Given Devin Booker’s current status in the NBA, many might assume that from his lone college season at Kentucky he was already destined to be a star. The reality was very different: he wasn’t even a starter for the Wildcats and barely averaged double figures.
From that modest beginning, he has developed into one of the league’s top scorers, averaging 25.6 points across 75 games last season, and making a strong case as the best player of the 2015 Draft class.
D’Angelo Russell, who entered the league in the same draft, openly acknowledges Booker’s growth into one of the best.
The 2015 Draft produced several big names. Karl-Anthony Towns was the first overall pick and has collected five All-Star appearances along with three All-NBA Third Team honors. Russell, selected second, has just one All-Star nod. Kristaps Porzingis, taken fourth, recently won a championship ring but also has only one All-Star selection.
Booker, on the other hand, has established himself as the most prolific scorer of that group. To date, he has scored 16,452 points in 673 career games, the highest total among all 2015 draftees, and he has earned a spot on an All-NBA First Team, something Towns has yet to accomplish.
For Russell, watching Booker go from averaging 10 points in 38 games at Kentucky to putting up 33.7 points across 11 games in the 2023 Playoffs was a clear display of greatness. He recalled how, during pre-draft workouts, Booker wasn’t even handling the ball well, and now he’s a polished professional.
Russell said Booker is one of the few players he has personally seen grow into what he has become, raising his game year after year to the point where people now compare him to Kobe Bryant. Russell explained that seeing this journey is something to respect, appreciate, and even use as motivation.
Booker’s progression, and especially his consistency in the NBA, has made him an inspiration for players everywhere. His presence on the United States team that won Olympic gold in 2024 confirmed his superstar status, proving he could shine on the international stage alongside other elite talents.
Although many argue that his best years have been wasted by the Phoenix Suns, his career path proves that no ceiling is predetermined. Even players who don’t get much recognition or attention in college can carve out a successful path with work, determination, and self-belief.
