** 4,890 words **
I.
June 15th, 2022
UCLA Campus
SLOE Rookie Workout
Days after Ricky Rubio led the Milwaukee Bucks to a championship over the Phoenix Suns, the league was already moving forward to the future. Scouts, coaches, and General Managers league-wide had descended upon the campus of the Bruins in Los Angeles for individual and group workouts amongst the incoming rookie class. There was incredible buzz coming from two particular players, out of Syracuse and Georgia. Bryce Dejean-Jones and Jerry West. All eyes were on the leadership in San Antonio, who struck gold and made the small jump to the top pick after that year’s draft lottery. Though the team had won a championship in 2016, they had bottomed out since that time and missed the playoffs four years in a row. Because of this downturn, the Spurs already had several promising young players on their roster (Wanderlei Silva chief among them, though he did not step on the court that season). Also, on that roster was exciting young Point Guard, Beau Agustin, who was coming off an 18-point, 3.5 assist, 5 rebound season and since he was just preparing to hit restricted free agency, it would have been easy to assume that he was ready to bloom and be the team’s Point Guard of the future. Due to this, Jerry West, who had all the tools to become a great Shooting Guard, was incredibly attractive and many people felt that West was further along in his development at the time of the draft. The issue was that everyone could see the untapped potential of the man who would become known as BDJ and perhaps it was worth it to take another Point Guard, positional needs be damned.
Individual workouts went much like the teams believed that they would. These were incredible athletes at the top, especially West (with a near record breaking vertical leap) and BDJ (who was lightening quick while also capable of keeping his body and ball handling under control), and they proved that. What the Spurs really wanted to see was how these two looked when matched up against each other and other top prospects when every single eyeball was solely on them. A 5-on-5 pick-up game is where the Spurs’ decision was made for them. Though both players made fantastic plays throughout that game, it was one certain sequence that clinched it.
It was late in the period and Jerry West was slowly bringing the ball up the court when Dejean-Jones picked him up at half court. West, who had been having success during the game creating separation with a quick cross-over into a quick step back and using his leaping ability to get up over BDJ (and other defenders), pushed to his right to get by BDJ so he could get to the three-point line but BDJ’s speed cut him off. West dribbled behind the back and went to his left but BDJ was there again to slow him down. West then lowers his shoulder some and pushes BDJ backwards until they get to West’s favorite spot near the top of the key, though with far more resistance than he often ran into during the workout. West took a big step back to set-up his crossover/step back but instead of waiting for the crossover, BDJ blitzed the ball and in a flash, he was on his way down the other way, finishing the play with an alley-oop dunk to James Brophy. The next play down, Ernie Acuna brought the ball down and again BDJ picks him up. West got away from his defender, Patrick Edmunds, immediately and Acuna hit him cutting to the basket, but Marvin Bagley III met him with just enough force to disrupt the rhythm causing a miss off the front of the rim where BDJ leapt up and snagged the rebound as it grazed the rim. Without hesitation, BDJ sprinted up the court with only Kris Dunn able to get back to try to get in the way. BDJ gets to the lane, flashes to his right before spinning back to his left and leaping high into the air and drilling a fall-a-way jumper to end the period.
Flashforward to draft night and Bryce Dejean-Jones is announced at #1 overall and wearing a San Antonio Spurs hat.
II.
March 13th, 2038
Beverly Hills, CA
Sitting poolside of his Beverly Hills home, Bryce Dejean-Jones has that look of peaceful nostalgia, which most people can understand, as he considers the moment he was drafted.
“None of us forget that night” He says as he nods his head in agreement with himself. “It was this crazy mix of excitement and nervous and joy. Kind of prepared me for what it would be like in that moment where I became a dad last year, honestly.” He grins. “But that is much harder than transitioning to the league was.”
He mentions how hot the lights were, especially when you must wear a full suit and tie and are doing very little but sitting at tables just anxiously waiting to hear your name called. Though he knew that he would not be waiting long for his name to be called, he admits that it was easy to let his mind wander in those minutes before the actual TV broadcast started. What if they found some medical condition in the pre-draft check-ups? What if interest in him from the Spurs and Nuggets was just a smokescreen to get other teams riled up? Maybe he just is not as good as he believed he was! Then what? How embarrassing would it be to have to sit there even into the top of the 2nd round, knowing the world is now pitying you for the embarrassment?
