Devin Booker

After playing for the freshman, junior varsity and varsity basketball teams during his freshman year at Grandville High School in Michigan, Booker moved to Mississippi to live with his father after the latter's retirement from professional basketball.[9] He enrolled at Moss Point High School, where his father was hired as an assistant coach, in August 2011.[8][9][16] In his team's fifth game of the season—a 52–32 loss to Gulfport High School—Booker scored more points than the rest of his teammates combined (15).[17] In December, he hit a buzzer beater from just beyond half court to beat Harrison Central High School, improving Moss Point's record to 4–6 on the year.[18] By early January, Press-Register sportswriter Creg Stephenson opined, "Sophomore guard Devin Booker has developed into one of the top players on the coast in his first season with the [Moss Point] Tigers' varsity, averaging 22.7 points per game."[19]

In the Laurel MLK Shootout, Booker scored 54 points against Northeast Jones High School, falling nine shy of Litterial Green's Moss Point record for most points in a game, set in 1988.[20] He followed up that performance with 32 points, including a game-winning three-pointer, against Murrah High School and was named ESPNHS.com's Southeast Player of the Week.[9] At that time, his father told reporters that Booker was drawing interest from Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Florida, Alabama, Georgetown, Michigan and Missouri.[9]

Booker was limited to just 14 points, with no field goals made in the second half, in a 57–55 win over Gautier High School in the opening round of the Division 7-5A tournament.[21] In the championship game against Pascagoula High School, Booker was held to single-digit scoring (8) for only the second time in the season as Moss Point lost 48–32, setting up an away game with defending state champion Wayne County High School in the first round of the South State playoffs.[22] Wayne County focused their defense on Booker, holding him to a single, first-quarter free throw, en route to a 57–37 victory that ended Moss Point's season.[23] For the year, Booker averaged 22.8 points per game and was named the South Mississippi Player of the Year by the Sun Herald, becoming just the second sophomore to be awarded the honor.[24] In the announcement, the paper reported that Booker held scholarship offers from Ole Miss, Alabama, Georgetown, Michigan and South Alabama.[24]

In the summer following his sophomore year, Booker played in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League and participated in the Elite 100 Camp, the LeBron James King's Academy Camp, and the Kevin Durant Nike Skills Camp.[20] These commitments caused him to miss the inaugural South Mississippi All-Star Basketball Showcase in May.[25]

With most of Moss Point's experienced players graduating, Booker switched to point guard for his junior year.[20] In an early December game, Booker outscored the entire Ocean Springs High School team 40–39 through three quarters en route to a 48-point finish as Moss Point won 100–55.[26] He followed up this performance with a 30-point outing, including 7 three-pointers, in a win over 54–37 win over Laurel High School in the second annual Melvin Booker Shootout, named in honor of his father.[27] The following week, Booker left a game against Harrison Central High School in the third quarter with a sprained MCL; he had scored just 9 points, but grabbed 7 rebounds.[28]

Booker's injury proved minor, and did not hamper him in Moss Point's next game, where he scored 26 points in a 52–48 loss to Davidson High School in the Jackie Laird Christmas Classic at Biloxi High School.[29][30] On the second day of the Classic, Booker scored a season-high 49 points in an 80–65 win over Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School, a performance that added Duke to the list of schools recruiting him.[29][31] In early January, Moss Point went 1–2 in the Poplar Bluff showdown in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, defeating Memphis' Kirby High School but losing to Maplewood Richmond Heights High School and host Poplar Bluff High School.[29] University of Missouri fans attended en masse to cheer for Booker, who averaged 30.2 points over Moss Point's three games, hoping to entice him to play for the Tigers.[29]

Booker scored a game-high 32 points in a 58–56 loss to Gulfport High School, the top-ranked team in Mississippi, in Moss Point's final game before divisional play, dropping the team's record to 6–11.[32] Moss Point went 3–3 in Division 7-5A, finishing the divisional season with a 51–40 victory over Gautier High School.[33] Booker, who struggled with his outside shot due to a wrap on his injured right wrist, hit all 17 of his free throws en route to a game-high 30 points in the win.[33] Moss Point closed out the regular season with a 67–65 loss to Division 5-6A champion Hattiesburg High School, despite 43 points from Booker.[34]

