Booker prepares to face father’s alma mater
January 28, 2015
By Kevin Erpenbeck
UK freshman guard Devin Booker was used to the adoring attention he and his family got well before he committed to UK. His father, Melvin, was a star player at Missouri, leading his team to an Elite Eight appearance in 1994 and was eventually elected to the school’s Intercollegiate Athletic Hall of Fame.
But instead of following in his father’s footsteps, Booker spurned Missouri for an opportunity to play under UK head coach John Calipari, saying he made the decision based on what was best for him.
Naturally, the choice wasn’t an easy one to make.
“They showed me a lot of love when they were recruiting me. They recruited me since seventh or eighth grade and they still have a special place in my heart,” Booker said of Missouri. “But at the end of the day, I felt like the best decision for me was the University of Kentucky, so that’s the decision I made.”
Booker, the reigning SEC Freshman of the Week for three consecutive weeks, is averaging just under 11 points a game for UK, the second-most on the team. He also leads the team in three-point shooting, hitting 36 of 72 attempted.
His dominant performances for the Cats this season has earned him high praise among UK fans. In fact, Booker said the admiration he receives is similar to that his father gets today.
“They love him (in Missouri). Everywhere we go,” Booker said of the Tigers’ fanbase. “We went to all the homecoming games … We used to walk around at the tailgates and he’d get stopped everywhere we went. It was like how Big Blue Nation treats us, and I was really surprised about that. They’re a great fan base.”
But as he prepares to face the family’s alma mater on Thursday, Booker said he’s ready to face a different noise than the one he’s used to hearing in Columbia: the deafening sound of boos.
“I understand why they’re doing it. That’s what road games are,” Booker said. “It’s just part of the game.”
To Booker, all that matters now is the opportunity he gave himself by choosing his own collegiate path. And with UK at 19-0, Booker said the decision was a blessed one.
“We’re out there having a good time,” Booker said of himself and his teammates. “I’m on a great team and I’ve really been blessed with the opportunity. I couldn’t wish for anything else like this.”