The Devin Booker Thread

[JDR720]

Perimeter skills provide boost for Booker
Kentucky's Devin Booker is another who has made the most of limited minutes this season, and his shooting touch on the Wildcats' Final Four team has him solidly in the first round of most team's Draft boards if and when he decides to forgo his final three seasons in Lexington.
Another potential Draftee with a pro basketball bloodline -- his father, Melvin, had cups of coffee with Houston, Golden State and Denver in the mid-90s, though he spent most of his career in the CBA -- Devin Booker averaged almost 31 points a game as a senior in high school in Mississippi last year, and was a heralded recruit with fellow freshmen Tyler Ulis, Karl-Anthony Towns and Trey Lyles.
Like many who come to John Calipari's pro development factory in Lexington, Booker hasn't been able to put up gaudy stats as a freshman, but he displayed enough of his perimeter skills and one-dribble potential to make second team all-SEC and win the conference's sixth man of the year award as a freshman.
Devin Booker
Scouts like Devin Booker's shooting potential.
"I liked him in high school, and he's done nothing to make me dislike him in college," a Southeast Division personnel man said. "I think he's going to be able to come off screens and shoot, and catch and shoot. And he tries to give you a little defense."
Another executive thinks Booker is the best catch and shoot guy in the Draft, even as he also believes Booker is limited off of the bounce.
"He's not anything special athletically but you have to know where he is at all times," the executive said. "He plays well off of other players. Pretty smart kid. The way our league is going there's going to be a lot of value for him."
And the expectation is that the 18-year-old Booker isn't done growing.
"I know some people vacillate a little bit on him, but I think if he was in a situation where he was on a different team or played bigger minutes or had a more consistent role, I think he'd be really good," a Pacific Division personnel man said. "He's a talent. I think he's going to get better. And I think Cal would tell you that he's only scratched the surface. I love his size, his length. He's got a chance."

[JDR720]

he has a 6-8 wingspan, not great but thats about the same as Beal
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-bas ... n-5-action

[LofJ]

http://stats.nba.com/draftcombine/#!/anthro/

Booker's measurements have put him on my radar. He might not actually be a complete liability on defense.

edit: some posters here have mentioned his age, but it didn't sink in until I checked it just now. He won't turn 19 until after the season starts, he's almost a year younger than a lot of his peers. Yeah...Booker is my guy now.

[BlackOutBuzz]

2014 UK Pro Day
6' 5.25" - Height w/o shoes
6' 6.25" - Height w/ shoes
206 - Weight
6' 6.25" - Wingspan
8' 4" - Standing Reach
10.3% - Body Fat

2015 NBA Draft Combine
6' 4.5" - Height w/o shoes
6' 5.75" - Height w/ shoes
206 - Weight
6' 8.25" - Wingspan
8' 6.5" - Standing Reach
8.3% - Body Fat

Kid's still growing. Looks like Kentucky embellished on his height a bit, but the main concern was his length.

[JDR720]

he is up to 12 in draftexpress mock

[JDR720]

2014 UK Pro Day
6' 5.25" - Height w/o shoes
6' 6.25" - Height w/ shoes
206 - Weight
6' 6.25" - Wingspan
8' 4" - Standing Reach
10.3% - Body Fat

2015 NBA Draft Combine
6' 4.5" - Height w/o shoes
6' 5.75" - Height w/ shoes
206 - Weight
6' 8.25" - Wingspan
8' 6.5" - Standing Reach
8.3% - Body Fat

Kid's still growing. Looks like Kentucky embellished on his height a bit, but the main concern was his length.

compared to other SG

Beal
6' 3.25" without shoes
6' 4.75" with shoes
202 weight
6' 8" wingspan
8' 4" standing reach
6% body fat

Klay Thompson
6' 5.75" without shoes
6' 7.25" with shoes
206 weight
6' 9" wingspan
8' 7.5" reach
8% body fat

Terrance Ross
6' 6" without shoes
6' 7' with shoes
197 weight
6' 7.25" wingspan
8' 4.5" reach
3.2 body fat

[LofJ]

Biyombo, MKG, and Vonleh were all the youngest in their respective draft classes. So Cho obviously places value on young players with his lottery picks. And given that we also know that Booker is still growing combined with the fact that he is the youngest player in this draft I think there is a chance Cho might finally pull the trigger on a shooter.

[JDR720]

if he does well in the athletic testing he might become my #1 player, he had a 35.5 max vert at UK's pro day. thats the same as MKG so thats not worrisome. im interested in the sprint times and agility drills.

[King Ken]

6'8.25 wingspan is top notch.

[Benjamin Linus]

Those measurements look waaaay better than most anticipated. I can see Booker moving up the draft boards quite a bit. I think he's definitely in the mix at 9.

[Liver_Pooty]

Be our luck he jumps over us and the Kings take a SG for the 32nd year in a row

[LofJ]

It's hard not to really like Devin (and his Dad) after reading these articles:

Melvin knew this decision was about his son, not him. He called choosing Kentucky "a no-brainer."

Devin agreed.

"I wouldn't say it was difficult at all," Devin said. "You might be the star player somewhere else, but you wouldn't be (undefeated). That's more important to me. That works out for some people to go to a school and be a star player. But I'd rather be part of something special."

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2415868-kentuckys-devin-booker-is-living-his-fathers-dream

The play started again, and I hit him with an elbow," Melvin Booker said. "I wanted to see: Will he back down from me because I was his father? Or would he fight and push me back? Because I always told him, you never, never back down from anybody. And he played even harder against me. He pushed me. He talked trash to me."
"If he won't back down from his father, who's pushing him and pushing him, I know he won't back down from anybody else," Melvin Booker said.

http://www.foxsports.com/college-basketball/story/kentucky-wildcats-devin-booker-melvin-booker-ncaa-tournament-031315

[BigSlam]

Be our luck he jumps over us and the Kings take a SG for the 32nd year in a row

They'll be the new age version of the Timberwolves and that ridiculous run they had of drafting, trading for and signing FA point guards.


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[LofJ]

That fox sports article in particular I highly recommend reading. I dare you guys to read it all the way though and tell me you didn't shed some manly tears.

[JDR720]

Kemba
Booker
MKG
Vonleh-Zeller
anyone besides Al-Biz

nice little core we have there

maybe take Dakari Johnson in the 2nd (even though im not a big fan of his) have 3 UK players to recruit Davis

[Go_Hornets]

Draft Booker unless Winslow or Hezonja are somehow still available.

[yosemiteben]

I can get on board with Booker.

[BeesWax]

I am starting to think that without some draft lottery luck this is my guy. I like what he can do as a shooter and he seems to be a smart player.

[fatlever]

Rick Bonnell ‏@rick_bonnell 3m3 minutes ago

Kentucky's Devin Booker met with Hornets in Chicago. He says he's "definitely" best shooter in this draft.

[JDR720]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/rick_bonnell/status/599303875355660289[/tweet]