Who Is Devin Booker? The Amazing Life Story of Melvin Booker’s NBA All-Star Son
Devin Booker is an American professional basketball player, a five-time NBA All-Star, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and the all-time leading scorer of the Phoenix Suns. Born on October 30, 1996, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he is the son of Melvin Booker, a former University of Missouri star who played briefly in the NBA before building a long career overseas. Devin joined the Suns as the 13th pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, scored 70 points in a single game at just 20 years old, led Phoenix to the 2021 NBA Finals and signed a new contract in 2025 that keeps him with the Suns until 2030. This article covers his family roots, school years, college season, NBA records, Olympic success, money, charity work and personal life, along with the latest news from the 2026 offseason.
Devin Booker Bio Table
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Devin Armani Booker |
| Nickname | “Book” |
| Date of birth | October 30, 1996 |
| Age (as of September 2026) | 29 years |
| Place of birth | Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African American (father) and Mexican American (mother) |
| Father | Melvin Booker, former Missouri All-American and NBA guard |
| Mother | Veronica Gutiérrez, cosmetologist |
| Siblings | One younger half-sister on his mother’s side |
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Weight | About 206 lb (93 kg) |
| Position | Shooting guard / point guard |
| High schools | Grandville High School (Michigan); Moss Point High School (Mississippi) |
| College | University of Kentucky (2014-15) |
| NBA Draft | 2015, first round, 13th overall pick by the Phoenix Suns |
| NBA team | Phoenix Suns (2015 to present) |
| Jersey number | No. 15 (switched from No. 1 in June 2026) |
| Career high | 70 points vs. Boston Celtics (March 24, 2017) |
| All-Star selections | 5 (2020, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2026) |
| All-NBA honours | First Team (2022), Third Team (2024) |
| Olympic medals | Gold at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 |
| Latest contract | Two-year, $145 million extension signed in July 2025 |
| Charity | Devin Booker Starting Five |
| Current home | Phoenix area, Arizona |
Who Are Devin Booker’s Parents?
Devin Booker’s parents are Melvin Booker and Veronica Gutiérrez. The couple met in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in the mid-1990s, when Melvin played for the Grand Rapids Mackers, a minor league team. They never married, but both stayed closely involved in Devin’s life.
Melvin Booker was born on August 20, 1972, in Pascagoula, Mississippi. He starred at Moss Point High School and then at the University of Missouri, where he won Big Eight Player of the Year in 1994 and earned first-team All-American honours as a senior. He averaged 18.1 points and 4.5 assists per game in that final college season.
Despite those awards, Melvin went undrafted. He played 32 NBA games for the Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors between 1995 and 1997. He then spent more than a decade playing in Europe and Asia, including several seasons in Italy, before retiring in 2008.
Veronica Gutiérrez is of Mexican heritage and raised Devin in Grand Rapids for most of his childhood. She worked as a cosmetologist and gave her son a strong connection to his Mexican roots, which he often speaks about with pride. Devin also has a younger half-sister from his mother’s side, and he has spoken publicly about his love for her.
What Was Devin Booker’s Childhood Like?
Devin Booker grew up in Grand Rapids with his mother while his father played overseas. As a boy, he spent summers in Italy watching Melvin play and practise. Those trips gave him an early look at professional basketball and taught him what hard work at the top level really looks like.
He started his high school career at Grandville High School near Grand Rapids. Before his junior year, he moved to Moss Point, Mississippi, to live with his father, who had retired from playing and wanted to train him full time. Melvin later joined the Moss Point High School staff as an assistant coach.
The move changed his game. Melvin put him through daily shooting drills and taught him footwork, patience and how to read defences. Devin averaged huge numbers at Moss Point and became one of the best shooters in his class. He earned a place in the 2014 McDonald’s All-American Game, one of the top honours for a high school player in the United States.
Top college programmes chased him, including Michigan, Michigan State and Missouri, his father’s old school. He chose Kentucky and head coach John Calipari, a programme known for sending young guards to the NBA.
How Did Devin Booker Play at the University of Kentucky?
Devin Booker played one season at Kentucky, in 2014-15, and came off the bench on one of the most talented college teams of the decade. That Wildcats roster also included Karl-Anthony Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein, Trey Lyles and the Harrison twins.
He appeared in 38 games and averaged 10.0 points per game while shooting over 41 percent from three-point range. The Southeastern Conference named him its Sixth Man of the Year, and he also made the All-SEC Second Team and the SEC All-Freshman Team.
