By Delilah Alvarado
(PHOENIX) The Pheonix Suns have been struggling to reach out to Latino fans from various places. But star Devin Booker gave the team a boost of Mexican pride that was able to reach fans.
Arturo Ochoa, who is the official Spanish language broadcaster of the Phoenix Suns, says his listeners have doubled during the playoffs, according to AZCentral.
"It's incredible how many Hispanic people are supporting the team now. Everyone wants to watch the team and learn about the team," he said.
Booker is only one of two players with Mexican heritage in the NBA. The other is Golden State Warriors forward Juan Toscano-Anderson.
Booker's grandfather is from Los Nogales, a town in Nuevo Leon which is a state in Mexico near the border with South Texas. His mother, Veronica Gutierrez, is Mexican-American.
The 24-year-old has embraced his roots more publicly in recent years.
"When I was drafted to Phoenix, I finally got to see the Hispanic culture around me for the first time in my life," Booker said in a team video celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. "You drive around the city, you see it. You look into the stands at the game and you see it. That wanted me to learn about myself because I just hadn't been around it that much. Just being here in Phoenix has made me aware of living in the culture."
At age 20, Booker became the youngest NBA player to put up more than 60 points in a game, and at age 22, became the youngest player in NBA history to score 50 points in consecutive games. He has also been selected to play for Team USA in the 2021 Summer Olympics.
Booker acknowledges how his heritage resonates with fans.
"I think the moment everybody found out that I had Mexican in my bloodline, I get on social media and you start seeing younger kids of Hispanic descent that are reaching out to me and saying 'You're my favorite player. If you're Mexican and you make the NBA, I can,'" Booker said in the video.
"That's really important inspiration coming from the other side that I've been on of looking up to people and knowing I can get there because of that."