“That’s why you saw me take that big ass, deep breath when they called me up to that stage at #1.” He mimics the moment. “I’m super confident in my abilities, man, but in that moment, you could have convinced me that I didn’t even know how to dribble a basketball. And if someone had asked me to do it right then, I probably couldn’t have considering my legs felt numb.”
It would just about be the last time that Bryce Dejean-Jones felt completely helpless in anything basketball related for a long time however. Though he came in like many others before him, a potential-laden but unpolished talent, BDJ would not waste any time getting himself acclimated to the league. During his first practice with the Spurs, he made sure to defend newly paid ($111 Million over 4 years), incumbent Point Guard, Beau Agustin, the entirety of that session. He says that he was not trying to prove a point to anyone but himself but based on the sly smirk on his face when discussing that first practice, and that first season overall, I get the feeling that he isn’t being entirely truthful.
“I needed to prove to myself that I belonged there. I knew I just got drafted to a team who had a guy who could play the same position as me, who just got a big contract, and was not much older than I was at the time. Yet, the Spurs still drafted me. I had to prove that it was for a reason.”
BDJ’s rise came so quickly that Agustin would be traded in January 2024 to the Nets and this was after the Spurs flirted with playing him at Shooting Guard, despite his small frame. This move was made possible after BDJ took over the starting PG role in only his second season in the league. Though the Spurs would miss the playoffs his first two seasons in the league, their faith in Dejean-Jones’ abilities began to pay off starting in 2024, after the Agustin deal, when they won 50 games and made it to the 2nd round of the playoffs. From that point on, the Spurs never missed the playoffs, won one championship, made it to a second Finals, and BDJ captured a League MVP for the remainder of his stint in San Antonio.
And still, the man felt like he was not always appreciated league-wide as he believed that he should be.
“Not at all.” He answers when asked about getting the recognition he feels he deserved. When I press him to elaborate, he is thoughtful but honest. “I think the league has been so enamored with dominant big men for so long, they forgot to show that love to us little guys too. I get it, to a degree. I watched Anthony Davis like the rest of you. I won a championship with Boban and Sabo and two with Big K. When people get a glimpse at a guy who is my size that can handle the ball and pass, it is what is expected. But when you see a guy like Boban, who is big and physical but also skilled in a way you’re not accustomed to, your brain can’t wrap your mind around it.”
Should he have more MVPs? Perhaps at the expense of his former teammate, Boban?
“I ain’t here to diminish Boban. I will always have love for Bob. The ways in which we impact a game are just vastly different. I am more than capable of putting the ball in the basket at a high rate, but if I do that, it means I am not doing what I do best … getting everyone else easy looks. The voters love those points though. I don’t think it is a coincidence that my MVP came in one of only two seasons when I scored at least 20 points per game. However, those are some of the only seasons that I was sent home really early in the playoffs.”
But how about those seasons with the Spurs when he wasn’t sent home early? Specifically, in 2027.
“2027?” A grin transforms into a smile. “Might be my favorite time of my career.”
III.
June 2nd, 2027
Wells Fargo Center
Philadelphia, PA
Beginning of the 4th Quarter
76ers: 91
Spurs: 88
The Finals is where legacies are solidified and there was an incredible opportunity on the line for both the 76ers and San Antonio Spurs. Games 1 and 2 went the Spurs’ way and though the first quarter of Game 3, now with the series shifting to Philadelphia, was incredibly one-sided in favor of the Spurs as well, the 76ers clawed back into the game with a dominant 2nd quarter then pulled ahead in the 3rd. A lineup change for the 76ers had given them some life, moving Elfrid Payne out of the starting PG spot and putting Markelle Fultz in his place. Payne had been run ragged by BDJ and while Fultz could not completely match BDJ either, he was much more efficient offensively and pestering BDJ enough to cause a handful of turnovers to that point. Obviously, it was a crucial game for the 76ers, as going down 3-0 is a deathblow in the Finals, but the Spurs felt incredible pressure to close them out to not give any life to mount a comeback.
Enter: Bryce Dejean-Jones
As would become his staple in these massive moments, BDJ would not only rise to the occasion, but he would put the team on his back and carry other great players to even higher heights. For the game, BDJ would score 26 points (on 11-for-16 shooting), 8 rebounds, 12 (!!!) steals and 17 (!!!!!) assists, almost clinching that rare quadruple double. In the 4th quarter alone, he would force 5 of Fultz’s 9 turnovers, drop 6 assists and score 15 points. None bigger than a late 4th quarter bucket that would feel incredibly familiar.
