Newsletter
Fadeaway World
  • Fadeaway World
  • NBA News & Analysis
  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA News & Media
  • Exclusive Interviews
  • NBA 2K
Reading: Karl-Anthony Towns Reveals Devin Booker Thought He Wouldn’t Make It To The NBA In 2015
Fadeaway WorldFadeaway World
Search
  • Fadeaway World
  • NBA News & Analysis
  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA News & Media
  • Exclusive Interviews
  • NBA 2K
Follow US
Home > NBA News & Analysis > Karl-Anthony Towns Reveals Devin Booker Thought He Wouldn’t Make It To The NBA In 2015

Karl-Anthony Towns Reveals Devin Booker Thought He Wouldn’t Make It To The NBA In 2015

Karl-Anthony Towns unveils that Devin Booker at Kentucky thought he would not make it to the NBA until a few years after Towns was drafted.

Chaitanya Dadhwal
Aug 18, 2025
4 Min Read
Share

Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Karl Anthony-Towns and Devin Booker were a part of a stacked Kentucky team in college that saw six members of its roster drafted to the NBA in 2015. While Karl-Anthony Towns was the star from the beginning in college and widely slated to be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft that year, Devin Booker had a different story.  

Devin Booker was not on the same trajectory as Towns; he was not a starter on the college team and personally believed his draft stock value was not as high as it ended up being. 

But Towns had to convince him that if they both lock in and contribute to a winning team, all their stocks in the draft would rise together. Towns had to reaffirm to Booker that he was capable of being drafted in 2015. 

During the Summer League this season, Karl-Anthony Towns sat down for an interview with Carmelo Anthony for his ‘7 PM in Brooklyn’ podcast. During the interview, Towns recalled his friendship with Booker in college. 

“You know, it’s crazy. We’ve been friends since high school, and we have been talking about Kentucky since high school. So, kind of having that whole experience being with him in college.”

“I remember Book was in college and we would used to be sitting there and Book would be like, ‘Man, you about to go to the NBA, you going to get drafted number one and I’m gonna be here in Kentucky for another year or two and I’m going to just try’ and I was like, bro, like if we handle business on the court, we win and stuff, all our draft stocks go up.”

“It makes no sense to stay if we handle business the way we’re supposed to. Fast forward, takes the advice, joins the draft, goes to the Suns, the rest is history.”

“He never started. We did the platoon system. I don’t know if anyone even remembers that. That was, it’s crazy to say, 10 years ago. I don’t remember that. But like the team, we were off a platoon system.”

“So it was like I only played 17 minutes a game. Book played like 14. And then the rest of our bench, we used to be, hey, you college basketball couldn’t f**k with us. So the deep bench was even playing. So they were getting by like eight minutes a game.”

“And we were just playing, but he never got that chance to show what he could do. But we were winning. And when you win in college, everyone’s value goes up.”

Booker ended up becoming the 13th pick in the NBA Draft after a semi-final exit in the NCAA tournament. From being underconfident about whether he would make it to the league to becoming the face of the Phoenix Suns franchise, Booker certainly took Towns’ advice and wrote his name in Kentucky’s history books. 

In 2015, Kentucky recorded the most NBA players from a single college with six selections from their basketball team. Alongside Booker and Towns, their teammates Willey Cauley-Stein, Trey Lyles, Andrew Harrison, and Dakari Johnson also made it to the league. 

That year tied the 2012 NBA Draft for the most selections out of a single college in a year. The 2012 record was also set by Kentucky. Therefore, it can be concluded that Kentucky offers one of the elite basketball programs in the country, and John Calipari, their former head coach, deserves some credit for that. 

Follow on Google News

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.

TAGGED:Devin BookerKarl-Anthony TownsNew York Knicks ArchivePhoenix Suns Archive
Share This Article
Facebook Email Copy Link Print
ByChaitanya Dadhwal
Chaitanya Dadhwal is an NBA Analyst and Columnist at Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. He fell in love with basketball in 2018 after seeing James Harden in his prime. He joined the sports journalism world in 2021, one year before finishing his law school in 2022. He attended Jindal Global Law School in Sonipat, India, where his favorite subject was also Sports Law.He transitioned from law to journalism after realizing his true passion for sports and basketball in particular. Even though his journalism is driven by his desire to understand both sides of an argument and give a neutral perspective, he openly admits he is biased towards the Houston Rockets and Arsenal. But that intersection of in-depth analysis and passion helps him simplify the fine print and complex language for his readers.His goal in life is to open his own sports management agency one day and represent athletes. He wants to ensure he can help bridge the gap in equal opportunity for athletes across various sports and different genders playing the same sport.
Previous Article Luka Doncic Displays Incredible Defensive Effort During Friendly Game Against Latvia
Next Article Stephen A. Smith: Carmelo Anthony Would Win A Title If He Were Drafted By The Pistons
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Newsletter

Stay up to date with our newsletter on the latest news, trends, ranking lists, and evergreen articles

Newsletter
Facebook X-twitter Instagram

You Might Also Like

Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick speaks to media before a Game 2 of the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Los Angeles Lakers News & Analysis

JJ Redick Explains Why Lakers Got Blown Out By Suns In Preseason Opener

October 4, 2025
Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) reacts against the Golden State Warriors at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Phoenix Suns News & Analysis

Devin Booker Trolls Deandre Ayton During Lakers-Suns Game

October 4, 2025
Lonzo Ball
Cleveland Cavaliers News & Analysis

Lonzo Ball On Track For Major Redemption Season, Turning Heads At Training Camp

October 4, 2025
Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27), center Nikola Jokic (15) and guard Christian Braun (0) in the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game 6 of the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Denver Nuggets News & Analysis

Denver Nuggets Guard Declares They Have The Best Starting Five In The NBA

October 4, 2025

NBA - Fadeaway World

  • Atlanta Hawks
  • Boston Celtics
  • Brooklyn Nets
  • Charlotte Hornets
  • Chicago Bulls
  • Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Denver Nuggets
  • Detroit Pistons
  • Golden State Warriors
  • Houston Rockets
  • Indiana Pacers
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Memphis Grizzlies
  • Miami Heat
  • Milwaukee Bucks
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • New Orleans Pelicans
  • New York Knicks
  • Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Orlando Magic
  • Philadelphia 76ers
  • Phoenix Suns
  • Portland Trail Blazers
  • Sacramento Kings
  • San Antonio Spurs
  • Toronto Raptors
  • Utah Jazz
  • Washington Wizards

Pages

  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA Media
  • Exclusive NBA Interviews
  • NBA 2K News & Updates

© 2025 Fadeaway World @ All Rights Reserved

  • About Fadeaway World
  • Fadeaway World Authors
  • Editorial Team
  • Ethics Policy
  • Corrections Policy
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Fact-Checking Policy
  • Contact Us
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?