Kentucky won its first 38 games that season and reached the Final Four before losing to Wisconsin. Booker still left a strong impression on scouts, who loved his shooting, confidence and calm under pressure. In April 2015, he declared for the NBA Draft.
When Did Devin Booker Join the Phoenix Suns?
The Phoenix Suns picked Devin Booker 13th overall in the 2015 NBA Draft. He was 18 years old on draft night and became the youngest player in the league during his rookie season.
Booker started slowly but earned a starting role when injuries hit the Suns’ backcourt. He finished the 2015-16 season on the NBA All-Rookie First Team and placed fourth in Rookie of the Year voting. Coaches and fans quickly saw that he could score from anywhere on the floor.
In his second season, he became the focus of the Phoenix attack. On March 24, 2017, he scored 70 points against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. He became the youngest player in NBA history to reach 70 points and only the sixth player ever to do it.
The Suns rewarded him in July 2018 with a five-year, $158 million maximum rookie extension. The team struggled to win in those early years, but Booker kept improving as a scorer and a playmaker.
What Are Devin Booker’s Biggest NBA Achievements?
Devin Booker’s biggest achievements include five All-Star selections, a First Team All-NBA spot, a trip to the NBA Finals and the Suns’ all-time scoring record. He has built a résumé that places him among the best guards of his generation.
He won the Three-Point Contest at the 2018 All-Star Weekend with a then-record score of 28 points. He earned his first All-Star selection in 2020 and then led the Suns to an 8-0 run in the NBA bubble in Orlando that summer.
In 2021, Booker and Chris Paul took Phoenix to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993. The Suns won the first two games against the Milwaukee Bucks but lost the series 4-2. The next season, Phoenix won a franchise-record 64 games, and Booker made the All-NBA First Team.
He scored 62 points against the Indiana Pacers on January 26, 2024, which made him one of only a handful of players with more than one 60-point game. On February 3, 2025, he passed Walter Davis to become the Suns’ all-time leading scorer, and in December 2025 he reached 17,000 career points.
How Did Devin Booker Perform in the 2025-26 Season?
Devin Booker averaged 26.1 points and 6.0 assists per game in the 2025-26 season and earned his fifth All-Star selection. He led a new-look Suns roster under first-year head coach Jordan Ott.
Phoenix traded Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets in the summer of 2025 and brought in Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks. Many analysts expected a tough season, but Booker guided the Suns to a 45-37 record and seventh place in the Western Conference.
The Suns reached the playoffs through the Play-In Tournament. They then faced the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round and lost the series in four games. The result stung, but the season showed that Booker could carry a younger roster and keep Phoenix competitive.
Why Did Devin Booker Change His Jersey Number to 15?
Devin Booker changed his jersey number from No. 1 to No. 15 to honour his father, Melvin, who wore 15 during his playing career. He revealed the change on June 21, 2026, which was Father’s Day.
“I’ve been chasing 15 my whole career. It’s always been a family number,” Booker said when he shared the news. He also told his father that he “looked at you as the blueprint for success.”
Booker already wore No. 15 for Team USA at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, and he won gold both times. He will wear it for the Suns for the first time in the 2026-27 season, his 12th year with the franchise.
What Has Devin Booker Won With Team USA?
Devin Booker has won two Olympic gold medals with Team USA. He took home gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, held in 2021, and again at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
In Tokyo, he joined the team shortly after the NBA Finals ended and played a key bench role. In Paris, he became a trusted starter and defender on a roster that included LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. Head coach Steve Kerr often praised his toughness and willingness to guard the other team’s best scorer.
Booker has described representing his country as one of the proudest moments of his life. His Olympic success also gave him a winning experience on the biggest international stage, something he still chases in the NBA.
How Much Does Devin Booker Earn?
Devin Booker is one of the highest-paid players in the NBA. He signed a four-year, $224 million supermax extension with the Suns in July 2022, which began in the 2024-25 season.
In July 2025, he agreed to a further two-year, $145 million maximum extension. That deal runs through the 2029-30 season and makes him one of the few stars in the league to stay with his original team for his entire career.
Booker also earns money from endorsements. He has a long-standing sneaker deal with Nike, which released his first signature shoe, the Nike Book 1, in 2024. He has also worked with brands in the fashion, drinks and video game industries.
What Does Devin Booker Do Off the Court?
Devin Booker gives back through his charity, Devin Booker Starting Five. The programme gives $100,000 in grants each year to five non-profit groups in Arizona that support young people and local communities.
