4x NBA All-Star Reveals He Wanted To Be Drafted By The Miami Heat

Devin Booker thought he was going to be drafted by the Miami Heat.

Nov 9, 2018; Miami, FL, USA; A detailed view of the special Miami Heat Vice Nights logo on the court prior to the game between the between the Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports / Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Devin Booker is among the best players in the NBA and is coming off a season where he made his fourth All-Star Game.

The former Kentucky star was among the best players in the country, but he did not start a game with the Wildcats coming out of college.

Therefore, it was unclear who would draft him, and he did a lot of workouts with teams around the NBA.

Recently, Booker told Los Angeles Lakers star D'Angelo Russell (via The Backyard Podcast) that he thought the Miami Heat were going to select him in the 2015 NBA Draft.

Russell: "I thought you were going to Miami."

Booker: "That's where I was hoping because Miami was my best workout."

The Heat selected Justise Winslow with the 10th pick in the draft.

He spent five seasons with the Heat and averaged 9.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per contest while shooting 41.7% from the field and 33.7% from the three-point range in 241 games (105 starts) with the franchise.

Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Justise Winslow (Duke) greets NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number ten overall pick to the Miami Heat in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

On the other hand, Booker is coming off another excellent year and is a top three shooting guard in the NBA.

He averaged 27.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 6.9 assists per contest while shooting 49.2% from the field and 36.4% from the three-point range in 68 regular season games.

Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Devin Booker (Kentucky) greets NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number thirteen overall pick to the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Suns have made the NBA playoffs in each of the previous four years.

During the 2021 season, Booker led the Suns to the NBA Finals (they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games).

Devin Booker says he thought the Heat were going to draft him, and he was already looking for places to live close to the arena 👀

(🎥 @The_BackyardPod / h/t @coopoorme )

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— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 3, 2024