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. Letting Devin leave Michigan was by far the hardest decision of my life. Melvin is African-American and Veronica is Puerto-Rican and Mexican American. I was with my family back home. I think thats why he is eager to learn more now.. 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. He was very supportive of everything that I did and still do today. His maternal grandfather was an immigrant from Nogales, Mexico, and he has referenced his strong ties to his family and Mexican culture on multiple occasions. 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. Gutierrez allowed Booker, then 12, to visit his father one spring break in Milan, where the son played one-on-one with a future pro in Danilo Gallinari and showed the potential of being a special player. Gerardo was at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport two weeks ago when the team returned from Los Angeles after clinching a Finals berth, and he recalls fans chanting Si se puede (Yes, we can) as the players walked through. Sometimes I would go up to [Michigan] to watch him. 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. His father played professional basketball in the NBA and overseas, and Booker spent his summers in Italy when his father was playing for Olimpia Milano. 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. A couple of things that I learned from my grandfather were about the hard work and dedication to a craft. In June, sources confirmed the couple had split amid mounting speculation from fans who noticed signs of a breakup. In a November match against Montana State, Devin scored a season-high 18 points. While the first part of his debut season with the Phoenix Suns was above average at best, the second part turned out to be much better. They played video games together. Mya supports her brother during the matches and is an inspiration to Devin. He also taught his son some tricks of the trade he developed on the pro level. I shared a locker room with [Hakeem] Olajuwon, [Clyde] Drexler and Sam Cassell.. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. It takes a powerful woman to do that. He became the fourth-youngest NBA player to score 1,000 points in the first season. Being here in Phoenix has made me aware of living in the culture.. I was with the Rockets for the minute. 25. When I was drafted by Phoenix, I finally got to see the Hispanic culture around me for the first time in my life, Booker said. They decided to forgo. Now, with Booker on the team, they have something even more singular to cheer for: an NBA superstar who, at least in one way, is actually like them. Only two photos of him exist in the leagues Getty/NBAE archives. Melvin Booker averaged 5.2 points in 17 minutes in just 24 NBA games and believed that he didnt get a true shot. 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. His maternal grandfather hails from Mexico. 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. But Booker says it was here in Phoenix where he first experienced the Mexican culture. But it was also quite challenging to build a relationship with his son from afar despite a couple of visits overseas. Also, being the support for your family and being the backbone of your family and how important that is.. 2K 38 Waru_ 1 day ago Devin Armani Booker was born on Oct. 30, 1996, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The preservation of a basketball legacy strengthened Melvin Bookers relationship with his son. 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. 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.. Kendall and Devin rekindled their two-year romance last month following a short-lived breakup. He was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was tough, Devin Booker said. I dont think any kid can just make that move that I made but I understood the goal that was at hand and I just embraced the Mississippi culture, you know, the inner city and it was good for me, Booker said. 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.. Gerardo can rattle off facts about Booker like hes a walking Wikipedia page: Bookers mom is Mexican American, and his grandfather was born in Los Nogales, Mexico, a town near the Texas border. They never married but dated for many years and had Devin, Melvins only child, in 1996. Melvin Booker, his African-American father, played for the Continental Basketball Association Grand Rapids Mackers during the 1995-96 season. But once I got there, they embraced me, they took me in and I ended up getting more intact with that side of my family also, my dads side, it was a really important time., Looking back, Booker believes the diversity of his upbringing has made him more relatable to people and teammates of different backgrounds. Ive talked to my teammate Tyler Johnson about it. My favorite part about being Mexican is the culture and being a part of the heritage, Booker said. The respect I received from my family and everyone in the city made me want to stay. Theres so much to learn about the Mexican culture, but Devin Booker says its never too late. I didnt tell him at all, but I called my mom that night telling her that I might be back soon. The 19-year-old rookie acquitted himself well, reaching the final round before ultimately losing to Klay Thompson. These fans might have not been at the game, but that didnt mean they couldnt keep the party going after. Booker, not knowing Spanish, wasnt as comfortable sharing that side of himself until Watson encouraged him to. Although Veronica would stay with Devin while Melvin traveled to Europe and Asia for games, he would bring Devin to the court in the summers, further peaking his interest in the sport. Devin Booker was born on 30th October 1996 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Melvin Booker and Veronica Gutierrez. 