part about being Mexican is the culture and being a part of the heritage, Booker said. I was with the Rockets for the minute. His maternal grandfather was born in Mexico but migrated to Michigan. "I'm not going to say it's easy, there's going to be a lot of ups and downs, but just knowing it's possible. I'm sick of hearing this kind of bullshit misinformation get spread by brainless cretins that, frankly, I'm surprised could even type on their keyboard. RELATED: Devin Booker accepts spot on U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball Team. It felt like a neutral game, but by the time we left after the second game, it definitely felt like home, Booker said of the breakout performances that merely set the stage for a 70-point effort the most scored in an NBA game since Kobe Bryants 81 in 2006 in Boston two months later. The couple did not marry but remained on good terms. While Devin grew up, his fathers lifestyle influenced him greatly. Melvin Booker also believed that his son would grow as a person from being at a school where most students didnt have his blessings. I was fortunate enough to have a dad that was basically a blueprint for me, Devin said. He taught his son to shoot with the correct form. Devin Booker scored a franchise-record and NBA season-high 70 points on March 24, 2017. 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. Hes from a suburban, predominantly white town, Melvin Booker told The Undefeated. I was trying to make up for the times I missed when I was gone, he told the outlet in 2016. Most people have been doing that all their kids life. He ended up at the fourth spot in the race for the 2016 Rookie of the Year award. If you're Mexican and you made it to the NBA, I can too, Booker said. You have people from all over with extreme talent. Isael Lugo didnt get 20 feet inside Phoenix Suns Arena before he was stopped last week. Im around [Latino culture] every day, Booker said the day after winning Game 1 of the Finals. "She wanted to meet Book," Suns coach Monty Williams said. Of course, a lot of this wouldnt have happened had Booker not shown a willingness to embrace his Latino roots. 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. Latin-American ambassador: Bookers maternal grandfather was an immigrant from Nogales, Mexico, a fact Booker has grown to appreciate even more since being drafted by Phoenix. He found a role model in his father and started practicing basketball in school. Now, with the Suns winning and Bookers background gaining prevalence, Ochoa has noticed an increased interest from Latinos around the cityand even from new fans in Mexico. We all had an understanding that it would be the best decision for me reaching my dreams. The two hit it off, and a year later, Devin was born. He was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. 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. Finding a place that was willing to make the flag, however, proved more difficult. Also, being the support for your family and being the backbone of your family and how important that is.. In a November match against Montana State, Devin scored a season-high 18 points. After his freshman year, he joined six Kentucky teammates by entering the 2015 NBA draft. This is a good life here in the NBA. But he said that me being drafted is better than him being drafted.. 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. Marc J. Spears is the senior NBA writer for Andscape. The player has confronted that culture's strong family ties are the ones he had always embraced and inherited in his life. Booker is the son of Veronica Gutierrez and Melvin Booker. A post shared by Devin Booker (@dbook) on Jun 19, 2017 at 5:27pm PDT. Booker is now able to reflect on some of his most memorable moments growing up, many of which share close Mexican ties with his family. Those weekend visits growing up came flashing back to Booker two years ago, when his grandfather passed away. Hed let them have the seats he got in his contract and then try to help them fall in love with Booker. 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. 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. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Interest-Based Ads. In January 2017, he scored 39 points against both the Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs. With that, he became the youngest player in NBA history to score 39 points in two consecutive games. 14. r/AnarchyChess. So I think with the team that we have, the culture that we have, that coach Monty has put together, this is the best position that weve been in since Ive been here, to make those dreams and aspirations come to life. 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.. Bookerwho grew up near Grand Rapids, Michigan, moved to Mississippi in high school, and played college ball at Kentuckysaid recently that he hadnt been able to fully connect with his Latino heritage until he arrived in Phoenix in 2015, at the age of 18. His grandfather was born in Los Nogales, Mexico, right near the Texas border. Ever since [Devin] was 8 months old, he was coming with me in the summertime. Please enter a valid email and try again. Unfortunately, the NBA teams didnt love Melvin Booker during the 1994 NBA draft. By submitting your email, you agree to our, Suns Fans Find Meaningand Connectionin Devin Booker and His Mexican Heritage, 2021 NBA Finals Reset: Five Questions That Will Decide Bucks-Suns. They worked out on the court together. In March, Devin scored 34 points against Miami Heat to achieve yet another career milestone and his careers best performance to date. Devin Booker remembers hopping in the car with his mother, Veronica Gutierrez, as she took a more than two-hour drive from their home in the suburbs of Grand Rapids, Mich., to Detroit to spend time with his Papa. Welcome to r/nbacirclejerk, where we offer only the most le epic XD discussions on le interwebz :p, Press J to jump to the feed. Everyone wants to see a little bit of themselves in the athletes that theyre watching on TV, Vigil said. Be Legendary: Booker admired many iconic shooting guards growing up, but Kobe Bryants game and competitive edge hold a special place in his esteem. That's something that's been with me in my blood since birth.. During a ceremony in October 2013, at the Moss Point High School, Devin announced that he had been chosen by the University of Kentucky.. His father was a brilliant young NBA player when he met Veronica during on one of his tours for the Continental Basketball Association.. 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.. That made me want to learn about myself much more honestly because I just hadn't been around. Devin Booker was born on October 30, 1996, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I was with my family back home. