Devin Booker is the lifeblood of the Phoenix Suns. He’s the guy who the late ‘Mamba’, Kobe Bryant, vouched for. How could he not when Bryant saw the same fire that pushed him in the young Suns rookie? After their 20-minute-long post-game conversation, Kobe signed shoes for Booker. And on one shoe, the Lakers legend wrote, ‘To Book, be legendary.‘ No four words could have been more powerful for a young Devin than those!

With maybe just one exception – his sister, Mya Powell. By now, perhaps everyone is well-acquainted with the heartwarming story of DBook and his baby sister. If not the full details, an outline of it is familiar to everyone.

“She changed them for the better”: Devin Booker has nothing but gratitude for Mya’s presence in his life

In the latest Instagram updates, the 4x All-Star shared a sweet picture of Mya and himself with the Eiffel Tower in the backdrop. No caption, no emojis, just a cute, smiling photo of the brother and sister. An ardent supporter of Book and his biggest fan, it’s no surprise that Mya is in France to support her brother’s second Olympic appearance. Then again, the driving force behind Booker’s NBA success has always been Mya.

Aside from Mya, Booker also has an older brother, Davon Wade, a real estate agent.

Although the three siblings have different fathers, the bond between the trio is simply out of this world. Their mother, Veronica Gutierrez, has kept her life fairly private. As such, not much is known about her other children’s fathers. But there has never been such a need. The three siblings could not be any closer. But more so between Devin Booker and Mya Powell.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated in 2016, the star guard said, “She’s our everything. She changed all our lives. She changed them for the better. There’s no one in the world who brings more joy to me or to our family.”

Born on March 21, 2002, Mya has a special condition – DiGeorge Syndrome. And Booker has been very vocal about his sister’s condition.

What is DiGeorge Syndrom (DSG)? Exploring Mya’s condition

DSG is a rare genetic disorder diagnosed in people missing a small piece of chromosome 22. Only 1 in 4,000 people in the US receive an annual diagnosis for the same. The most common issues here include problems with the heart and an underdeveloped thymus, or a decrease in calcium levels. People suffering from DSG often have anxiety issues, depression, ADHD, developmental delays in motor skills, speech and language issues, challenges with cognitive development, and a weakened immune system. In a somewhat more aggressive scenario, the symptoms might also include schizophrenic or victims of seizures.

Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg. But you get an idea.

Mya Powell keeps her brother, Devin Booker ‘grounded’ amidst the NBA fame

While reading through the above list in itself might have been exhaustive, Devin Booker finds each day with Mya a blessing. In a feature for ESPN in 2021, the ex-Kentucky product talked about the influence of his sister in his life. “She puts things in perspective for me a lot and keeps me grounded.” 

In fact, Mya was the main reason he got involved with the Special Olympics. In the event of being announced as its Global Ambassador, Devin noted that he witnessed firsthand the challenges his sister had to experience every single day. “I’ve celebrated the accomplishments and witnessed the challenges my sister Mya has experienced as a person with intellectual disabilities. She motivates me every day, and I’m humbled to be part of Special Olympics, a global organization with a mission to help spread awareness about the abilities of people with intellectual disabilities.”

Anyway, as Devin Booker continues in his quest for a gold medal with Team USA, there is no doubt that cheering him from the stands will be his beloved sister, Mya Powell, as she continues to be the strength that spurs him onward. And, of course, the man who foresaw the heights DBook could reach, his idol, the late Kobe’s words, also fuel him.

After all, Bryant practically anointed him when Devin Booker became the youngest player in league history to score at least 60 points in a game (March 24, 2017 – dropped 70 on the Celtics) with a tweet, that said, “#BookEm #70.“

 Before you go, do not forget to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.