The rumors were true. The offseason always brings a flurry of roster shakeups, but this time around, the face of the franchise is making a major change of his own.
Devin Booker is reportedly changing his jersey number from No. 1 to No. 15, confirmed by ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The decision is a deeply personal nod from the five-time All-Star, designed to honor both his USA Basketball uniform and the college jersey number worn by his father, Melvin Booker.
For the last eleven seasons in the Valley, Booker has made the No. 1 jersey iconic.
It’s the jersey he wore while putting up 70 points in Boston, the jersey he wore during the 2021 Finals run, and the jersey that has flooded the stands at the Footprint Center for over a decade. It will be very difficult for him to be remembered for anything other than number one unless he brings home a title in 15.
Booker has always been vocal about the profound impact his father, Melvin, has had on his basketball journey. Melvin Booker was a standout star at the University of Missouri in the early 1990s, where he proudly wore the No. 15 jersey and earned Big Eight Player of the Year honors in 1994.
Devin Booker has won a pair of gold medals wearing the number 15 in 2021 and 2024.
Fun fact here from Espo of PHNX Sports. Booker joins the exclusive club of former No. 1 wearers to have worn multiple numbers, along with Ced Ceballos, Amar’e Stoudemire, and Goran Dragic.
Let’s see if the new look brings some extra good fortune to the Valley next season. A new chapter in this Book.
