Key keywords: Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns, No.15 jersey, Melvin Booker, NBA jersey number change, All-Star guard, father tribute, 2024-25 NBA season The Phoenix Suns and Devin Booker jointly announced the high-profile jersey number change via official social media channels on Tuesday, confirming that the 4-time All-Star guard will drop the No. 1 jersey he has worn for 9 consecutive seasons since entering the league as the 13th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, and switch to No. 15 starting from the 2024-25 NBA season, as a permanent tribute to his father, former professional basketball player Melvin Booker. Melvin Booker, a standout college guard in the 1990s, wore No. 15 throughout his entire playing career. During his time at the University of Missouri, he claimed the 1994 SEC Player of the Year award, earned Consensus All-American honors, and led the Missouri Tigers to the NCAA Elite Eight. He later had stints with NBA teams including the Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets, before spending over a decade playing professional basketball in European leagues. He has been Devin Booker’s first and most influential basketball coach, teaching him fundamental skills, professional work ethic and mental toughness from childhood. Devin Booker has repeatedly stated in previous interviews that his father is the core reason for his success in the NBA, and that he grew up watching his father play in the No. 15 jersey, which left the deepest impression on his childhood basketball memories. Per NBA rules, players seeking to change their jersey number must submit an application to the league at least 6 months in advance, and obtain consent from both the team and the current holder of the target number. Booker submitted his application in February 2024, and received official approval earlier this month, as the most recent wearer of the Suns’ No. 15 jersey, Bismack Biyombo, left the team in 2023, leaving no barriers to the number swap. Booker shared a throwback photo of himself as a child wearing his father’s No. 15 game jersey on his personal Instagram, with a caption that read, “This number is where everything started for me. It represents all the sacrifice my dad made for the sport, all the hours he spent training me, all the games I sat courtside watching him play. I’m honored to carry this legacy with me every time I step on the court.” The Suns launched pre-sales for Booker’s No. 15 jersey shortly after the announcement, and the item broke the team’s all-time single jersey pre-sale record within 24 hours, as fans rushed to purchase the meaningful new edition. Booker, who has averaged 27.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists over his career and led the Suns to the 2021 NBA Finals, added that the number change will not affect his on-court performance, and will instead give him extra motivation to lead the franchise to its first ever NBA championship.