The following week, Moss Point faced a rematch with Gautier in the first round of the Division 7-5A tournament with a spot in the state tournament on the line.[33] Moss Point fell 54–51 in double overtime, ending the team's season at 12–16.[35] Booker scored 35 points in the loss, including 17 free throws.[36] For the year, he averaged 29.7 points, eight rebounds and four assists per game while carrying a 3.81 grade point average.[37] He was named to the Division 7-5A All-Division team and was the division's MVP.[38] In March, he was named the Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year for 2013, and in April, he became the second player ever to win the Sun Herald Player of the Year Award in consecutive seasons.[8][39]

By the end of Moss Point's season, Booker held scholarship offers from Duke, North Carolina, Florida, Michigan, Michigan State, Missouri, and Mississippi State.[40] Rivals.com ranked him a four-star prospect and the 30th best player overall in the class of 2014; ESPN tabbed him as the 18th best player overall.[40] Recruiting analyst Evan Daniels called Booker "one of the best shooters" in the country.[8] In April, Booker began playing for the Alabama Challenge on the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League circuit.[41] After watching Booker play for the first time in the league's opening weekend, Kentucky coach John Calipari offered Booker a scholarship.[8] At the South Mississippi All-Star event in May, Booker scored 23 points to lead his East team over the West team 101–70 in the underclassman game.[42]

During the summer of 2013, Booker participated in the Kevin Durant Skills Academy, the LeBron James Skills Academy, the CP3 Elite Guard Camp, and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) Top 100 camp.[41] His fellow participants in the NBPA camp voted him to the camp's 10-man all-star team.[43] Booker also participated against international competition at the Nike Global Challenge.[41] At the Under Armour Elite 24 showcase, he won the three-point shooting contest.[44] In August 2013, Booker narrowed his list of potential college choices to Florida, Missouri, Michigan, Michigan State, and Kentucky.[45] He took an official visit to the University of Kentucky on the weekend of September 9 to watch an alumni exhibition game; fellow 2014 prospects Jahlil Okafor and Tyler Ulis also attended.[46]

Near the beginning of October, his high school coach said Booker would announce his college choice on October 31 after taking official visits to Michigan and Missouri; he also stated that Booker was no longer considering Florida.[47] Booker stated that ESPN had offered him the chance to make his announcement on live television, but he declined, saying he didn't want the pressure of such an event and that he wanted to keep the date flexible to allow his family from Michigan to attend.[48] At an October 31 ceremony at his high school gymnasium, Booker announced he had chosen Kentucky, citing the program's history and his affinity for coach John Calipari as primary factors in his decision.[45][49] He, Tyler Ulis, Karl-Anthony Towns and Trey Lyles all signed National Letters of Intent to play for Kentucky on November 13, the first day of the official signing period.[50]

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

In December, Booker's Moss Point team traveled to the Marshall County Hoop Fest in Marshall County, Kentucky, to play Louisville's Ballard High School, the top-rated high school team in the state.[51] Booker led his team in points (40), rebounds (9), and assists (2) while shooting 50% from the field and 20-for-24 from the free throw line, but his team lost the game.[51] Two games later, he scored a season-high 45 points in a 78–67 loss to Alabama's McGill-Toolen Catholic High School in the Melvin Booker Shootout.[52] Although Moss Point lost all three games they played in the late-December HighSchoolOT.com Invitational, Booker's 111 total points over those three games fell just four short of Donald Williams' 1991 record for the event.[53]

Booker's 38-point performance in a January 31 win against Pass Christian High School made him Moss Point's all-time career scoring leader with 2,263 points, surpassing the 2006 mark of 2,251 set by David Booker (no relation).[54] Moss Point won Mississippi's Region 8-4A regular season and tournament championships before ending their season with a 61–56 loss to McComb High School in the Class 4A South State Finals.[55] Booker scored 42 points in the loss, including 26 in the fourth quarter.[56] He averaged 30.9 points per game in his senior season and finished his three-year career at Moss Point with 2,518 points.[55] After the season, he was named to the USA Today All-USA third team.[57]

In the 2014 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game, Booker had a game-high 31 points and was named MVP of the Mississippi team, but his team lost to the Alabama team 90–83.[58] Booker's 31 points tied Othella Harrington's 1992 performance for the most ever scored by a Mississippi player in the event.[59] Booker joined future Kentucky teammates Ulis and Lyles on the West team in the 2014 McDonald's All-American Game, while Towns suited up for the East.[60] He scored a three-point basket in each half and finished with 8 points as the West won 105–102.[61] In March, all four were selected for the Jordan Brand Classic, with Booker and Ulis on the West team and Towns and Lyles playing for the East.[62] In May, Booker participated in the South Mississippi All-Star Basketball Showcase leading the Home team with 43 points, including a three-pointer to send the game into overtime, in a 114–106 win against the Away team.[63] He was named the game's MVP.[63]