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). Ahead of Game 6 of the Lakers series, Booker drove a Grand National to Staples Center. Especially with him embracing it, I mean, it brings us more attention toojust knowing that hes Hispanic and hes not afraid to show it.. Gutierrez and her son said yes before his sophomore season. When I saw that, I said he looks like one of my own uncles growing up, Vigil said. Apart from this, her rare medical condition called Chromosomal Deletion Syndrome has also drawn more attention. I owe her all the credit for allowing that to happen, Melvin Booker said. Devin Booker spends his sprawling $26.6 million fortune to live a lavish life. Vigil said he didnt think that the uniforms felt like pandering; rather, it was finally merchandise that represented the largest demographic in Phoenix. Booker is a two-time NBA All-Star and has been selected to play for Team USA in the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which starts July 25, just three days after a possible Game 7 in the NBA Finals . 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. Booker is introduced last among the starters during Suns games; he gets the loudest cheers, and his jerseys are ubiquitous. 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. During the 1995-96 season with Grand Rapids, the basketball player met a remarkable young woman named Veronica. He ended up at the fourth spot in the race for the 2016 Rookie of the Year award. After his first day of high school in Mississippi, Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker had his dad quite worried that he was going to pack his bags to go back to Michigan. In his first seven Summer League games, Devin averaged more than 15 points per game and proved his mettle. Devin Booker may be known as a professional basketball player, but it turns out his parents, Melvin Booker and Veronica Gutierrez, also have impressive careers. I meet a lot of people around the basketball business that talk about him like, People may not know who your father is, but he could hoop, Devin Booker said. I appreciate my dad actually telling me to make the move. He went on to play in the NBA for the Houston Rockets during the 1995-1996 season and the Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors during the 1996-1997 season. Ayton also had 11 rebounds. 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 fell in love with the city. It's Hispanic Heritage Month. Hed play video games with me. Davon lives a single life. From 1997-2008, Melvin Booker made a living playing most notably in Italy with stints in Turkey and Russia. Join. Let these kids know that, especially with the NBA today, its not one race. First, Lugo commissioned a graphic designer friend to mock up the design. 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. When the same thing happened in 2021, LeBron James, via social media, proclaimed Booker the most disrespected player in our league., Devin Booker pours in 47 points in Game 6 win. Hollywood Life The 2014 McDonalds All-American selection averaged 30.9 points per game in his senior season. When Booker was 20, Kevin Durant said on The Bill Simmons Podcast that he wanted the Thunder to draft Booker in 2015. However, the matter did not do much damage to his career. I didnt like it all, Devin Booker said. Booker's grandfather immigrated from Nogales, Mexico, to Michigan where the 2020 All-Star ultimately grew up. 1.4K. 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. Most of the time with breaking records and such, he leaves me speechless, she wrote. Davon is the eldest brother of an American basketball player Devin Booker who plays for Phoenix Suns. And he drove a 1959 Impalawhich he later said was named Pretty Pennyto Game 1 of the Finals. Devin initially refused to go to Mississippi. She made it happen. Who Is Melvin Booker? In an interview with Undefeated, Melvin credited her for helping him continue his sport. Devin averaged 30.9 points per game as a senior despite being double- and triple-teamed during the 2013-14 season at Moss Point. He stated that he fully . 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. Telephone conversations between father and son werent the norm during the elders playing days since international calls were very expensive. The cheering can be heard throughout the Valley in English and Spanish. And for those who are fans already, well, its as Ochoa would say, cereza encima del pastel. Cherry on top of the cake. They needed the painting in five hours for a Fathers Day gift. Booker is the son of Veronica Gutierrez and Melvin Booker. Devin Booker said he owes his mom the world for allowing him to depart to Mississippi and primarily raising him beforehand. Get to know the Utah Jazz's star center with these 10 interesting factoids about his life and career. 18. Im finally to the age where I realize I can ask questions and shes breaking it all down to me, Booker, 23, said. Try a week on us. 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. Now shes a diehard fan who makes a point to go to the players entrance before every game to welcome the team. And while the Gutirrez brothers and other Latino fans have plenty of respect and appreciation for a player like Chris Paul, whose arrival last offseason helped turn the Suns into a contender, what they feel for Booker is something much greater: a cultural connection. It was his mother, Veronica Gutierrez's hometown, and his father, Melvin Booker, who played for CBA's Grand Rapids Hoops. My relationship with my grandfather was unbelievable, Booker said. The city I grew up in and the high school was predominantly black. READ MORE: D-I-S-R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Widespread appreciation grows for Devin Booker after regular season indifference. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/devin-booker-37685.php. 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