Even if he takes a slight hit in usage, Booker still figures to be worth a second-round selection in most fantasy formats. That could result in fewer assists, but increased scoring, and/or increased efficiency, is also on the table. With the addition of Paul, Booker may play more off-ball.
The 24-year-old is now in a position to push for the playoffs in 2020-21 alongside teammates Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul after an impressive 8-0 stint in the Orlando bubble during seeding play last season. Booker returned most fantasy managers with early second-round value, ranking 17th on a per-game basis in eight-category leagues. His campaign also included 11 double-doubles and three 40-point games, including a performance against the Pelicans that featured 44 points, nine assists, eight rebounds and two steals. He also averaged 6.5 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 2.0 threes. He scored 26.6 points per game on a 48.9 field goal percentage and a 35.4 three-point percentage while shooting 91.9 percent from the charity stripe. Booker entered the 2015 NBA Draft after his freshman season and was selected in the first round (13th overall) by the Phoenix Suns.īooker made his first All-Star game in 2019-20, significantly improving his efficiency from the year prior. 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. Even if he delivers numbers consistent with last year, you're looking at a solid mid-second round pick. If Booker can build on his playoff experience, he could return top-10 eight-category league value this season. Chris Paul will be 36 years old and will no doubt be relying on Booker to carry even more of the offense, and Booker's three-point attempts, which in 2020-21 was the lowest in four years, could rise back to previous levels. That said, Booker is in a solid position to improve his numbers from last year.
That's no easy feat, as Booker excelled across the board in his sixth year, recording 25.6 points per game, shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 86.7 from the line, with 4.3 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 1.9 threes. But to do that, he's going to need, at a minimum, to repeat his stellar numbers from last season. Fresh 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.