Remember when Devin Booker drove into the NBA Finals in a blinged-out Chevrolet Caprice in 2021? As automobile enthusiasts, that’s when the NBA star initially drew our attention. Not unexpectedly, the dude has a number of additional lust-worthy automobiles sitting in his garage.
The Phoenix Suns shooting guard gave Architectural Digest a tour of his personal garage during a recent home visit. In it, he flaunted a pair of immaculate Buick Grand Nationals and admitted to being a major Chevy Impala fan. Watch:
Devin Booker’s Car Collection
“I’m a classic car enthusiast. “I believe it’s a family tradition that I’ve adopted and refined,” Booker remarked.
When asked which of the rides he prefers, Booker responded that this is an unfair thing to ask. “I’m always asked what my favourite is. “It’s like picking your favourite child; you just don’t do it,” he explained, before directing the crew to his favourite vehicle, a 1959 Chevrolet Impala nicknamed ‘Pretty Penny.’
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Booker aims to eventually amass an automobile collection large enough to occupy an entire warehouse. He also mentioned that his grandfather was one of the people who inspired him to start collecting old vehicles.
“I recall coming to my grandfather’s house when I was a kid.” Every time I arrived, he’d be under his car. I never got to spend time in the garage with dad, but he loves that I’m collecting, and eventually I’ll be able to get a warehouse and increase even more.”
Strange. We imagine that someone earning that much money could soon fill one or two warehouses—or maybe that’s just us. How long do you think it would take the average NBA player to develop a significant automobile collection?
Devin Booker likes both new and vintage cars
Devin Booker is best known as the laser-eyed scoring machine who led the Phoenix Suns from obscurity in the league to the NBA Finals last season. (Or, depending on your social media feed, you may know him as Kendall Jenner’s beau.) What you may not know is that when Booker isn’t shooting daggers into the hearts and eyes of his opponents, he’s cruising the streets of Arizona in a garage full of American muscle cars from the 1950s through the 1990s, ranging from winged Impalas to ominous Buicks.
That emphasis on the United States of America explains why Booker is assisting with the unveiling of the new Chevrolet Corvette Z06, a monomaniacal machine dedicated to putting up eye-popping figures. (Here is a handful that is worth mentioning: 670 horsepower, the greatest ever from a V-8 engine in a production car without a turbo; 0-60 in 2.6 seconds, faster than the new Ferrari 296.)
Booker spoke with GQ about teaching his teammates to appreciate antique automobiles, which of his rides his girlfriend favours, and the Entourage-inspired car he plans to buy next.
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GQ: How did you get engaged in the launch of the Z06?
Devin Booker: I’ve always admired the Chevrolet brand. That’s how it got started in the first place. People found out I was a collector and drove cars to certain games during the playoffs, and it all started from there. But here’s the thing: I was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and I played college basketball in Kentucky, so I believe there’s a connection between GM and Corvette being produced in Kentucky.
The Corvette Z06 is a particularly wicked variant of the car. Have you ever been on a racetrack? Are you planning on hitting apexes this weekend?
I’ve gone out on a couple of occasions. In the future, it’s something I’d like to do a little more of. When I’ve done it before, I’ve experienced the pleasure and rush of adrenaline that I enjoy.
George Russell, a Formula One driver, responds to fans on the internet.
So far, what about the 2019 Corvette Z06 has piqued your interest?
Let me begin with the music. You’ll know what I’m talking about once you hear it for the first time. And I had the opportunity to ride in it. I wasn’t driving, but I was in the passenger seat, listening to it and feeling the car’s control… I was in there with a professional driver, so he let loose a little, and it was a wild ride.
What’s presently parked in the Booker garage?
I have a few Impalas in my collection. My first vintage car, my first classic, was a ’59 Impala, which sparked my interest in collecting. I have a ’96 Impala, which is my birth year car and was a vehicle that my uncle had when he was younger, so it was amusing to watch it play out 15-20 years later—me getting the same car that my uncle had. My car is a 1971 Impala. Then there are two Buick Grand Nationals. I only have an ’86 Grand National and a GNX version. So, I’m still constructing and gathering. My grandfather is very proud of me and my choices, and my father is assisting me along the road because he has accumulated knowledge over the years.
What is your favourite piece from the collection, and why is the Grand National your favourite?
The Grand National isn’t one of my favourites. I always say it’s like picking a favourite child, but the ’59 is the one I generally spotlight. It’s because it’s a ragtop, it was the first car I ever bought, and it’s completely original—just like it was in 1959. We call her Pretty Penny because of the copper penny colour on the exterior and the interior that matches. It blends in nicely with the Arizona terrain, in my opinion.
What are your girlfriend’s favourite things to do?
I’d say the ’59 because I don’t drive that fast. In that one, I don’t go faster than 40 mph. In that one, we’re just cool, calm, and collected.