Ottawa Citizen

Anticipati­ng the NBA draft dream

Bachynski waits to get the call

- SCOTT CRUICKSHAN­K

He knows where he’s going to be sitting — in a private room at a Tempe, Ariz., restaurant.

He knows who he’s going to be eating with — family members, including parents John and Yolanda, brother Dallin, sister Jessica, wife Malia and newborn Kawika.

What Jordan Bachynski doesn’t know?

How he’s going to react when his name is called Thursday night at the National Basketball Associatio­n draft in Brooklyn, N.Y.

“Honestly? I have no idea,” says Bachynski. “I didn’t think I was going to cry when my kid was born. But when I first held him, I couldn’t hold back the tears. I’m not usually an emotional guy in that sense. But we’ll see ... it’s going to be an in-themoment kind of reaction.

“It’s going to be a great day. Especially for my wife, this has become as much her dream as it is mine. She has been there since Day 1. I started dating her when I first got to (Arizona State University). She’s been with me through thick and thin. She’s seen the struggle. She’s been there to help me out.”

In recent weeks, the Calgarian, a graduate of Centennial High School, has been shopping his wares to individual NBA teams. City to city, team to team, gym to gym. Needing to be sharp, alert.

The grind of those auditions, since his son was born June 13, has been exhausting.

“I’m definitely feeling it,” says Bachynski, chuckling. “But you know what? It’s been fun — a oncein-a-lifetime experience. I’ve tried to keep that perspectiv­e. I’m living my dream. I got to work out for legendary coaches, legendary players. This is an amazing experience. Am I fatigued? Yes. But it’s all worth it.

“I’m really happy with my body of work ... the workouts I’ve done, I feel that I’ve excelled at those. I did, I think, better than anyone expected me to. I showed that I’m continuing to improve. I’m glad I was able to do that.”

But he’s buoyed by his return to Tempe, where he lives with Malia and Kawika.

That, more than anything, is what has been spurring him on.

“I’m ready to get home and see my family for a little bit, see my baby boy,” Bachynski says before boarding Tuesday’s afternoon flight from New York (where he’d been strutting his stuff for the Knicks). “I was really, really lucky to be able to be there when he was born. I’ve been Skyping with my wife as much as I can. She has been an amazing support. It’s been great that I have that support at home and I don’t have anyone making me feel guilty for being away for so long.”

After Thursday’s festivitie­s, who knows what happens?

Bachynski isn’t sure, either, but he’s heard he may have to be on a plane the very next morning. What matters is which team chooses him.

“It depends on where their summer league is,” he says. “It depends on how quickly you get your contract signed. I have no idea what my life is going to be like for the next week-and-a-half.”

 ??  ?? Jordan Bachynski
Jordan Bachynski

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