Devin, a three-time NBA All-Star, is a professional . Especially with him embracing it, I mean, it brings us more attention toojust knowing that hes Hispanic and hes not afraid to show it.. Unfortunately, the NBA teams didnt love Melvin Booker during the 1994 NBA draft. Noticing his immense talent, Melvin tried hard to bring his son back to Mississippi permanently. I think thats why he is eager to learn more now.. She made it happen. The Suns are back in Mexico City this weekend to take on the Spurs again but the team and Booker are in different places. At just 20 years old, Devin Booker became the youngest NBA player to record a 70-point game. Family has always been first and foremost in Bookers life and seeing that embracement of family values within the Hispanic community has only helped Booker admire and connect to his ancestry. Kendall Jenner and Devin Booker appear to be taking their relationship to the next level after a recent video showed the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star meeting Devin's grandmother. The former Kentucky Wildcat didnt start a single game and averaged just 21.5 minutes in his lone collegiate season. Davon is the eldest brother of an American basketball player Devin Booker who plays for Phoenix Suns. He was always shooting with correct form.. 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. Booker, not knowing Spanish, wasnt as comfortable sharing that side of himself until Watson encouraged him to. Melvin Booker also believed that his son would grow as a person from being at a school where most students didnt have his blessings. Booker had never visited his grandfathers country until his job with the Phoenix Suns took him to Mexico City for two games in January 2017, where the then-unheralded second-year shooting guard torched the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs for back-to-back 39-point games. Devin Booker is part Puerto Rican from his mothers side, and this qualifies him to play for the national Puerto Rican team if he desires to do so. Devin Booker #1 of the Kentucky Wildcats shoots the ball during the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Rupp Arena on February 28, 2015 in Lexington, Kentucky. Ive been here, putting my head down, grinding, you know, these past five years, trying to get to this point, to at least give them competitive basketball. Hollywood Life, Latest Hollywood Celebrity & Entertainment News. Like father, like son, Melvin was also a basketball player at the University of Missouri. 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. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Hed let them have the seats he got in his contract and then try to help them fall in love with Booker. Gutierrez and her son said yes before his sophomore season. Booker 's parents met while father Melvin played semi-professional basketball for the local. I was fortunate enough to have a dad that was basically a blueprint for me, Devin said. But draft night was one of the worst nights of my life., Said Devin Booker: I could tell he is still kind of hurt by it.. 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. And it seems as if things have gotten serious to the point where Devin Booker, 24, wanted his supermodel girlfriend Kendall Jenner, 25, to meet his grandma in Moss Point, Mississippi . Ever since [Devin] was 8 months old, he was coming with me in the summertime. Eventually, Melvin ended his career to return home to coach his high school team and focus on his son. I didnt like it all, Devin Booker said. 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. He is the only child of former professional basketball star Melvin Booker, who is Devin's father. 1 pick Deandre Ayton, who is serving a 25-game suspension for getting caught using a diuretic. Hes a young person, Perla said. A grandfather and two granddaughters died in a DUI crash . Devin had the kind of relationship with him that was distant but you always knew he was there, Bookers mother wrote in an email. It's Los Suns for a reason, right? 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. . Its 11 p.m. on the night before Game 1 of the 2021 NBA Finals, and the space in front of Phoenix Suns Arena is brightly lit. The 2014 McDonalds All-American selection averaged 30.9 points per game in his senior season. It's Hispanic Heritage Month. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages, 5 takeaways from Durant's debut with Suns, Durant expected to make Suns debut tonight, David Benner, Pacers longtime PR director, dies, NBA DFS Picks: Yahoo plays & strategy for March 1, Kia Rookie Ladder: State of chase after All-Star, NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer Wednesday 3/1. In February 2017, he scored 31 points against the Milwaukee Bucks and became the youngest player in NBA history to score at least 20 points in 16 consecutive games. Devin Booker was born to play basketball as his father is a former professional basketball player. Jarred Vanderbilt is Devin Booker's grandfather. Finding a place that was willing to make the flag, however, proved more difficult. 