Tag: devin booker

The Suns signed young star scoring guard Devin Booker to a big extension this summer. But he reportedly has something important to take care of before starting the 2018-19 NBA season. Here’s the Arizona Republic reporting:

The Phoenix Suns will likely start training camp without Devin Booker, whose injured hand is inflamed and may require surgery, a source close the Republic reports.

Booker, the Suns’ leading scorer and highest paid player, was bothered by the right-hand injury throughout the closing months of last season, missing the last 12 games.

At the time, Booker and the Suns took criticism, with some suggesting it was a tactic to improve the team’s position in the draft.

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UPDATE: Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker today underwent successful surgery to repair an injury to the fifth metacarpophalangeal joint in his right hand. The surgery was performed by Dr. Steven Shin at Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles. Booker’s expected recovery time is approximately six weeks.

The Phoenix Suns have signed first-round pick Devin Booker, the 13th overall selection of the 2015 NBA Draft.

All first round draft picks are guaranteed to receive a contract. So, this signing is standard and was expected.

Booker has made his Suns debut as a member of Phoenix’s entry at NBA Summer League 2015 in Las Vegas where he has averaged 8.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals through two games. Booker and the Suns return to action tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. (Phoenix time) against the Utah Jazz with the game to be televised on NBA TV.

Booker, widely considered to be the best three-point shooter in this year’s draft, earned Southeastern Conference (SEC) Sixth Man of the Year, Second Team All-SEC and All-SEC Freshman Team honors following his one season at Kentucky in 2014-15. The 6-6, 206-pound marksman averaged 10.0 points for the Wildcats and displayed his fluid shooting stroke, connecting on 47.0 percent of his field goals, 41.1 percent of his three-pointers and 82.8 percent of his free throws.

A mature 18-year-old possessing a high basketball IQ, Booker helped the Wildcats to a 38-1 record this past season with the 38 wins tying for the most in NCAA history as Kentucky also won the SEC regular-season and tournament titles on its way to becoming the first undefeated team to reach the Final Four since UNLV in 1991. Booker ranked second on the Wildcats with 20 double-digit scoring games and led the conference by earning SEC Freshman of the Week honors on five occasions.

Booker, a native of Grand Rapids, Mich., was named a 2014 McDonald’s All-American after averaging 30.9 points as a senior at Moss Point High School in Moss Point, Miss. Booker’s father, Melvin, had a distinguished collegiate career at the University of Missouri before playing in 32 NBA games with the Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors over the 1995-96 and 1996-97 seasons followed by several seasons playing professionally in Italy, Turkey and Russia.