Suns attend Devin Booker’s high school jersey retirement ceremony

Moss Point High School in Mississippi retired Devin Booker’s No. 2 jersey on Saturday, and the Phoenix Suns traveled from New Orleans to attend the ceremony at Arthur Haynes Gym.

The Suns faced the Pelicans on Friday and will do so again Sunday, so Saturday gave the team a chance to celebrate the accomplishments of its star player before he donned the uniform.

Congrats @DevinBook 👏

Devin Booker gets his jersey retired at Moss Point High School!pic.twitter.com/NEKfRTFNQm

— NBA (@NBA) December 10, 2022

Booker — who grew up in Grand Rapids, Mich., before moving down south in high school — developed into a five-star recruit and 2014 McDonald’s All-American at Moss Point.

He played three seasons in Mississippi, became the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,518 points and earned Mississippi high school Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior.

“I developed a confidence in myself that I didn’t know I had that you guys brought out of me,” Booker said in his speech.

“I developed a grit that was deep inside me that I had not tapped into yet … I take (it) with me everywhere.”

The Fellas pulled up to show their support!#WeAreTheValley pic.twitter.com/8hYk5bzvLS

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) December 10, 2022

Booker’s father, Melvin, also played high school ball at Moss Point and was in attendance for Saturday’s ceremony.

Like father, like son.

A couple Moss Point legends 🌟 pic.twitter.com/2FKRnaiTnZ

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) December 10, 2022

 

The Suns star announced that he and his father will take on replacing the hardwood in the gym and redoing the locker rooms.

Booker chose to play at Kentucky in college following his historic high school career, spending one season there before getting drafted by the Suns in 2015.

The rest is history, as Booker is a three-time All-Star and No. 6 on Phoenix’s all-time scoring list.

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