By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

For a man that just about has it all, former Moss Point High standout Devin Booker came up with just the right gift for his dad on Father’s Day.

The younger Booker, an three-time NBA all-Star with the Phoenix Suns and an Olympic Gold Medal winner, announced over the weekend that he was changing his jersey number from 1 to 15 to honor his dad, Melvin Booker, also a former Tiger stalwart in his prep days.

“It’s always been a family number,” Booker told his father in a video released by the Phoenix Suns . “Obviously, you wore it, and I looked at you as the blueprint for success. I’ve always said that, so a new chapter to honor you and everything that you’ve done for me.”

The announcement came on Sunday, Father’s Day.

“I never had a true meaning for wearing No. 1, even though I feel like I did a lot of good things in it,” the younger Booker said. “People ask, ‘Why do you wear No. 1?’ because I’ve been chasing 15 my whole career.”

Melvin Booker donned the number 15 during his standout collegiate career at Missouri and professionally as well.

“It’s always an honor,” Melvin said in the video. “Your mom used to send me pictures of you playing in this jersey right here, and I always thought this number meant something to this kid. And just the fact that you’re striving to be that in that 15, I knew one, you would be a great kid. I also thought you’d be much better than me.

“I don’t even know what to say, son.”

Devin Booker spent most of his basketball career wearing “1,” dating back to his season at the University of Kentucky and through a decade in the NBA, he has always had the digits in the back of his mind.

“It’s always been 15,” Booker said. “Every video game I played where you could choose a number, whether it was NCAA football or NCAA basketball, I’d always make my player No. 15.”

Melvin Booker’s number 15 jersey had already been retired at Moss Point High before Devin moved in from Michigan just before his prep career commenced.

“He wouldn’t take it out of the rafters for me,” the younger Booker said. “He had 15 retired at Moss Point. I thought for sure I would get it. They gave him an opportunity to take it down and give it to me, and he told me I need to start my own journey.

I’m blessed to have a father that played professional,” Booker said. “I know that’s an advantage, growing up, trying to take this sport serious, so watching the highlights, the old, old highlights, of him at Moss Point, him at Missouri rocking No. 15, you know it felt like a family number.”

However, in the past, getting the number wasn’t that easy.

In his one season at Kentucky, teammate Willie Cauley-Stein wore it, and veteran Marcus Morris already had 15 when he arrived in Phoenix.

However, Devin was able to wear “15” while representing his country.

“When you put it on, on the big stage at the Olympics, that was the first time, watching it on TV,” Melvin said. “It was just an amazing feeling to watch you run down the court and not only see Devin Booker No. 15, but Devin Booker from Moss Point No. 15.”

After 11 seasons in the NBA, the younger Booker has his sights still set squarely on more success in the future.

“By the grace of God, hopefully this is the halfway point of my career,” Devin Booker said. “I can do even more, and accomplish what I was really set out to do, that’s win a championship, and I hope that’s with the No. 15 on my back.”

For Melvin Booker, the jersey change means more than just a number swap.

“He’s always had that knack, that tenacity, the confidence to be great,” his father said.  “It’s an honor as a father to watch him be special and to impact lives the way he does. To walk into that arena and see people with Booker on their back and how they cheer for him in this city is a feeling that is really hard to describe.”