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. It was tough, Devin Booker said. In October 2017, he scored 34 points against the Portland Trail Blazers to finish his 21st career game with 30+ points. I think for those of us that are Hispanic, there is even another layer to that. Booker's traces his Latino roots back to his maternal grandfather, who was born in a border town named Nogales in Mexico. In an interview with Undefeated, Melvin credited her for helping him continue his sport. Of course, a lot of this wouldnt have happened had Booker not shown a willingness to embrace his Latino roots. Melvin Booker says he turned down an additional contract year with Italys Armani Jeans Milano and retired in 2008, primarily with his son in mind. He joined Wilt Chamberlain, David Robinson, David Thompson, Elgin Baylor and Kobe Bryant as the only ones to score that many points in a single game. "Some of my favorite times as a child was my mom whipping up, you know, original Mexican dishes that she learned from her. Melvin Booker, however, believed that Moss Point High would benefit from his sons presence on and off the court. She just always talked about his character and how loving he was, and just how he was the backbone of the family.. 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. This particular remark carries special significance for Ochoa. Booker returned in 2018 and won the contest, besting Thompson with a record 28 points in the final round. Spin: Booker led the Suns in . His maternal grandfather was born in Mexico but migrated to Michigan. Devin and his father were around each other daily for the first time. Ochoa believes that Earl Watson, the Suns coach for parts of three recent seasons, is a big part of the reason Booker began embracing the culture. But Booker says it was here in Phoenix where he first experienced the Mexican culture. She hopes that as Booker continues to grow into his role as the teams star and face of the franchise, hell also feel confident in speaking out against issues that face the Latino community. When Booker was 20, Kevin Durant said on The Bill Simmons Podcast that he wanted the Thunder to draft Booker in 2015. Of course, her being my mother, she said, Just let me know when [youre] coming back. Something went wrong. He's just not. The Latino community says they will stand behind him. Vigil said he didnt think that the uniforms felt like pandering; rather, it was finally merchandise that represented the largest demographic in Phoenix. From his seat inside a suite at Phoenix Suns Arena, Arturo Ochoa can barely hear himself think. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. But we did the best that we could.. Were proud of him and knowing that hes also of the same heritage, Mexicano, you add some extra cheering, said Elena Beltran. Melvin Booker played in the American minor leagues for the Hartford Hellcats and Pittsburgh Piranhas and had two stints with Grand Rapids. It was all his decision, Melvin Booker said. In 2010, Arizona passed the Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act, which allowed police officers to detain people based on profiling their appearance. Phoenixs diversity hasnt made it immune from Arizonas complicated relationship with Latinos (especially those who have immigrated to the country). Booker's grandfather immigrated from Nogales, Mexico, to Michigan where the 2020 All-Star ultimately grew up. For her to allow it to happen is unbelievable.. The idea for the flag came during an Xbox night between Lugo and his friends right after the Suns swept the Nuggets in the second round. Devin grew up in Grandville, Michigan, a predominantly white town of about 15,000 people that is a suburb of Grand Rapids. Melvin Booker averaged 28 points as a senior at Moss Point High and signed with the University of Missouri. That was the only reason I put Devin there. Slowly but surely, though, Bookers awareness ofand appreciation forthe culture around him has become more evident. READ MORE: D-I-S-R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Widespread appreciation grows for Devin Booker after regular season indifference. Booker has said that before he was drafted by Phoenix in 2015, he hadnt really been able to connect with his Mexican roots. And many other local fans feel similarly. I havent gotten around to it yet, but thats the goal. The 6-foot-1 point guard was a consensus 1994 Associated Press second-team All-America selection at Mizzou. Booker also won a gold medal on the 2020 U.S. Olympic team in Tokyo. Davon lives a single life. Veronica is Puerto-Rican and Mexican American, and Melvin is African-American. Going through it and playing at that level, I just told him all the pros and cons of all the schools that were recruiting him It was a decision that he was going to have to make and live with. Devin Booker was born on 30th October 1996 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Melvin Booker and Veronica Gutierrez. He called his opportunity a blessing because he was able to see the world. His dad couldnt be prouder. The Suns cut the deficit to 10 before ultimately falling 130-120, but not before Booker became the youngest player in league history to hit the 70-point mark. My favorite part about being Mexican is the culture and being a part of the heritage, Booker said. I think the moment everybody found out that I had Mexican in my bloodline, I got on social media and started seeing younger kids of the Hispanic descent reaching out to me and saying, Youre my favorite player. They decided to forgo. I would definitely, my moms rice, her