Here's What Really Happened To Devin Booker's Nose
Devin Booker didn't finish Game 2 of the 2021 Western Conference Finals how he had hoped. The Phoenix Suns star was injured after accidentally colliding with Los Angeles Clippers star Patrick Beverly on the court. As seen in a clip of the moment, Booker fell to the floor and writhed in pain as various people rallied around him. Booker eventually took a break as medical officials administered stitches and later self-reported that his nose wasn't broken, despite concern from his head coach, Monty Williams.
However, Booker's nose was indeed broken and required surgical intervention. As reported by TMZ, Booker revealed during a press conference that same week that he was forced to undergo a surgical procedure to correct his nose without any anesthesia. "That was a procedure that they usually put you under for, but we had a flight out a couple of hours later, so they just numbed it up all over the place it felt like," said Booker. "Like eight shots to numb it up and then they go in there and put it back — they break it again. They break it back in place." Booker also shared that he'd never experienced anything quite like that but knew he could endure because his then-teammate, Cam Johnson, had.
How fans reacted to Devin Booker's nose
Devin Booker's injury didn't permanently rock his career, but it did lead to some intense reactions on X, formerly known as Twitter — especially after photos of his swollen and bruised nose made rounds. NBA fans immediately chimed in with their thoughts on the matter. While some accounts simply reposted photos of Booker's painful-looking injury, others resorted to jokes. One fan even jested that Booker's then-girlfriend, Kendall Jenner, sought advice for the athlete. "Kendall Jenner asking her sisters for good nose doctors for Devin Booker," tweeted the fan. Another fan joked about the fact that Booker was later elbowed by Paul George in his unhealed nose during Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals.
For example, The NBA Memes account on X, formerly known as Twitter, tweeted, "Devin Booker's nose after getting hit again," alongside a GIF of a superhero character saying, "I can do this all day." However, many fans also lauded Booker for powering through his injury and continuing to play. "Devin Booker playing with a nose that's broken in 3 places is not a big enough story," wrote a user. Some fans, of course, showed off their sports knowledge by comparing Booker's injury to former NBA star Steve Nash's nasal injury from 2007. "Devin Booker looking like Steve Nash with the broken nose," they wrote.
Devin Booker also suffered a bad ankle sprain
Most NBA fans would agree that Devin Booker handled his nasal injury like a champion. In a great show of sportsmanship, Booker even refrained from blaming his team — The Phoenix Suns — for losing Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals on his broken nose. "The nose feels fine," said the NBA star during a press conference, as reported by ESPN. "We just lost the game." He continued, "The spirit is high. ... We move on to the next one. That's what type of team we are. We've been like that the whole season, so we'll stick with that. We'll come in tomorrow, go over film, regroup and get ready for Game 4." Ultimately, The Suns did win Game 4, even though they ultimately lost the NBA finals that year.
Unfortunately, Booker's broken nose wouldn't be the last time he had to play NBA games under physical duress. In November 2023, Booker suffered a bad ankle sprain during a game against the Toronto Raptors. While Booker finished the game with the injury, he updated fans on the status of his recovery. "Stepped on his foot, part of the game," Booker said during a post-game interview, per Inside the Suns. "I don't know if it got stiffer, but I wasn't going to spend the rest of the night trying to beat people off the dribble." He continued, "Still taking what the defense was giving us. They were still trapping so I thought I could be out there, force that gravity and get open shots for other people."