Nelson prepares for 1st return to Amway
Jameer Nelson wonders what tonight will feel like. He’ll step inside Amway Center for the first time since he and the Orlando Magic parted ways. How much emotion will he feel? Will fans cheer him? He wonders. “How couldn’t I?” Nelson said during a phone interview. “I’ve had a great time in Orlando. Most importantly, the fans supported me throughout my decision.
“You hear about what people are saying about you just through the grapevine or whatever, and I’ve heard nothing but positive things. I still appreciate the fans there, and
hopefully they continue to support me and support their home team. You can love your own team and then cheer for certain players as well.”
Nelson hasn’t experienced this scenario before.
Sure, he has returned to his high-school and college alma maters over the years, but he never played against his former schools.
Tonight, he’ll suit up for the Dallas Mavericks against the Magic in both teams’ preseason finale.
The transition from the Magic to the Mavericks, and from Orlando to Dallas, has been smooth.
His family rallied behind him after the Magic waived him. When Nelson was picking potential new NBA teams, he sat down with his children to tell them about the possibilities.
“Well, they’re all good teams,” his 13-year-old son, Jameer Jr., told him. “Good luck. I’m with you no matter what. I’ll support you no matter what.”
Even after he picked the Mavericks, the elder Nelson felt a bit of trepidation.
But he said he felt at home with his new team almost instantly.
“In the beginning, it’s kind of scary because you don’t know how it’s going to go,” Nelson said. “You don’t know anybody other than just playing against the guys that you’ve played against for the last 10 years.
“Orlando treats you good, and I appreciate my time there and everything. But there’s just something about Dallas. You always hear guys, when they leave Dallas, they say how good they treat you and how things are here, and I’m getting it firsthand. It’s hard to explain, hard to put it in words. It’s just a place that I wouldn’t want to leave after experiencing it.”
The feeling appears to be mutual.
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle has praised Nelson — calling him “a natural leader” — and has installed Nelson as Dallas’ new starting point guard.
In Orlando, Nelson was the unquestioned elder statesman for a franchise in the midst of a rebuilding project. A 20-62 season in 2012-13 gave way to a 23-59 season last year.
“He did a lot for this organization for a long time while he was here,” Magic coach Jacque Vaughn said. “He was a part of a lot of winning. He was great for our locker room and helping our younger guys being acclimated to the league.”
The losing in recent years hurt Nelson much worse than he let on.
Nelson felt it was time to go, and Magic officials wanted to give their younger players more playing time and more leadership responsibility. By waiving Nelson before July 16, the team also saved $6 million.
In Dallas, Nelson
finds himself surrounded by seasoned veterans.
“The process I went through in Orlando with the younger guys was fun, and I enjoyed it, and I respect what they’re doing there because it’s a business and some things have to be done,” Nelson said.
“But being around veteran guys, the practices go a little quicker. There’s not as much talking or teaching, and it’s just guys on the same page because we’ve been through what we need to go through. We have the experience of doing certain things. So it makes it easier.”