Keith Booth
A Maryland basketball icon whose leadership as a player paved the way for a national title and whose coaching career has been dedicated to mentorship.
Born 1974 (age 52)·American basketball player and coach·Birthday: October 9·Generation X
Biography
Keith Booth's story is woven into the fabric of Maryland basketball. A Baltimore native and high school phenom, he chose to stay home and play for the University of Maryland, becoming the emotional cornerstone of Gary Williams's rebuilding project. He wasn't just a star; he was a relentless forward whose work ethic and intensity set the standard. Booth left as the program's third-all-time leading scorer and a first-team All-ACC selection, but his greatest legacy was cultural: he helped lay the foundation for the toughness that would eventually deliver Maryland its national championship. Drafted by the Chicago Bulls, he earned a championship ring in the shadow of the legendary 1997-98 team. His true calling emerged after his playing days, returning to his alma mater as an assistant coach. For seven years, he was a bridge between the program's past and present, a trusted recruiter and developer of talent, known for his deep care for his players beyond the court.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Keith was born in 1974, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Keith Was Born
The biggest hits of 1974
#1 Movie
The Towering Inferno
Best Picture
The Godfather Part II
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Keith's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1974Born
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1979Started school
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1987Became a teenager
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Could drive
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1992Could vote
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Turned 21
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2004Turned 30
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 40
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 50
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 52 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Was a First Team All-ACC selection in 1997 and finished his college career as Maryland's third-all-time leading scorer.
- Won an NBA championship as a rookie with the Chicago Bulls during the 1997-98 season.
- Served as an assistant coach at the University of Maryland from 2004 to 2011, helping develop talent for the program.
- Had his jersey number 25 honored by the University of Maryland basketball program.
Did You Know?
He was a McDonald's All-American in high school at Baltimore's Dunbar High, playing alongside fellow future NBA player Rodney Elliott.
Booth was drafted 28th overall in the 1997 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls.
He is one of only three Maryland players to record over 1,900 points and 900 rebounds in a career.
After his stint at Maryland, he served as an assistant coach at Loyola University Maryland.
“Baltimore raised me, and I played for Maryland to give something back to the city that made me.”
