Booker entered the 2015 NBA Draft after his freshman season and was selected in the first round (13th overall) by the Phoenix Suns.įresh off a deep playoff run that ended with a disappointing Game 6 loss to the Bucks, Booker will look to lead the Suns back for another Finals appearance in 2022. The guard was third on the Wildcats in points (10.0) and field goals per game (3.6). He led Kentucky in three-pointers made per game (1.5) and was second on Kentucky in three-point percentage (41.1 percent). The Grand Rapids, Michigan native helped lead the Wildcats to the 14-15 SEC regular-season title, the 2015 SEC Tournament title and the 2015 NCAA Tournament Final Four. He also collected a 14-15 SEC All-Freshman nod and placed on the 14-15 All-SEC second team. You can follow Booker on Twitter and Instagram Booker was named the 2014-15 SEC Sixth Man of the Year in his freshman and lone season for Kentucky. With the Suns, Booker has pledged to donate $2.5 million over a five-year span to his charity "Devin Booker Starting Five," which is dedicated to impacting the lives of Arizona youth and families in need. Booker also has a brother, Davon Wade, and a sister, Mya Powell. In his early teen years, Devin Booker spent his summers in Italy, where Melvin had been playing for Olimpia Milano. His father exposed Devin to basketball at an early age, as Melvin played professionally both in the NBA and overseas. Read Past Outlooksīooker was born in 1996 in Grand Rapids, Michigan to parents Veronica Gutierrez and Melvin Booker. Fantasy managers should feel comfortable taking him in the mid-to-late second round, given his high floor and room for growth. He ranked 21st in per-game fantasy production during 2021-22 - his fourth time in the top 25. Whether that manifests in more points or assists is unclear at this point, but we should see more from Booker this year than last. As Chris Paul ages, Booker will likely take on more responsibilities, and he has room to improve since he's just 25 years old. After averaging 3.5 giveaways in the prior five seasons, Booker handed the ball over just 2.4 times per game last year.
For fantasy managers playing in nine-category leagues, it's also noteworthy that Booker is learning to cut down on his turnovers. He also added 4.8 assists and matched his career high for made threes per game (2.7). Last season, in 34.5 minutes per game, he averaged career highs in points (26.8), rebounds (5.0) and steals (1.1). He was ninth in usage rate last year (32.0%), and he has the sixth-highest usage rate of all active NBA players (30.1%). The Suns have leaned on Booker his entire career, and he's delivered as one of the most consistent shooting guards over the past four years. If he doesn’t, we need to be ready to go out and execute our game plan.Booker is coming off his third straight All-Star appearance and first All-NBA selection (First Team). New Orleans coach Willie Green said before the game that the Pelicans had two defensive game plans - one with Booker in the lineup and one without him. It helps to kind of settle the order of the team a little bit.”īooker participated in just light shooting during a practice session Wednesday. “He won’t play his normal 36, 38, 40 workload, but it still gives you a bit more balance,” Williams said. Williams said Booker, who averaged 26.8 points and 34.4 minutes in the regular season, would not play his regular amount of minutes.įirst shot. “It always was getting more conditioning, doing more on the floor.”
“Nothing jaw-dropping,” Williams said about Booker’s return with the Suns up 3-2 in the series. “He’ll be playing tonight,” Suns coach Monty Williams said.īooker started and played the first seven minutes, making one of two shots with 2 assists and a rebound.Īfter scoring 31 points in the first half of Game 2, Booker was injured early in the second when he landed awkwardly trying to block a fast-break attempt. NEW ORLEANS (AP) - All-Star guard Devin Booker returned to the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night for Game 6 against the New Orleans Pelicans after missing three games because of a strained right hamstring.
Devin Booker scored 25 points in Game 1 and then had 31 in the 1st half of Game 2 before suffering a right hamstring injury.
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