Amateur career
Booker was a standout high school player in Moss Point, Mississippi. He averaged 28 points per game in his senior year and was named the player of the year in his class. Despite that, none of the major four-year schools from the region recruited him. Booker signed with Missouri, a school whose attention he caught during a prior recruitment run through the area. Missouri assistant coaches noticed him while they were scouting fellow Mississippi standouts Litterial Green and Chris Jackson. Booker was the 1994 Big Eight Player of the Year, when he led Missouri to an undefeated conference record of 14–0 and an Elite Eight berth. He was also an all Big Eight selection in 1993 and 1994 and was a 1994 first-teamProfessional career
Despite his accomplishments, Booker was not selected in the 1994 NBA draft. He played in the NBA for thePersonal life
While playing for the Grand Rapids Mackers in the 1995–1996 CBA season, Booker met Veronica Gutiérrez. The two became close and had a son, Devin, who was born on October 30, 1996. The two never married and Gutiérrez would take care of their son Devin while his father played pro basketball in Europe and Asia. During the summers, Booker would bring his son to his games which helped to drive Devin's interest in basketball. After Melvin Booker retired from pro basketball in 2008, he returned to his hometown of Moss Point, Mississippi and brought his son with him so he could help train him to become a successful basketball player. Booker was hired as an assistant coach for basketball at his alma mater, Moss Point High School, in 2011. His only child, Devin Booker, played for the University of Kentucky Wildcats basketball team during their nearly undefeated 2014–15 NCAA season, was then drafted by and plays for the Phoenix Suns.References
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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Booker, Melvin 1972 births Living people All-American college men's basketball players American expatriate basketball people in Italy American expatriate basketball people in Russia American expatriate basketball people in Turkey American men's basketball players Basketball players from Mississippi BC Khimki players Denver Nuggets players Golden State Warriors players Grand Rapids Hoops players Grand Rapids Mackers players Houston Rockets players Missouri Tigers men's basketball players Olimpia Milano players Sportspeople from Pascagoula, Mississippi Point guards Ülker G.S.K. basketball players Undrafted NBA players Victoria Libertas Pallacanestro players 21st-century African-American sportsmen 21st-century American sportsmen 20th-century African-American sportsmen 20th-century American sportsmen