sopa, cheese, and the tortillas, that's all you need, said Elena Beltran. Someone taking pride in their culture and background is always something that we try to teach kids as well, so thats a learning experience for them and it definitely increases fandom for Latinos in general just because its someone representing their culture and our people.. It increases the fandom, just because its someone you can relate to, said Jason Macias, a lifelong Suns fan who is a third-generation Mexican American. She made it happen. Read Kevin OConnors grades of every first-round pick. Those weekend visits growing up came flashing back to Booker two years ago, when his grandfather passed away. He was very supportive of everything that I did and still do today. I was trying to make up for the times I missed when I was gone.. He ended up at the fourth spot in the race for the 2016 Rookie of the Year award. Now, Booker routinely quizzes his mother on their family history, hoping that she shares some knowledge on his past that can inspire his future. 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 That would spark even more pride when I would tell them, and theyd end up buying his jersey.. After having Devin in 1996, she was often the one to. On multiple occasions he has referenced the cultures strong family ties, something he has inherited and embraced in his own life. 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.. And I think for Latino kids, its probably a little bit easier to envision themselves as Devin Booker.. By Vrushali Padia Published Mar 19, 2022. Its very surreal. Devin Booker has Mexican roots, making his stardom even sweeter for the Valley's Latino community. 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. His mom even has the same last name as us: Gutirrez.. From 1997-2008, Melvin Booker made a living playing most notably in Italy with stints in Turkey and Russia. 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. I dont know if its because he has Mexican blood, but he has a special charisma that translates without any words being exchanged and translates in his game because he always plays passionately. You know the stories about the light-skinned, biracial kid, are they tough enough? But it was also quite challenging to build a relationship with his son from afar despite a couple of visits overseas. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. These fans might have not been at the game, but that didnt mean they couldnt keep the party going after. 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. 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. When you ask people around Phoenix when they became aware of Bookers Mexican heritage, everyone has a different answer: the 2017 game the Suns played in Mexico, or the one in 2019; through the video the team put out for National Hispanic Heritage Month last year; or just this past season, as the Suns became one of the best teams in the league and Booker became an even bigger star. Devin once ran into controversy when he asked a fans girlfriend to sit on his lap. Bookers former coach in Phoenix, Earl Watson, shares a similar background with his maternal grandparents hailing from Mexico. He became an assistant basketball coach at his alma mater, Moss Point High School, after retiring from playing professionally. Devin Booker said most of the communication when his dad was overseas was through e-mail, which was frustratingly sporadic due to the time difference. The split came as a surprise to many considering Devin's attendance at Kourtney Kardashian's wedding to Travis Barker. We all had an understanding that it would be the best decision for me reaching my dreams. 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.. So hes won the people of Phoenix over, especially the Latino community.. PHOENIX Phoenix Suns' number one player Devin Booker is an inspiration to many people, but here in the Valley of the Sun, Booker has added a special moment of pride to the Latino community. "She wanted to meet Book," Suns coach Monty Williams said. The two hit it off, and a year later, Devin was born. Twenty-four-year-old Gerardo Gutirrez and his brother, 20-year-old German Gutirrez, are two of the few people there, sipping the last drops of their Dutch Bros iced coffee and taking pictures of the stadium marquee signaling that their team is hosting an NBA Finals. A native of Cananea, Sonora, a city four and a half hours south of Phoenix in Mexico, Ochoa has been calling Suns games since 2004. 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. No longer a pushover or punchline, Phoenix is showing a punchers chance under new coach Monty Williams most nights and is in the playoff hunt despite missing 2018 No. I think that had a lot to do with being around people like that for the first time. As Ochoa puts it, if nine out of 10 Latinos are at least casual Suns fans, then seven out of those nine know that Booker has Mexican background. The undersized point guard was stunned as he went undrafted. Let these kids know that, especially with the NBA today, it's not one race. He always helped my mom out when she was in need, which was really important for me. RELATED: Devin Booker accepts spot on U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball Team. Broadway_Baller 6 days ago. 