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes

Name	Hometown	High school / college	Height	Weight	Commit date
Devin Booker G	Moss Point, Mississippi	Moss Point	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	Oct 31, 2013
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:   ESPN grade: 93
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 28, 6 (SG)   Rivals: 29  ESPN: 18, 1 (MS), 3 (SG)
Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "Kentucky 2014 Basketball Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved December 4, 2012. "2014 Kentucky Basketball Commits". Scout.com. Retrieved December 4, 2012. "ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 4, 2012. "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. Retrieved December 4, 2012. "2014 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved December 4, 2012.

On June 25, 2015, Booker was selected as the thirteenth overall pick by the Phoenix Suns in the 2015 NBA draft.[70]

On July 13, Booker signed his rookie scale contract with the Suns,[71] and in seven subsequent Summer League games, he averaged 15.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. He went on to make his NBA debut two days before his 19th birthday, in the Suns' season opener against the Dallas Mavericks. In 21 minutes of action against the Mavericks, he scored 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting in a 111–95 loss.[72]

On January 2, 2016, Booker scored a then season-high 21 points in a 142–119 loss to the Sacramento Kings.[74] On January 19, he scored 32 points in a 97–94 loss to the Indiana Pacers, setting a Suns' rookie record with six three-pointers. Booker became the third-youngest player in NBA history at 19 years, 81 days old to record a 30-point game, behind LeBron James and Kevin Durant, as well as the youngest Suns player to score 30 or more points in a game.[75] Booker participated for Team USA in the 2016 Rising Stars Challenge.[76] He also competed in the NBA All-Star Weekend's Three-Point Contest, becoming the youngest contestant to ever participate in the event and only the fourth rookie to compete in the 30-year-old contest,[77] joining Stephen Curry (2010), Kyle Korver (2004) and Dennis Scott (1991).[78][79] He made it to the final round of the event, where he finished third behind the "Splash Brothers" – Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson (winner).[80]

On March 3, Booker scored a then career-high 34 points in a loss to the Miami Heat,[81] On March 10, Booker recorded a career-high 35 points in a loss to the Denver Nuggets.[82] Throughout the month of March, Booker led all rookies in points (22.4) and assists (4.9) per game.[83] On April 9, with 16 points scored in a 121–100 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, Booker reached 1,014 for the season, making him the fourth-youngest player to reach 1,000 career points, following only LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Kobe Bryant, as well as the third-youngest during their rookie season.[84] Booker finished fourth in the 2016 NBA Rookie of the Year Award voting[85] and earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors.[86] He became the first Suns player to be named as a member of the All-Rookie Team since Amar'e Stoudemire in 2003.[87]

Booker in November 2016

During the offseason, Booker trained with head coach Earl Watson and former NBA player Baron Davis at UCLA,[88] was invited to be on the select team that practices against Team USA in preparation for the Summer Olympics,[89] and played two games for the Suns during the Las Vegas Summer League.[90][91] With teammate Eric Bledsoe returning from injury in 2016–17, Booker was retained as the starting shooting guard while Brandon Knight was moved to the bench.[92] Booker scored a career-highs of 38 points and 39 points on November 4[93] and 6.[94]

On January 12, 2017, he scored 28 fourth-quarter points, in another 39-point night, to set the Suns franchise record for most points in a quarter, previously held by Stephon Marbury's 26 points in 2002.[95] He had a second straight 39-point effort in a two days later[96] to become the youngest player in NBA history to record consecutive games of 39 or more points in the regular season.[97] He was named to the U.S. Team for the 2017 Rising Stars Challenge,[98] and was invited to take part in the 2017 Taco Bell Skills Challenge.[99] On February 4, at 20 years, 97 days old, Booker became the youngest player to score at least 20 points in 16 consecutive games. His 16-game streak is the second-longest by any first-year or second-year player since Vince Carter had a 23-game run as a second-year player during the 1999–2000 season.[100][101]

On March 24 against the Boston Celtics, Booker became the sixth player in NBA history to score 70 points in a game, joining Wilt Chamberlain, David Robinson, David Thompson, Elgin Baylor and Kobe Bryant. It was the 11th 70-point game in NBA history. Booker also added eight rebounds and six assists in 45 minutes. Booker, at age 20, became the youngest player to score 70 (and 60) points in a game. He had the highest-scoring game in the NBA since Bryant scored 81 in January 2006.[103] The Suns' previous scoring record was held by Tom Chambers with 60 points on March 24, 1990.[104] Booker ended the season averaging 22.1 points per game, a near 9-point increment from his 13.8 points in 2015–16.

