Devin Booker and D’Angelo Russell were in the same draft class in 2015. However, they were friends for a while before they began their NBA careers together. On The Backyard podcast, the duo revealed how they first met during the NBA Top 100 camp, which served as the starting point of their friendship.
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In a casual golfing session filmed before Booker flew to Paris for the 2024 Olympics, the two reminisced about their adventures as high school basketball stars during the camp. The Suns star recalled Russell’s carefree ways that got them in trouble for missing a 10 PM curfew.
The Lakers guard then spoke about how Booker made an immediate impression on him with his smooth play style. He recalled how the guard would breeze past him often in scrimmages and leave him dazzled. Soon after, they teamed up on and off the court, even sharing a room and pushing each other to improve. Talking about the time they spent together in the camp, Russell said,
“I was just like, bro, what’s your name type sh** bro. You cold, bro, what’s your name. I remember guarding each other and he just was going to dunk that. He was just polished, I was just a fan every camp. We found a way to be teammates, the older we got, we found a way to dominate sh** together.”
After the camp, both went off to play for different colleges. The Lakers star had an exceptional season with Ohio State, while the Suns guard had an impactful season as a sixth man for Kentucky. Both declared for the 2015 NBA draft after only one year in college.
The Lakers drafted Russell with the second overall pick, while Booker fell into the Suns’ lap at 13th. The latter claimed he was drafted lower than expected and even named the team he believed he would play for.
The Miami Heat missed out on Devin Booker
In the 2015 offseason, the Heat were on the precipice of hitting the reset button on their roster. Chris Bosh was battling injury issues, while Dwyane Wade had signed a one-year deal with the franchise, suggesting his time with the team was likely ending soon. The Heat needed a shot in the arm to revitalize the roster and they looked to the draft to provide the antidote.
They had the 10th overall pick and were linked to Booker, who, on paper, would’ve fit perfectly on the roster. He could’ve spent a season under Wade’s tutelage before taking his place in the starting lineup the following year. They brought the Kentucky star in for a workout and he left with the impression he would be moving to Miami after the draft. Booker told Russell,
“Miami was my best workout. I think Pat Riley came in, he did an interview and he’s like, ‘We are looking for a Klay Thompson type player, we need to up our shooting.’ I shot 40% in college…. Draft is crazy though, your life changes and you have no control over it.”
On draft night, the Heat surprised the guard by picking Duke star Justise Winslow with the 10th overall pick. He spent five uneventful seasons in Miami and played for three teams in the three subsequent campaigns. He’s currently signed to the Raptors’ G-League affiliate.
The Suns picked Booker 13th overall and it proved to be one of the best decisions in the franchise’s history. He’s the second-highest points scorer in franchise history and is among the best guards in the league. In hindsight, the Heat, and perhaps every other team that picked before Phoenix, regret passing on the guard.
