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. He averaged 13.8 points per game. Especially with him embracing it, I mean, it brings us more attention toojust knowing that hes Hispanic and hes not afraid to show it.. 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. Id do anything for them. That made me want to learn about myself much more honestly because I just hadn't been around. As of early 2021, Davon has an estimated net worth of around $500 thousand. Off the bench: Bookers star status was built on a bench players foundation in college. Devin soon started attending Grandville High School, and Melvin retired from professional basketball to stay closer to his son. Isael Lugo didnt get 20 feet inside Phoenix Suns Arena before he was stopped last week. 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. "She wanted to meet Book," Suns coach Monty Williams said. Fathers Day was the following day, and the representative asked Doctor if he could paint a portrait of Booker and his dad, Melvin, who played basketball at Mizzou. He played for the freshman, junior varsity and varsity teams during his freshman year at Grandville High School in Michigan instead of joining his dad. While going back to Michigan did get strong consideration, Devin Bookers perseverance not only led to an NBA career but also a close bond with father. They gaze up at the gold lettering and Larry OBrien Trophy graphics with anticipation and disbelief. In the next game, Devin scored 19 points against TexasArlington to set a new season-high score. Noticing his immense talent, Melvin tried hard to bring his son back to Mississippi permanently. Only two photos of him exist in the leagues Getty/NBAE archives. Devin spent his early years in Grandville, Michigan, which was a suburb of Grand Rapids. He was very supportive of everything that I did and still do today. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. 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. The 19-year-old rookie acquitted himself well, reaching the final round before ultimately losing to Klay Thompson. Booker, not knowing Spanish, wasnt as comfortable sharing that side of himself until Watson encouraged him to. At the time, I was treating it as going away to prep school and my father was going to be there training me. The shooting ability was already there. In a downtown Phoenix alley, sandwiched between two streets named after U.S. presidents, stands a snapshot of the citys Latino culture. 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. 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. Devin Booker scored 24 points, Deandre Ayton had 22 and Chris Paul added 18 for Phoenix. Of course, a lot of this wouldnt have happened had Booker not shown a willingness to embrace his Latino roots. 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. Other Latinos dream of bringing Booker home for dinner to introduce him to their most favorite Mexican dishes. The then-18-year-old finished the game with 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting in 21 minutes. 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. 9. 2K 38 Waru_ 1 day ago 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. A lot of them, at that point, didnt know that Booker was of Mexican descent, Ochoa said. 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. He's just not. Not that there's anything wrong with that. After his freshman year, he joined six Kentucky teammates by entering the 2015 NBA draft. Maybe its my Mexican roots, Booker said with a smile when he was asked how he was able to put up 39 points in back-to-back games there. Ive talked to my teammate Tyler Johnson about it. That was simple enough: Lugo knew he wanted Bookers face on a prayer candle, and a Suns logo with the traditional green, red, and white tricolor design. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. Telephone conversations between father and son werent the norm during the elders playing days since international calls were very expensive. 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. 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. And I think for Latino kids, its probably a little bit easier to envision themselves as Devin Booker.. If youre Mexican and you made it to the NBA, I can too, So, just trying to inspire in that type of way and keep representing the heritage. His dad couldnt be prouder. "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. So, just trying to inspire in that type of way and keep representing the heritage. I was trying to make up for the times I missed when I was gone.. They decided to forgo. 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.. Finding a place that was willing to make the flag, however, proved more difficult. He was just a really caring guy, Booker said of his grandfather in a recent telephone conversation with The Athletic. The couple never married and cooperatively co-parented their son who was predominantly with his mother due to his dads professional basketball career. I also wanted him to be more of a role model to the kids to show that they could make it out of there. 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. Devin and Mya have become very close over the years and hes often seen sharing sweet moments with her. and people say this sub is not woke enough. With Booker's help, his younger half-sister, who has microdeletion syndrome, will be a Special Olympics worldwide ambassador in 2020. Post player first:Being tall for his age, Booker actually played significant minutes in the post as a kid before ultimately becoming a shooting guard. I was trying to make up for the times I missed when I was gone, he told the outlet in 2016. Paolo Banchero leads the way as the Kia Rookie of the Year chase begins to head for the finish line. Melvin Booker told his son that he needed to have a high basketball IQ since he didnt own elite athleticism and running ability. Devin played basketball with his dad and his friends. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. As the Valleys oldest and most historic professional sports team, the Phoenix Suns have continuously strived to represent and connect with the surrounding Hispanic community that makes up the largest demographic in Phoenix. A post shared by Devin Booker (@dbook) on Jun 19, 2017 at 5:27pm PDT. Every day has been a learning process for me. Read Kevin OConnors grades of every first-round pick. Grandville was a town that was dominated by its white population. He called his opportunity a blessing because he was able to see the world. I was with my family back home. 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. I remember dropping him off at school that day and staying about an hour to make sure he had his classes scheduled correct. Devin Booker has Mexican roots, making his stardom even sweeter for the Valley's Latino community. Playoff ready: Any questions about how Bookers scoring would translate to the postseason were answered swiftly. With Booker being Hispanic, I think it just opens the eyes to our culture around our Hispanic heritage, Lugo said. Learn more about the Hall of Fame career of the legendary point guard. 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. One fan I encountered just before Game 2 said she researched Bookers heritage after seeing his face, doing a double take, and saying, Esa cara no se ve gringa (That face doesnt look gringa). 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. One of them shows the elder Booker then playing for the Golden State Warriors driving against, you guessed it, the Phoenix Suns. Devin averaged 30.9 points per game as a senior despite being double- and triple-teamed during the 2013-14 season at Moss Point. 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. Bookers grandfather immigrated from Nogales, Mexico, to Michigan where the 2020 All-Star ultimately grew up. When I saw that, I said he looks like one of my own uncles growing up, Vigil said. 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 I got to see the guys like Michael Jordan play up close, Melvin Booker said. The painting, according to Doctor, is hanging in the Bookers gym. The lack of representation within the league has encouraged Booker to carry the mantle for people of Mexican heritage. Now, shes his biggest fan. After Devins birth, they decided that they would both take care of Devin, but he mostly stayed with his mother, as his father remained busy with his international basketball career. He made his professional NBA debut against the Dallas Mavericks two days before his 19th birthday. While in high school, Devin exhibited his remarkable sporting talent. Devin Booker Personal Life. 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