Madison Booker has been the talk of women’s college basketball for a reason. The 19-year-old forward hit a career milestone of 1,000 points during her time playing for the Texas Longhorns, an impressive achievement considering she’s only a sophomore. Not only that, but Booker has the support of one of the NBA’s greatest scorers: Kevin Durant.
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KD is considered to be one of, if not, the most successful Texas Longhorns in the history of the program. So, it’s no surprise that he’s quite openly offered a helping hand to Madison.
Booker recently interviewed with ESPN to hype up Texas’ upcoming SEC Championship game, where she also discussed her relationship with Durant, whom she considers a mentor. Host Taylor Tannebaum brought up that Booker even wears #35 on the court in honor of the 15-time NBA All-Star being one of her favorite players.
Tannebaum then asked, “What is the one piece of advice that he (Durant) has given you that has resonated with you the most?” After a moment of thought, Booker recalled three words that KD once uttered to her that she claimed applied to all facets of her game.
“‘Just ball out.’ It’s really simple. ‘Just ball out,'” exclaimed Booker. She clarified how that “one sentence” from Durant meant “just go win,” and not let any misses from her past make her lose focus on what is right in front of her.
Booker chose the Longhorns over other top prospects like Tennessee or Duke, which could be the past “misses” that she’s referring to. Regardless, ESPN has rated her a five-star recruit, and with the March Madness tournament approaching, her star power can only grow.
Kevin Durant has showered Booker with praise in the past
Kevin Durant took notice of Booker’s impeccable game during her freshman season one year ago — and even publicly acknowledged her in the press. In March 2024, the two-time NBA Champ spoke with the American-Statesman about how the then 18-year-old baller’s game could only improve for the better.
“She had an incredible season. Our point guard went out early this year so she had to step up and assume a different role, playing a point-forward,” Durant predicted at the time. “Future is bright. As a freshman, she’s got so much more to do, but she’s already staking claim in this league right now and she’s going to be even better as she moves forward.”
It’s amazing that after all of his success in the NBA, KD still has that same amount of love for his Texas alum. If the future Hall of Famer thinks Booker is a player to watch out for, she’s already made it.
