{"id":607397,"date":"2026-02-17T03:06:20","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T03:06:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/607397\/"},"modified":"2026-02-17T03:06:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T03:06:20","slug":"devin-booker-cant-escape-all-star-weekend-unc-label-from-chet-holmgren-tyrese-maxey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/607397\/","title":{"rendered":"Devin Booker can’t escape All-Star weekend ‘UNC’ label from Chet Holmgren, Tyrese Maxey"},"content":{"rendered":"

After Phoenix Suns<\/a> All-Star Devin Booker revealed the 3-point contest invite surprised<\/a> him ahead of last weekend, he couldn’t escape the OG label from first-time All-Star Oklahoma City Thunder’s Chet Holmgren<\/a>, among others. Amidst his fifth selection to the star-studded event, Booker, 29, was the elderly statesman for Team USA Stars.<\/p>\n

For that, seeing Booker on the same team as him came as a surprise<\/a> for Holmgren.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that Devin Booker? On the young squad? He might bump it up a couple of years,\u201d Holmgren said.<\/p>\n

76ers All-Star Tyrese Maxey<\/a> gave Booker the same treatment.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat’s up old man?\u201d Maxey said, to which Booker resigned to being one of the older players on the All-Star game’s team.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am the old man in here, huh?\u201d Booker said. \u201cThat’s crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chet Holmgren: \u201cIs that Devin Booker? On the young squad? He might bump it up a couple of years.”<\/p>\n

Tyrese Maxey: \u201cWhat’s up old man?\u201d <\/p>\n

Devin Booker could not escape the UNC jokes in the USA Stars locker room \ud83d\ude02 <\/p>\n

(via @NBAAllStar<\/a>)
pic.twitter.com\/mP5N3k0WpF<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 16, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

In the end, Team USA Stars, including Chet Holmgren and Tyrese Maxey, beat Team USA Stripes. Still, it was most likely one of the first times Booker was the oldest player on his team.<\/p>\n

Devin Booker hints at retiring from 3-point contest\"SunsKirby Lee-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Suns All-Star Devin Booker fell three points shy of winning<\/a> this year’s 3-point contest, losing in the final round after he missed his final three shots that would have crowned him champion. Blazers’ Damian Lillard won with a final score of 29 to Booker’s 27, despite having the highest score in the final round (30).<\/p>\n

After losing by two points, Booker talked about 2026’s 3-point contest potentially being the last he’ll participate in<\/a>, he said, per AZ Central’s Duane Rankin.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis one hurt a little bit. I wanted this one bad. Wish I was defending it in Phoenix but it’ll probably be the last time I do it next year if I get the invite. I’m looking forward to it,\u201d said Booker, per Duane Rankin of AZ Central on X, formerly Twitter.<\/p>\n

Lillard, who hasn’t played in a single game due to his ruptured Achilles injury, brought the trophy back to Portland.<\/p>\n