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. Learn more about the Hall of Fame career of the legendary point guard. 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 believed that his relationship with his son would grow, too, if he finally had him by his side. We talked about maybe getting a tutor that can be on the planes with us or something like that. Devin averaged 30.9 points per game as a senior despite being double- and triple-teamed during the 2013-14 season at Moss Point. Most of the time with breaking records and such, he leaves me speechless, she wrote. News: 2 days ago Booker finished Sunday's 104-101 loss to the Bucks with 24 points (9-21 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 5-9 FT), four rebounds and eight assists over 38 minutes.. 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. But there was always a connection, a warmth, pleasantries, between the two. But Devin didnt want to leave his mom and his friends. The 13-time All-Star, who was dealt to Phoenix on Feb. 9, has not played in a game since Jan. 8 when he was with the Nets. But I had many conversations with my dad. He became the third-youngest player in the history of NBA to reach 4,000 career points. Hollywood Life 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. Who the f is this guy lmao. So, just trying to inspire in that type of way and keep representing the heritage. He found a role model in his father and started practicing basketball in school. The avid Suns fan attended the game at Footprint Center and met Suns All-Star Devin Booker 30 minutes before tip. It brought tears to my eyes. I have a very traditional tight Mexican family on my fathers side, but Devins life has pretty much been on the go with school, b-ball and summers in Mississippi. Los Suns, said Richard Valdes from Phoenix. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, INTERACTIVE RADAR: Tracking winter storm in Arizona. Devins performance got better over the years, and his father soon announced that he was contacted by a few NBA teams that were interested to acquire Devin. Its hard to put into words how proud I am, it really is. Division I colleges were already pursuing him. At the end of the day, hes my thoughtful, caring, giving, lovable, funny, charming son., The NBA has only had four players come directly from Mexico Horacio Llamos, Eduardo Najera, Jorge Gutierrez and Gustavo Ayon. The Suns wear Noches neBA Nike City Edition uniforms with Los Suns across the chest and Somos PHX near the size tag at the bottom of the jersey. It's not one culture. "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 dont look back on that. Music booms through two speakers as a DJ and a hype man practice their lines, but the area is virtually deserted. But now that Im a professional and Ive been around this lifestyle, I understand how hard it is. Its helped me out a lot, he said. They gaze up at the gold lettering and Larry OBrien Trophy graphics with anticipation and disbelief. Their goal was to have it ready for Game 2 of the Western Conference finals, but getting it made wasnt easy. That rose to 34 percent in the 2000s, and by 2018, that number had jumped to 43 percent, making Latinos the largest demographic in the Phoenix area. In June, sources confirmed the couple had split amid mounting speculation from fans who noticed signs of a breakup. Even then, he still dedicated portions of his post-practice routine to footwork and shot-making on the block. With Booker's help, his younger half-sister, who has microdeletion syndrome, will be a Special Olympics worldwide ambassador in 2020. I still have mixed feelings about it, Gutierrez wrote. He always shot with the perfect form, Melvin Booker said. He spent the summers with his father in the latters hometown of Moss Point, Mississippi, a predominantly black town with around 13,000 people that also had its share of crime and poverty issues. His voice rings into his microphone as Booker hits a tough shot, which Ochoa describes in detail before punctuating the play with his go-to description for the Suns star: El hombre con herencia hispana! The man with Hispanic heritage. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/devin-booker-37685.php. After the passing of his grandfather, Booker made it an emphasis to get intact with his heritage and the surrounding Valley community gave him the perfect environment to do so. In the same month, he played in his fifth 30-point game of the season, against the Minnesota Timberwolves. By the end of the season, Devin was part of another 30-point game and finished his rookie season with 1,048 points in total. Being able to touch those types of communities in this area makes all this that much better.. The then-18-year-old finished the game with 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting in 21 minutes. Devin initially refused to go to Mississippi. 18 0 comments Best Add a Comment More posts from r/nbacirclejerk 78K subscribers NumerousPainting354 2 days ago JOTY 2.4K 111 oldmatesatan 3 days ago Chet Holmgren injury update: no longer in a boot, it looks like his Lisfranc injury to his right foot is healing nicely. 16 points, playing for his future career in the same month, he played in his own Life on. To learn more now.. she made it immune from Arizonas complicated relationship with Latinos ( those. 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