A look back at Devin Booker’s historic Olympic run in 2020.
D. Booker Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
The United States men’s basketball team, led by Devin Booker and newly-signed centre JaVale McGee, beat France 87-82 on Friday night to win the 2020 Olympic gold.
Booker, who started five of the United States’ six Olympic games, scored two points (both from the free throw line) on 0-of-4 shooting with an assist, a steal, and four personal fouls on Friday. The previous day, Booker had scored 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting (3-of-5 from 3-point range) as Team USA defeated Australia 97-78 in the semifinals.
Booker scored 56 points at the Olympics on 19-of-45 shooting (42.2 percent), including 5-of-15 (33.3 percent) from 3-point range, and 13-of-14 from the charity stripe. Booker’s stat line during the tournament included 19 boards, 11 assists, 9 steals, 2 blocks, and 7 miscues.
After the U.S. victory over Spain earlier this week, Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant stated of Book that “Book is an all around player who is only getting better.” He’s only 24, but he carries himself like a seasoned pro. Even if he struggled with his shot tonight, he is still a game-changing talent.
Durant scored 29 points on 9-of-18 shooting (three of nine 3-pointers and eight of nine free throws) to lead the Americans on Friday night. He also added six boards and three assists. Along with Carmelo Anthony of the Los Angeles Lakers, he is the only player in Olympic basketball history to win three gold medals.
The gold medal game on Friday was missed by McGee. Twenty-five points on 10-of-13 shooting (including 5-of-6 from the charity stripe), five boards, two blocks, two steals, and three fouls in four games at the Tokyo Olympics.
Her Time at the Olympics
- Neither a repeat Olympian nor a repeat medallist, as I will only be competing in the 2020 games (1 gold)
- Tokyo, 2020 Olympic Games, gold
The Particulars:
Michael Melvin Booker, Jr., son of Veronica Gutierrez,.
Contains Davon Wade, a brother, and Mya Powell, a sister.
The complete name of this man is Devin Armani Booker. After only one season at Kentucky, he was drafted by the Phoenix Suns in the first round (13th overall) of the 2015 NBA Draft.
Received All-SEC Freshman Team and All-SEC Second Team honours, as well as the 2014-15 SEC Sixth Man of the Year award.
Participated as an honorary coach in the 2016 NBA All-Star NBA Cares Special Olympics Unified Basketball Game.
Melvin Sr. played professionally in the CBA, Italy, Turkey, and Russia, and he appeared in 32 NBA games with Houston, Denver, and Golden State in 1995–96 and 1996–97.