This proved to be a significant culture shock for young Devin, but he handled it quite well. Melvin Booker continued to try to sell Devin and his mother on the idea that if his son was serious about becoming a basketball star, he should move with him to Mississippi and that he could keep in touch back home via text and FaceTime. Even so, he did have some lasting memories. He is the only child of former professional basketball star Melvin Booker, who is Devin's father. I think when youre young, you dont really understand it that much. Gutierrez and her son said yes before his sophomore season. 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. Devin Booker has Mexican roots, making his stardom even sweeter for the Valley's Latino community. 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. 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. My favorite part about being Mexican is the culture and being a part of the heritage, Booker said. I remember dropping him off at school that day and staying about an hour to make sure he had his classes scheduled correct. But Devin didnt want to leave his mom and his friends. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. 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. I think this is a beautiful time to embrace our culture and love it with a passion, Devin Booker said. After his freshman year, he joined six Kentucky teammates by entering the 2015 NBA draft. After being cut by the Atlanta Hawks in training camp, Booker played five games with the Denver Nuggets and 16 games with the Golden State Warriors during the 1996-97 season. You have the same issues and same problems you have at most urban schools. Booker had never visited his grandfather's 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. Booker was always aware of his Mexican heritage but never felt a strong desire to delve into that side of his background until he lost his Papa. His dad couldnt be prouder. I also wanted him to be more of a role model to the kids to show that they could make it out of there. 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. 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. In an interview with Undefeated, Melvin credited her for helping him continue his sport. Division I colleges were already pursuing him. Letting Devin leave Michigan was by far the hardest decision of my life. Melvin Booker also believed that his son would grow as a person from being at a school where most students didn't have his blessings. And Booker is no longer a youngster trying to prove he belongs in the league; he has the nine-figure contract befitting a franchise cornerstone and is playing at a level that could find him making his first All-Star team. The following season, he was named to the All-NBA First Team and helped lead the Suns to a franchise record of 64 wins. So, that's my job.. I owe her all the credit for allowing that to happen, Melvin Booker said. He called his opportunity a blessing because he was able to see the world. He believed that his relationship with his son would grow, too, if he finally had him by his side. Doctor said it wouldnt be his best work, but hed do it. . It has paid off: Booker shot 52.5% and averaged 1.08 points per post-up possessions this season, making him the 10th most efficient player in the league with at least 50 such possessions. Hed play video games with me. 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.. A mural, commissioned by the Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center and painted by 17 artists, spans a city block and features everything from portraits of Selena, Cesar Chavez, and Carlos Santana to mariachi-playing skeletons and bright red lowriders. Noting Bookers Mexican heritage is part of thatbut its also a responsibility Ochoa feels on a personal level. In a downtown Phoenix alley, sandwiched between two streets named after U.S. presidents, stands a snapshot of the citys Latino culture. 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. His stunning performance in his rookie season earned praises from basketball legends such as Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade. 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.. The 1994 Big Eight Conference Player of the Year averaged 18.1 points, 4.5 assists and two 3-pointers per game during his senior season. If you just acknowledge it from that perspective, then, then maybe it is OK to make it a bigger deal.. "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. Jarred Vanderbilt is Devin Booker's grandfather. Its a night I will never forget, he said. He died aged 67. The lowrider car is one of the fixtures of Chicano culture, having originated in East Los Angeles in the 1940s, and on the night Phoenix went up 2-0, a mini caravan of those cars driven by Suns fans paraded down 2nd Street, honking and playing Spanish language music. Booker has also recently started driving old-school cars and lowriders to games. 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. Bookers rise from 18-year-old rookie to two-time All-Star has ushered in a new era for the Suns. Booker has said in the past that this has been much easier for him to do in Phoenix, a city with a population. 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. Booker's traces his Latino roots back to his maternal grandfather, who was born in a border town named Nogales in Mexico. I was with the Rockets for the minute. Booker is the son of Veronica Gutierrez and Melvin Booker. It's Hispanic Heritage Month. 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. Moss Point wasnt suburban Grand Rapids where Devin grew up. The Lakers legend laughed about that sequence in postgame comments to the media, but he shared a private moment with Booker himself. However, Melvin managed to convince Devins mother, and Devin was soon enrolled at Moss Point High School, where Melvin was hired as an assistant coach. If you have a dream and you have the work ethic to match that dream, anything is possible.. The former Kentucky Wildcat didnt start a single game and averaged just 21.5 minutes in his lone collegiate season. The ones in downtown Phoenix, those are a little different.. Being able to touch those types of communities in this area makes all this that much better, said Booker. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Especially with him embracing it, I mean, it brings us more attention toojust knowing that hes Hispanic and hes not afraid to show it.. Did you get extra shots up? Luka Doncic is Devin Booker father. Booker was raised by Gutierrez, a cosmetologist, in the predominantly white suburb of Grandville but spent his summers in a poorer, mostly African-American, inner-city setting in Moss Point, Miss., with his father, Melvin. I was with my family back home. 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. 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 2015-16 Panini Complete Rookie RC #296 Phoenix Suns Pre-Owned $20.00 Seller: matts_cardz (12,281) 100% Buy It Now +$4.95 shipping Sponsored 2015-16 Panini Gold Standard DEVIN BOOKER RC Jersey /149 BGS 9 w/ 10 AUTO RPA $349.95 Seller: meets2 (955) 99.6% or Best Offer +$3.95 shipping Authenticity Guarantee 13 watchers Sponsored And I think for Latino kids, its probably a little bit easier to envision themselves as Devin Booker.. 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. Theres so much to learn about the Mexican culture, but Devin Booker says its never too late. Of course, her being my mother, she said, Just let me know when [youre] coming back. Devin Booker collected the 2018 Three-Point Contest title. After retiring from professional basketball in 2008, Melvin used his time to help Devin prepare for his own career and was hired as an assistant coach to his old high school, Moss Point High School, in 2011. 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. Spin: Booker led the Suns in . With family being the most important thing to me, its also very embraced in the Mexican culture. 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. 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. 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