On November 6, 2017, Booker scored 18 points in a 98–92 loss to the Brooklyn Nets to reach 3,000 career points and the fourth-youngest player in NBA history to score 3,000 points, behind LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Carmelo Anthony.[105] On November 13, a 36-point game and 26th 30-point in his career tied Steve Nash for 15th most in franchise history.[106] Over the Suns' first 17 games of the season, Booker had seven 30-point games. On December 4, Booker scored a season-high 46 points in a 115–101 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.[107]

On December 6, he was ruled out for up to three weeks after sustaining a left adductor strain the previous night against the Toronto Raptors.[108][109] On December 26, in a 99–97 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, Booker scored 32 points in his return.[110] Booker then missed four games in early February with a left hip contusion.[111] On February 17, Booker won the Three-Point Contest over Klay Thompson and Tobias Harris in the final round after setting a new record with 28 points.[112]

On March 2, in a 124–116 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Booker scored 39 points and at 21 years, 123 days old, he became the third-youngest player in NBA history to reach 4,000 career points, again behind LeBron James and Kevin Durant.[113] Booker missed the Suns' final 12 games of the season with a right hand sprain.[114][115]

On July 7, 2018, Booker signed a five-year, $158 million maximum contract extension with the Suns.[116][117]

On September 10, he was ruled out for six weeks after undergoing surgery to repair the fifth metacarpophalangeal joint in his right hand after he jammed it in practice on March 14, 2018.[118][119] He recovered in time for the Suns' season opener on October 17, scoring 35 points in a 121–100 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.[120] Throughout the beginning of the season, he had multiple 30+ point games despite missing a six-game stretch when he strained his hamstring.[121][122] On January 24, Booker became the fifth youngest player in NBA history to reach 5,000 career points, behind LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwight Howard.[123]

On February 25, he scored 20 points to help the Suns break a franchise-record 17-game losing streak with a 124–121 win over the Miami Heat.[124] On March 25, he scored 59 points in a 125–92 loss to the Utah Jazz.[125][126] On March 27, he scored 50 points in a 124–121 loss to the Wizards, becoming the youngest player in NBA history with consecutive 50-point games. He also became first player in franchise history to reach 50 in back-to-back games.[127] On April 3, in a 118–97 loss to the Jazz, Booker sprained his left ankle, ruling him out for the last three games of the season.[128]

On November 23, 2019, Booker almost put up a triple-double with 35 points, a career-high 12 rebounds, and 9 assists in a 100–98 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.[129] From December 27, 2019 until January 7, 2020, Booker scored over 30 points in seven straight games, including a 40-point performance in a loss against the Memphis Grizzlies on January 5. This streak broke a franchise record for most consecutive 30+ point games in a row, beating a record previously set by Charlie Scott twice and Charles Barkley once.[130] In addition, his streak from December 28 until January 7 made him the only player since the 1983–84 NBA season to record six straight performances of 30+ points and 6+ assists with 47% shooting efficiency.[131] On January 28, Booker became the fourth-youngest player to reach 7,000 career points, behind only LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Carmelo Anthony.[132] Booker was named an All-Star on February 13, 2020 as an injury replacement after Damian Lillard suffered an groin strain injury a day earlier. He also replaced Lillard in the Three Point Contest, an event he had previously won, and finished as the runner-up behind Buddy Hield.[133]

In the 2020 NBA Bubble, Booker helped the Suns reached an 8–0 record as of August 11, 2020, holding an 8-game winning streak for the first time since the 2009–10 season. On August 4, Booker hit a fade-away game-winning jumper at the buzzer over Paul George and Kawhi Leonard to lift the Suns to a 117–115 win over the Los Angeles Clippers and bring their record there to 3–0 at the time. On August 11, he scored 35 points, breaking a franchise record set by Walter Davis for the most games of 30+ points scored with the team, as well as get 9 rebounds and 7 assists in a 130–117 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.[134] During his time in the NBA Bubble, Booker was named a nominee for the Seeding Games MVP award (earned for the best overall performance in the NBA's resumed regular season games), as well as earned a spot for one of the All-Seeding Games Teams, averaging 31 points per game during these games.[135]