Dejean-Jones brought the ball up court, Fultz doing his best to shadow him. BDJ pulled a quick hesitation move that got Fultz to bite before exploding towards the basket. Once in the lane, seeing a defender waiting, he spun to his left and rose up and over Fultz.
Nothing but net. Spurs took the lead which they would never relinquish. The 3-0 lead in the series then turned into a 4-0 championship sweep. But ask BDJ what he remembers the most, and it would be that shot. He had facilitated the offense all night, creating additional opportunities by taking the ball away and leading the fast break. When it came to closing time though, he knew it was his shot to create (and make). The certainty of knowing the shot was going in when he let it go, the complete silence of the once raucous crowd, the exhilaration of his teammates. Everything was right in the world.
In his own words …
“Perfection.”
IV.
March 13th, 2038
Beverly Hills, CA
Texas brought him so much love and joy and success that BDJ had an incredibly difficult time ever picturing himself in another uniform. Unfortunately, like many great players before him, it was something that he would be forced to learn to live with and at a time that he never would have expected.
“After winning my only MVP was certainly not the time that I thought the Spurs would be ready to move on from me, no.” He acknowledges with a sigh. “I know we had lost a heartbreaking game 7 to the Nets, but we also had just won 52 games. I figured that with a few tweaks, we could certainly make some noise once again. I was feeling great physically and mentally. I wanted nothing more than to go out and prove that that game 7 loss was a fluke.”
It was a difficult decision to trade Bryce Dejean-Jones, according to everyone that I spoke to in Spurs management. He was their staple, their star, and everyone felt a closeness with him. However, they felt that the only way they could move forward was to take a brief step backwards. Current star, Jonathan Lewis, was a pup at the time and with his prime being so far away from BDJ’s timeline, they felt that they needed to attempt to bring in youth that could grow with him. Daniel Yandell was that player and that move has ultimately worked out for both sides.
The team that traded for him, the Sacramento Kings, were coming off a 27-win season with a roster that was not anywhere close to competing. In fact, they had missed the playoffs the three seasons prior to that one as well. In an off-season of overhauling, the Kings brought in Udoka Azubuike, Cam Reddish and Clifford Paugh to go along with BDJ, to ramp up expectations.
“I wasn’t happy initially, that’s for damn sure.” His voice firm and assured. “San Antonio was where I wanted to be, and the Kings had been pretty bad for a while at that point. But, once I was able to fully come to terms with things and speaking with both GMs, I was able to get the closure I needed. It was a new challenge to overcome and a new city to win over. We had championship expectations the moment I walked through those doors and I embraced the hell out of that.”
Unfortunately, that first season did not result in meeting such lofty goals. Injuries had never been a problem for Bryce and yet, his season was derailed by them at the most inopportune time and even when he came back, he never found his timing or rhythm and the Lakers were able to take full advantage of that in a 4-1 series victory in the first round.
“Anti-climatic would be the word.” The General Manager of the Kings would tell me in a short phone interview. “We brought BDJ here for one reason and one reason only. A championship.”
With disappointment out of the way, the Kings were able to come into the following season a bit under the radar. BDJ stayed healthy and though his scoring and assists dipped some, probably due to minutes management, the team was strong and steady. They won 58 games and won the Johnson division convincingly. The Alpha division playoffs were no easy task, with both the Spurs and the Lakers taking the BDJ-led Kings to 7 games on their way to the Finals trip. Compare that to the other side of the bracket where the Boban-led Clippers were steamrolling through the regular season (68 wins) and playoffs (only losing 2 games in the previous 2 rounds), there was a lot of talk that the Clippers had a shot at sweeping the Kings.
“Oh, we heard all of that talk.” He taps his ear then the top of his head with his index finger. “We stored that shit. They had great players, don’t get it twisted, but so did we. Big K and Udo both took it personally that everyone thought Boban and Sabo were just going to walk all over those dudes. For me, personally? No way in hell was I going to lose to a guy like Joffery Baratheon in my head-to-head match-up. I was going to scorch his ass all series and there was not a damn thing he was going to be able to do about it.”
