Still shooting for his NBA dreams
Former first-rounder part of the free-agent circuit hoping to attract interest
You chase your dreams no matter where it takes you and with no regard for the circumstances that exist, so John Jenkins found himself in another gym in another city in front of another group of men who could hold his fate in their hands.
There’s a two-week-old daughter back in Atlanta he misses dearly, a patient wife handling all the familial responsibilities, all because there’s an NBA dream for him to pursue.
And Jenkins has to know that time is running out, but he forgets about the tugs of real life for as much of the day as he can.
He is 26 years old, likely closer to the end of his career than to its start, and he’s in the Raptors’ practice facility on a mid-week morning because that’s what he does, try out for whatever organization will have him and try to catch on and do what he knows best because dreams never die.
The Tennessee native is a former first-round NBA draft pick (No. 23 by the Atlanta Hawks in 2012) and he has had NBA stops in Atlanta, Dallas and Phoenix totalling 145 games. He’s been with D-League franchises in Bakersfield, Calif., Fort Wayne, Ind., Idaho and Westchester, N.Y., suiting up for 33 minor-league contests.
He’s a shooter in a game that values shooting, so he’s not going quietly into retirement. But this is not some kid trying to catch someone’s eye; this is a grown man trying to find a job.
“For me, I’m probably little different, I’m probably one of the oldest guys here so I’m looking to possibly get in a camp deal or get a guaranteed deal,” the six-foot-four guard said.
“A lot of guys who are new or rookies or whatever, they come into this thing and don’t know what’s going on. They have to get acclimated quick. I know what’s happening. I even know some of the coaches from being around so long, so that helps with familiarity.”
The Toronto stop, where Jenkins is among a couple of dozen players trying to impress enough to get at least a summer league invitation if not an NBA training camp promise and some guaranteed money, was the “fourth or fifth” of the last month for Jenkins.
The Raptors have a baseline knowledge of him, having watched him at points over the last six seasons. His skills intrigue them. Not enough to make any promises of money or a roster spot but enough to give him more serious consideration than they might some teenager just breaking into the professional ranks.
“He’s been around the league so often we know him pretty well and, in the D-League again, he played extremely well this year,” Raptors player personnel director Dan Tolzman said. “He’s one of those guys, he’s so close to sticking and being a rotation guy in the NBA just because of what he does and how he affects the game
“He’s probably on the higher end of this group of players that we’re looking at in terms of being right there.”
Whatever comes of the Raptors’ possibility, it’s not going to be the end of Jenkins’s pursuit of NBA employment. He’s too invested in it, has sacrificed too much to quit now.
“I have one-day break at home in Atlanta and then I go to Dallas on Sunday and then that’s my last one I think,” he said. “So I’m just going to fight through it.”