Devin Booker is one of the most skilled players in the NBA, a result of years of hard work. However, he would be lying if he said he didn’t inherit some of his talent from his father, Melvin Booker. But that doesn’t mean it was easy being the child of a professional basketball player.
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Devin Booker’s father, Melvin, accomplished the esteemed feat during the 1995-96 season with the Houston Rockets. Unfortunately, his time with the NBA was short-lived. He only spent two seasons in the league before beginning his overseas career.
Booker would play across Europe and Asia until 2008. Things would become complicated once Devin was born in 1996. Melvin’s commitment to basketball meant less time with his son. For Devin, growing up without his father around was difficult to deal with.
“He was overseas most of my childhood,” Booker said on Pro Files. “So I didn’t get to watch the development of a pro and what he was actually doing over there.”
Devin would get opportunities to watch his dad play from time to time when he and his mother would visit. Those instances only intensified his love for basketball.
It would’ve been great to watch in person what it took to play at a professional level. However, Devin had to make ends meet with the resources he had.
“But I think knowing that your dad is a professional basketball player and getting to watch highlights of him, even further inspired me to keep going,” Booker said.
Devin didn’t let his childhood experience, or lack thereof, impact his basketball dreams. Fast forward to today, and Booker is one of the best players the NBA has to offer.
His father didn’t get the opportunity to have a long and illustrious NBA career. But Devin is well on pace to fulfill not only his dreams but also his father’s.