On January 22, 2021, Booker reached 8,000 points scored in a 130–126 overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets, straining his left hamstring during that overtime.[136][137] He returned to action on February 1, reaching 700 career three-point shots, including a game-winning 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds left in the game, to win 109–108 over the Dallas Mavericks.[138] Two days later, Booker passed Dan Majerle for 10th place in the Suns all-time scoring list in a 123–101 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.[139] On February 8, 2021, Booker scored a season-high 36 points in a 119–113 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.[140] He later matched his season-high for points on February 13 in a 120–111 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.[141] Booker was then named the Western Conference Player of the Week for the first time in his career on February 15 for the week of February 8–14, 2021,[142] becoming the first Suns player to get the award since Goran Dragić in 2014.[143] On February 24, for the second year in a row, Booker was named an All-Star as an injury replacement, this time to Anthony Davis.[144] He and Chris Paul became the first Suns duo since Steve Nash and Amar'e Stoudemire in 2010 to be named All-Stars.[145] The duo would also help Phoenix clinch their first playoff berth since 2010.[146]

On May 23, Booker would make his NBA playoff debut, posting 34 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists in a 99–90 victory in Game 1 of the First Round over the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers.[147] On June 3, Booker recorded a playoff career-high 47 points, along with 11 rebounds to lead the Suns to a 113–100 series-clinching victory over the Lakers in Game 6 to advance to the Conference Semifinals against the Denver Nuggets.[148] In Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets in the Conference Semifinals, Booker dropped 34 points and 11 rebounds in a 125–118 victory, leading the Suns to a 4–0 series sweep over the Nuggets for their first Western Conference Finals appearance since 2010.[149] In Game 1 of the Conference Finals, Booker recorded his first career triple-double with 40 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists, in a 120–114 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.[150] In Game 6 of the Conference Finals, Booker dropped 22 points in a 130–103 victory over the Clippers, to lead the Suns to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993.[151]

In Game 1 of the 2021 NBA Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks, Booker put up 27 points in a 118–105 win.[152] In Game 2 of the 2021 NBA Finals, Booker put up 31 points, shooting 7-for-12 from three-point range, in a 118–108 win, as Phoenix took a 2–0 series lead.[153] On July 14, Booker broke Rick Barry's 54 year old record of most points in first NBA playoff appearance with 601. Despite the success, the Suns would lose to the Bucks in six games. Booker in his first career playoffs averaged 27.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists, with 45/32/91% shooting, and back-to-back 40-point games in the Finals becoming the third player in NBA history to have back-to-back 40 point games in the Finals.[154]

During the 2021–22 NBA season, on November 29, 2021, Booker was named the Player of the Week in the Western Conference for his performance during Week 6 of the season,[155] which helped the Suns achieve a franchise-record 18-game winning streak. He received the honor again on January 17, 2022 for his efforts during Week 13.[156] Booker was named an All-Star along with teammate for the third year in a row alongside teammate Chris Paul when reserves were announced on February 10.[157] That night, he was selected for Team Durant as part of the All-Star Draft. On March 24, 2022, Booker scored a season-high 49 points in a 140–130 road victory over the Denver Nuggets, becoming the fourth-youngest player in NBA history to score 11,000 points.[158] He finished the week averaging 37.3 points and 6.3 assists per game and was named the Week 23 Western Conference Player of the Week.[159] Booker and the Suns finished the regular season with the league's best overall record at 64–18.[160] Booker was also named to the All-NBA First Team, the first in his career.[161]

Booker began the postseason in good form, scoring 56 points during the first two games of the Suns' first-round series against the 8-seeded New Orleans Pelicans, but left Game 2 in the third quarter after suffering what would be diagnosed as a grade 1 hamstring injury.[162] After missing the next three games, Booker returned in the Suns' 115–109 Game 6 road win that clinched the series and an appearance in the Western Conference Semifinals for Phoenix.[163] In the Western Conference Semifinals, the Suns jumped to a 2–0 lead in the series against the Dallas Mavericks before losing in seven games.[164]

On July 7, 2022, Booker agreed to a four-year, $224 million maximum contract extension with the Suns;[165] the same day, he was announced as one of the cover stars of NBA 2K23.[166]