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. 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. Maybe they didn't though, maybe they just smashed their sweaty, ugly, greasy, zit-covered faces all over their . I think that had a lot to do with being around people like that for the first time. And it turned around. Melvin Booker told his son that he needed to have a high basketball IQ since he didnt own elite athleticism and running ability. Im ready for you. But I stayed because of the mindset I had my whole life was just never giving up. 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. 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. Luka Doncic's father, Devin Booker's grandfather, attended his first Mavericks game tonight . This high school in the South had serious urban problems. 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. Hollywood Life With his fathers influence, Devin naturally fell in love with the game of basketball as a child. Being able to touch those types of communities in this area makes all this that much better.. He finished his three-year career as the schools all-time leading scorer with 2,518 points. 13 overall pick to leading superstar for the Phoenix Suns. We feel like we have to go even more above and beyond to get him the proper respect that we believe he deserves.. Growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, you don't get as much of it, besides the time that I spent with my grandpa and my mother, what she's passed down to us. He became the fourth-youngest NBA player to score 1,000 points in the first season. The split came as a surprise to many considering Devin's attendance at Kourtney Kardashian's wedding to Travis Barker. After having Devin in 1996, she was often the one to spend time with him when Melvin traveled in different countries for his professional basketball career. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. There was a family legacy at Moss Point as Devin's father and grandfather also attended the high school. So, just trying to inspire in that type of way and keep representing the heritage. Melvin Booker averaged 5.2 points in 17 minutes in just 24 NBA games and believed that he didnt get a true shot. I can only imagine how it is across the water. It brought tears to my eyes. This proved to be a significant culture shock for young Devin, but he handled it quite well. Devins mother is Victoria Gutirrez, a Mexican-American who has two other children. When Booker was initially left off the 2020 All-Star roster, Damian Lillard voiced his hopes that Booker would take his spot when the Blazers star suffered an injury that would keep him out of the game. He became the third-youngest player in the history of NBA to reach 4,000 career points. Phoenix didnt do well in his honor, losing to Dallas 111-95, but Booker provided an intriguing silver lining. As Booker has become more outspoken about his heritage, he has begun to see the younger Hispanic community embrace him as an inspiration and reach out to him to show their support and admiration. And I think for Latino kids, its probably a little bit easier to envision themselves as Devin Booker.. Since Melvin was playing basketball overseas most of his life, the one-on-one that he got with his father was good for him.. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. It wasnt long ago that the radio broadcaster was calling games in Spanish for a 19-win team in a nearly empty building. Ayton also had 11 rebounds. This sounds so clich, but it really hasnt set in with me. It took a lot of persuading for former NBA player Melvin Booker to get his son to move to Mississippi away from his mom to best aid his hoop dream. Its hard to put into words how proud I am, it really is. Devin was born to Melvin Booker and Veronica Gutierrez on 30th October 1996 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Melvin Booker got to break a sweat on a few NBA teams but mostly played overseas in Turkey, Russia and Italy. Devin ended the season with an average of 22.1 points per game. Me knowing Devin, hes going to continue to work hard and continue to try to get better.. The following season, he was named to the All-NBA First Team and helped lead the Suns to a franchise record of 64 wins. I think thats why he is eager to learn more now.. Doesn't booker have more wins against luka overall? 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 he's a walking Wikipedia page: Booker's mom is Mexican American, and his grandfather was born in Los Nogales, Mexico, a town near the Texas. Read Kevin OConnors grades of every first-round pick. Off the bench: Bookers star status was built on a bench players foundation in college. Devin Armani Booker was born on Oct. 30, 1996, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Its something thats not too late to learn because, at the end of the day, this is what makes up me, said Booker. When the team was at its low point, winning 21 and 19 games during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons, Ochoa remembers friends from Sonora asking for tickets to see the visiting Kevin Durant or LeBron James. His maternal grandfather was born in Mexico but migrated to Michigan. In April 2015, Devin decided to let go of the remaining years of college and signed up for the NBA draft. father: Melvin Booker mother: Veronica Gutierrez Basketball Players American Men Height: 6'5" (196 cm ), 6'5" Males Ancestry: Mexican American City: Grand Rapids, Michigan U.S. State: Michigan Notable Alumni: University Of Kentucky More Facts Recommended Lists: American People Tall Celebrities Tall Male Celebrities Male Sportspersons The ones in downtown Phoenix, those are a little different.. FantasyPros considers the best player values for DraftKings and FanDuel NBA DFS. If you count him as a Mexican, which Im going to do and I think a lot of us will, hes the best Mexican basketball player ever, said Mike Vigil, a third-generation Mexican American who hosts a Suns podcast called The Timeline. Its hard to explain. If you just acknowledge it from that perspective, then, then maybe it is OK to make it a bigger deal.. Everywhere we went, everyone knew him. Devin Booker said he owes his mom the world for allowing him to depart to Mississippi and primarily raising him beforehand. NoseBlind2 22 days ago. When Booker was 20, Kevin Durant said on The Bill Simmons Podcast that he wanted the Thunder to draft Booker in 2015. It was all his decision, Melvin Booker said. Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs right near the Texas border, 1996, in Rapids. Is Victoria Gutirrez, a Mexican-American who has two other children of NBA reach. 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