And that is exactly how it happened. BDJ dominated the Point Guard match-up and the size of the Kings’ front court gave Boban/Sabo all they could handle, and the Kings surprised a lot of people by winning 4-1 over those Clippers. It just didn’t surprise Dejean-Jones.
“After the trade from San Antonio and the injury the previous year, I wasn’t going to be stopped. Not even by Boban.”
V.
March 14th, 2038
Roberto Abitua, General Manager of the Los Angeles Clippers, picked up his phone after barely half of a ring. Something that I have learned about him in my team covering the league is that when you have an appointment with him, in-person or not, he is prompt. He was already aware of what, or who, our discussion would be about ahead of time. He got right into things.
“There are three moves that I have made since I took over as General Manager here that were both slam dunks and no-brainers, and they’re all trades. Getting Boban. Grabbing Sabo. And, of course, trading for Bryce Dejean-Jones. Even if we had only seen BDJ from afar, his talent, production, and passion for the game were things to be admired. Unfortunately for us, we got to see those things in action in-person in the Finals and he was absolutely sensational. It did not matter who we defended him with, what scheme we ran or anything. He figured us out every time and dominated.”
It is not often that a team goes out and adds the player that just beat them in the Finals (and the Clippers ended up adding two of the Kings’ guys that next off-season). So, how did that deal come up? Was it a difficult one to complete?
“Not at all, actually. We had heard early rumblings that BDJ might be available once the Kings won the championship. The tax looming tax may have been a factor. Perhaps they simply got what they wanted out of the player and decided it would be better to move on while his value was more significant. Regardless of the situation, I got on the phone. I don’t always reach out to make deals directly. If something doesn’t appear to make sense to me from the other team’s perspective, immediately, I won’t always explore it. With BDJ I knew I HAD to go and explore. Thankfully we were able to come to an agreement rather quickly and had things in-place the moment the trade moratorium was lifted.”
Was there ever any concern about pushback from the other players on the roster? Garvin, Boban, Sabo had all played together and were dominating in their own right and had just been on the losing end of a Finals loss to this man they were now bringing in.
“I didn’t ask ahead of time because they are all professionals and its my job to bring in the best talent available to get us to a championship. Maybe they were uncertain at first, I don’t know, but I can tell you that they were as motivated as ever once he showed up. There was never some outward power struggle between the top guys. They all had something to prove and, in the end, they decided to prove it together. What resulted was one of the most impressive playoff runs I have gotten to see with my own eyes. BDJ has this uncanny ability to be a chameleon and fit into any scheme or team that you put him on. Perhaps even more impressive, especially on that Clippers team, is his ability to take charge. Even though Boban was the reigning and defending League MVP and Sabo was morphing into an MVP caliber player himself, when things got tight and the stakes were the highest, it was BDJ who rose up and took control.”
Back-to-Back Playoff MVP awards in seasons when he was not a serious MVP candidate to the voters, would prove this statement to be correct.
VI.
March 13th, 2038
Beverly Hills, CA
“I guess I became a little bit of a mercenary.”
Traded after an MVP season then the Kings and the Clippers both trade BDJ immediately following championship seasons with him. When I asked if this idea bothered him, BDJ simply shakes his head but gives no other elaboration. I e-mailed with Nick Malone, General Manager of the New Orleans Pelicans, as well about their acquisition of BDJ in 2036. Malone said that he believed that they were a Point Guard away from making a deep playoff run and he had loved BDJ’s game for years. Though they did not get quite as far as he hoped when he made the move, Malone wouldn’t change the swing that he took. BDJ still averaged 17-10-8 on the season and “We wouldn’t have made it nearly as far as we did without him.” It was BDJ’s high basketball IQ and ability to run the entire offense that made it an easy and worthwhile decision for the Pelicans.
When I brought this up to BDJ himself, he gave a quick smirk and a playful “No Duh” look my direction.
“I try to stay as grounded as possible, but I am a man who is confident in what he can do. Teams with championship aspirations don’t add players that they think would work against those goals.”
The Los Angeles Lakers, another team that got to be on the losing side of a Finals battle with BDJ, agreed when they added BDJ to their roster the off-season following the trade to the Pelicans. The Lakers got off to a hot start that season with BDJ running the offense, but quickly realized they were guard heavy and lacked depth, so they sent him packing in a trade. He didn’t have to go far though as he was traded back to the Clippers.
