Post by Andrei Kirilenko on Mar 9, 2018 11:42:01 GMT
Devin Booker
DRAFTED
19th overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves, 2015 Rookie Draft.
19th overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves, 2015 Rookie Draft.
Playing on a loaded Kentucky team that sent 7 players to the NBA in 2015, Devin Booker's status as 6th man in college led to some speculation over his potential and draft stock. With a slender frame and a perceived lower athleticism than his teammates, Booker was anywhere between picks 11 and 25 in most mock drafts. Despite being selected 13th overall in real-life, these concerns dropped Booker down to pick 19 in D5 before he was finally snagged by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Booker entered the league as the youngest player in the draft at just 18 years old. His selection at 19th in D5 has been the ire of many GMs since the draft, with busts Sam Dekker, Cameron Payne, and Justin Anderson inexplicably being selected immediately before Devin Booker.
2015/16 SEASON
1.7 ppg on 4.9 mpg and 55 appearances.
1.7 ppg on 4.9 mpg and 55 appearances.
Due to falling in the draft, Booker joined a playoff-bound Minnesota team that was loaded with other combo guards such as CJ McCollum, Victor Oladipo, and Eric Bledsoe. As such, Booker played very little in Minnesota and was confined to the end of the bench. The real-life Booker would put up a solid rookie season, averaging 13.8 ppg, 2.6 apg, and 2.5 rpg at just 19 years old. The D5 Booker logged just 270 minutes for the entire season.
BROOKLYN
Traded to the Brooklyn Nets in July 2016 in a trade centered around Blake Griffin.
Traded to the Brooklyn Nets in July 2016 in a trade centered around Blake Griffin.
Despite spending the season at the end of the bench, Booker was the centerpiece in a trade that sent Blake Griffin to the Timberwolves in exchange for a handful of young assets. At the time of the trade, Devin Booker was mainly thought of to be a solid player, but no one was really sure where his career would go. Averaging 13.8 points in his rookie campaign was solid, but it surely also was not screaming "future superstar". In fact, looking back at negotiations, Walt and I were originally discussed a trade centered around Oladipo + Okafor for Griffin, but we swapped Booker for Oladipo mainly for salary reasons (this was before rookies could be traded with bird rights). That slight shift in negotiations would change the Brooklyn franchise. The outlook of 19 year-old Booker instantaneously shifted from bench player to franchise player.
2016/17 SEASON
15.3 ppg, 3.4 apg, 2.7 rpg on 32 mpg and 53 starts
15.3 ppg, 3.4 apg, 2.7 rpg on 32 mpg and 53 starts
Booker found himself on a rebuilding Brooklyn Nets team where he could step into the role of a scorer and facilitator. Alongside Austin Rivers in the backcourt, Booker worked his way into the starting lineup and averaged over 15 ppg for the Nets. The Nets finished 32-50 and missed the playoffs by 2 games. However, the real-life Booker counterpart exploded onto the scene in his second year, averaging 22 ppg at just 20 years old, including a 70 point performance against the Celtics. Booker's value increased immensely, and Brooklyn suddenly found themselves with a superstar.
2017/18 SEASON
25.9 ppg, 5.7 apg, 4.1 rpg on 39 mpg and 82 starts
25.9 ppg, 5.7 apg, 4.1 rpg on 39 mpg and 82 starts
Devin entered the season as the Nets' key franchise cornerstone. He had full reigns of the offense and finished the season as the #7 leading scorer in D5. After the Nets traded away depth to acquire Kristaps Porzingis, the team was depleted with injuries and Booker spent the later half of the season playing point guard. His playmaking ability and command of the offense was apparent, putting up massive stats and having breakout performances against other star players (documented below). The Nets finished 31-51, one win behind last year, but look to have a promising co-star to play beside Booker as soon as Porzingis is back from injury. Booker has solidified himself as a franchise player and appears to be the face of the Nets for many seasons to come.
2018/19 SEASON
25.9 ppg, 6.8 apg, 4.4 rpg on 39 mpg and 82 starts
25.9 ppg, 6.8 apg, 4.4 rpg on 39 mpg and 82 starts
With co-star Kristaps Porzingis out for the entirety of the 2018/19 season, Booker once again found himself as the best player on a bad team. And when we say bad, we mean bad. The Nets finished with just 18 wins, finding themselves as the 3rd worst team in the league. However, the Nets would enter the offseason with high hopes, after trading for Kyrie Irving and anticipating Kristaps Porzingis returning next season. The team is still Booker's, but he finally is getting some help in Brooklyn.