Devin Booker finishes 4th in 2021-22 NBA MVP voting

Devin Booker was one of the best players in all of basketball this season.

The current Phoenix Suns guard and former Kentucky Wildcat finished fourth in the NBA’s 2021-22 Most Valuable Player Award voting, it was announced Wednesday. Booker, 25, is in his seventh season as a pro following a one-and-done year in Lexington that saw him drafted No. 13 overall in 2015. Now a three-time All-Star, the Moss Point, MS native is in the midst of trying to make the NBA Finals in back-to-back seasons.

During 68 regular-season games this year, Booker averaged 26.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.1 steals in 34.5 minutes per game while shooting 46.6 percent from the floor, 38.3 percent from distance, and 86.8 percent from the free-throw line. He’s been the best player on a Suns team that posted the league’s top record and currently holds a 3-2 lead on the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Semifinals.

Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets was named the MVP for the second consecutive season, followed by Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers in a close second, and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks in third. Booker received one second-place vote (a bit of a stretch), eight third-place votes, 49 fourth-place points (most on the ballot), and 22 fifth-place votes. Former Murray State guard Ja Morant finished seventh.

Below are the final voting results.

Interestingly enough, Booker’s fourth-place finish is actually the second-highest in NBA history by a former Kentucky Wildcat. Only Anthony Davis’ third-place finish in 2017-18 was better.

Booker is one of just seven different one-time ‘Cats to make the final MVP ballot, according to my research on Basketball-Reference: Julius Randle 2020-21 (8th); Anthony Davis 2019-20 (6th); Anthony Davis 2017-18 (3rd); John Wall (T7), Anthony Davis (T9) 2016-17; Anthony Davis 2014-15 (5th); Antoine Walker 1997-98 (12th), Dan Issel 1981-82 (T17), Cliff Hagan 1960-61 (14th), Cliff Hagan 1959-60 (14th), Cliff Hagan 1958-59 (9th), and Cliff Hagan 1957-58 (11th).

Shoutout to a young Cliff Hagan.

Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals between the Suns and Mavericks is scheduled for Thursday night in Dallas at 9:30 p.m. EST on ESPN.