On June 29, 1994, Melvin Booker sat and watched as 54 names that weren’t his were called out during the NBA draft, an experience he later said was one of the worst nights of his life. Devin Booker is alive because Melvin Booker wasn’t drafted into the NBA (L-R) Devin Booker Melvin Booker | Christian Petersen/Getty Images Earl Richardson /Allsport In addition, he was named a consensus Second-Team All-American, an honor that essentially said he was the second-best point guard in the nation behind only some guy named Jason Kidd. Once again, he was a First-Team All-Big Eight selection and was also named Big Eight Player of the Year. In 32 games, he averaged 18.1 points while shooting 50.4% from the floor, 40.5% from the 3-point line, and 82.3% from the foul line, and added 4.5 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. Mizzou lost to second-seeded Arizona in the regional final but one defeat couldn’t overshadow what a great season Booker had. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where they knocked off Navy, Wisconsin, and Syracuse on the way to the program’s first Elite Eight appearance since 1976.
In 1993-94, he led the Tigers to a 24-2 regular-season record and a No. The following season, he saw more and more playing time and helped Mizzou to a 21-9 record and a berth in the NCAA Tournament, averaging 11.6 points, 3.9 assists, and 3.8 rebounds per game.Īs a junior in 1992-93, Booker started all 33 games for the Tigers and averaged 15.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.4 steals, which earned him First-Team All-Big Eight (now Big 12) honors. But he still managed to put up 8.3 points and 3.5 assists per game. It wasn’t until assistant coaches from the University of Missouri noticed him while recruiting other players that he received a big-time scholarship offer, which he accepted.īooker didn’t play a big role in Norm Stewart’s offense as a freshman in 1990-91 as the Tigers had future NBA players Doug Smith and Anthony Peeler on the roster.
Or really anywhere in the region for that matter. Melvin Booker was an All-American point guard at Mizzouĭespite averaging 28 points per game as a senior at Moss Point (MS) High School and being named player of the year in his class, Melvin Booker, a 6’1″ point guard, wasn’t heavily recruited by the major college programs in the state of Mississippi. The only reason Devin Booker is even alive is because his father, former All-American point guard Melvin Booker, saw his own NBA dreams get crushed coming out of the University of Missouri in 1994.Īllow us to explain. But while you’re sitting there thinking how he’s only going to get better, also think about this. Sure, he’s been in the league for six years but he’s still just 24 years old and hasn’t entered prime years yet.
MELVIN BOOKER SERIES
in the series finale, a performance that knocked “The King” out of the postseason in the first round for the first time in his storied career.Īnd the scary part for the rest of the NBA is that Booker is just getting started. He averaged nearly 30 points per game against the Los Angeles Lakers and dropped 47 (22 in the first quarter alone) on LeBron James & Co. Now in his sixth year in the desert, the sharpshooting guard has averaged 23 points per game over the course of his career and has helped the Suns become a legitimate NBA title contender.īooker just recently led Phoenix to their first playoff series victory in more than a decade and did so in convincing fashion. There’s no denying that Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker is easily one of the top young players in the NBA today.
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