He has also donated to relief efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic and supported youth basketball programmes in both Arizona and Michigan. He often visits schools and hospitals in the Phoenix area during the season.
Away from basketball, Booker is a big fan of Detroit sports teams, especially the Red Wings and the Lions. He enjoys golf, fashion and cars, and he owns a home in Paradise Valley, Arizona, which he bought in 2019.
Who Has Devin Booker Dated?
Devin Booker dated model and media personality Kendall Jenner from 2020 to 2022. The couple kept their relationship fairly private, but photos of them together often made headlines.
They split in late 2022 and reportedly reconnected for a short time in 2023. Booker has not publicly confirmed any new relationship since then. He tends to keep his private life away from social media and interviews.
What Makes Devin Booker Special as a Player?
Devin Booker stands out for his shooting touch, footwork and skill in the mid-range. Many coaches compare his game to that of Kobe Bryant, who became a mentor to him and signed a pair of shoes with the message “Be Legendary.”
He can score from three-point range, attack the basket and hit tough jumpers late in the shot clock. In recent seasons, he has also grown into a strong passer, setting a career high of 7.1 assists per game in 2024-25.
His loyalty also sets him apart. Booker has stayed with the Suns through losing seasons, rebuilds and several coaching changes. That commitment has made him the face of basketball in Phoenix.
Conclusion
Devin Booker has turned the lessons he learned from his father into one of the best careers in modern basketball. From summers in Italy and shooting drills in Mississippi to 70-point nights, the NBA Finals and two Olympic gold medals, he has earned his place among the league’s elite. Now wearing No. 15 in honour of Melvin Booker, he enters the next stage of his career with the same goal he has chased since 2015: bringing Phoenix its first NBA championship.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who is Devin Booker?
Devin Booker is an American professional basketball player who plays guard for the Phoenix Suns. He joined the team as the 13th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. He is a five-time All-Star, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and the Suns’ all-time leading scorer, having passed Walter Davis in February 2025.
2. Who is Devin Booker’s father?
Devin Booker’s father is Melvin Booker, a former guard who won Big Eight Player of the Year at the University of Missouri in 1994. Melvin played 32 NBA games for the Rockets, Nuggets and Warriors, then spent more than a decade playing in Europe and Asia before retiring and coaching his son.
3. Who is Devin Booker’s mother?
Devin Booker’s mother is Veronica Gutiérrez, a cosmetologist of Mexican heritage from Grand Rapids, Michigan. She raised Devin for most of his childhood while his father played overseas. Devin often speaks about his pride in his Mexican roots and credits his mother for her constant support.
4. How old is Devin Booker?
Devin Booker was born on October 30, 1996, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. As of September 2026, he is 29 years old and will turn 30 at the end of October 2026. He was just 18 when the Phoenix Suns drafted him in 2015, making him the league’s youngest player.
5. How tall is Devin Booker?
Devin Booker stands 6 feet 5 inches tall, or about 1.96 metres, and weighs around 206 pounds. His size lets him play both shooting guard and point guard. It also helps him shoot over smaller defenders and guard bigger wings, a skill he showed at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
6. How many points did Devin Booker score in his best game?
Devin Booker scored 70 points against the Boston Celtics on March 24, 2017. At 20 years old, he became the youngest player in NBA history to score 70 in a game. He later scored 62 points against the Indiana Pacers in January 2024, his second career 60-point game.
7. Why did Devin Booker change his number to 15?
Devin Booker switched from No. 1 to No. 15 to honour his father, Melvin, who wore 15 as a player. He announced the change on Father’s Day, June 21, 2026. He had already worn No. 15 for Team USA while winning Olympic gold in Tokyo and Paris.
8. How much is Devin Booker’s contract worth?
Devin Booker signed a two-year, $145 million maximum extension with the Phoenix Suns in July 2025. It follows a four-year, $224 million supermax deal from 2022. Together, these contracts keep him with Phoenix through the 2029-30 season and rank him among the NBA’s highest earners.
9. Has Devin Booker won an NBA championship?
No, Devin Booker has not won an NBA championship yet. He came closest in 2021, when he led the Phoenix Suns to the NBA Finals. The Suns took a 2-0 lead against the Milwaukee Bucks but lost the series 4-2. Winning a title remains his main career goal.
10. Who was Devin Booker’s girlfriend?
Devin Booker dated model Kendall Jenner from 2020 until late 2022, and the pair reportedly reunited briefly in 2023. Since then, Booker has kept his personal life private and has not publicly confirmed a new relationship. He prefers to keep attention on his basketball career and charity work.