“It was a quick stint, but I have nothing bad to say about the Lakers organization. Don’t have much good to say either since I barely got to know them, but they did right by me.”
How was it, coming back to the Clippers barely a year after they traded him away?
“I thought it was a lot of fun, honestly. I have had a great relationship with Mr. Abitua and coach Durant. The roster wasn’t quite the same, but I looked forward to getting to work with Terry Sterner in particular, who I could see had loads of untapped potential and just had not been in a position to play a whole lot.”
What about being on a team that did not quite have a championship outlook? Especially once they decided to trade away Glen Sabo that same season for the upside of Marcel McAlister. Was that a challenge?
“It was, because I am a competitor who is not in the business of losing. I made it very clear to everyone that Sabo or not, I was going to come in and give everything I had to add more wins. I think we accomplished that. Honestly, last season was a breath of fresh air. Getting to really help develop someone while also showing that I could still help build a winner.”
Which brings BDJ to his 16th season, again re-signed by the Los Angeles Clippers. At age 36, he admits to not having expectations of being asked to completely lead a team. He was prepared to hand over some of his playmaking duties to Terry Sterner and new addition, John Stoll. What he did not expect was the massive drop-off in responsibility and minutes.
“It’s killing me, man.”
Averaging career lows or the lowest since his rookie season, in every major statistical category, the cliff in which he has seen his production drop from has been painful. It even led to a heated trade request to the team and General Manager, Roberto Abitua.
“It would be one thing if these changes had been leading to wins, but to this point all of us are disappointed in how we’ve performed as a unit. I want to be a bigger part in the solution to our problems. I love Terry, but …” His voice trails off as he considers his next statement. “I love him, and I can’t wait to see him succeed while running the Clippers in the future, but as our various different line-ups this season will tell you, he still needed more seasoning.”
The team did not move on to BDJ as the full-time starter after Sterner, instead choosing to let the offense run through John Stoll. A decision that BDJ accepts and understands. Doesn’t mean he wasn’t disappointed by it though.
“I want to play, period.”
With the trade deadline passed and the Clippers choosing to hang onto him for the remainder of the season, but his team option already being declined at his own request, how is he feeling?
“Look, I know they tried to give me an opportunity to play more. I know for a fact that they had some discussions with the Thunder and the Rockets about allowing me to move on and help them during their playoff pushes. I was excited about the idea of getting back with Boban and doing our best there. Would have also been a return to Texas, which would have been a fun full-circle moment. Boban and I spoke about the possibility a few times this season when we heard the rumors.” He shrugs with obvious disappointment showing in his face. “But at least I know the Clippers tried. I still want to play more, and I hope we make the playoffs and I get the opportunity to do what I do best: show up in the big moments. For now, I can only put my head down and go to work.”
We transition now from poolside to the outside basketball court that BDJ has set-up at his home. There is no game or practice for the Clippers this evening, but he wanted to get some work in before their game against the Rockets the following night at Staples Center. He starts with light stretching before moving into dribble drills and then into open jumpers. During a break from his routine, he comes to me with water in his hands.
“Gotta stay ready, ya know?” He says of the extra workout even though there was a practice earlier in the morning. “Not really getting as much burn as I’m used to, so I have the extra energy.”
Just like being traded, another difficult reality for professional athletes to wrap their heads around is that they can’t be stars forever. Their shine, just like their ability, will diminish over time. This realization is harder for some than others and the fall can be graceful or painful. Bryce Dejean-Jones is not at all ready to concede fully to father time. He believes that with more opportunity will come more success. Though, isn’t that the way that it always goes during the deep drop? For anyone whose physical attributes are key to their livelihood, the body will give up before the mind. That is partially why they are successful to begin with. An iron will to be great no matter what adversity may come their way. BDJ’s story is certainly ending, but he wants to have the chance to write those final chapters his own way.
“I just can’t go out like this, you know? I have more to give and more moments to live.”
He goes back to his workout. Taking more shots, dribbling to different spots on the court and hoisting up jumper after jumper. He’s much more deliberate with his movements than he was in that UCLA Gym in 2022, likely because he must be. He dribbles to half court. He drives to his right, into the lane, spins back left into the paint and rises up. A move, a shot that he has taken hundreds of times. Certain of them going in, knowing it was money in the bank. Needing another chance to make it count in a game or a series that matters.
But this time the ball rattles in and out of the rim and the ball thuds on the court, rolling away from him.
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