Warriors prospect enjoying Aussie life
Jessup loves walks on beach — and nailing 3s
On a recent off day, Justinian Jessup made the 30minute drive north from his Wollongong, Australia, apartment to a popular lookout called Bald Hill.
As he gazed down on green plateaus, a whitesand beach and the deep blue water of the Tasman Sea, he felt grateful — not just for the opportunity to play professional basketball, but to do it in a place with such picturesque views. A full course load and basketball responsibilities had kept Jessup, 22, from studying abroad at Boise State. Now, he gets paid to live across the world and doesn’t have to worry about homework or exams.
The No. 51 pick in November’s NBA draft by the Warriors, Jessup has emerged as a goto option for the Illawarra Hawks of Australia’s National Basketball League. YouTube highlights of him knocking down jumpers over former NBA players make some Golden State fans wonder: Could Jessup be in the Warriors’ rotation next season?
In 23 games with Illawarra, he is averaging 14.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists. Only 12 NBA players boast as high of a 3point clip (40.5%) on as many attempts (5.5) as Jessup has posted in Australia. Though he is quick to admit that the NBL’s competition is far inferior to what he’d face stateside, he feels that he is proving enough overseas to warrant a shot with the Warriors.
Golden State general manager Bob Myers seems to agree, given that he told reporters last month that he had considered bringing Jessup over this season. The plan now is for the Warriors to let him finish the year with Illawarra. If Jessup can impress with Golden State at summer league, he could get a chance to compete for a roster spot at training camp.
It’s not difficult to envision him at least landing a twoway contract with the Warriors next season. They put a premium on shooting, and
Jessup’s efficiency from beyond the arc has earned him comparisons to another 6foot7 shooting guard who was overlooked out of high school: The Heat’s Duncan Robinson.
“My time over here has definitely built up my confidence,” Jessup said this week during a phone interview from Australia. “I’ve learned what it takes to be a pro, which has been huge.”
In August, when Jessup followed his agent’s advice and signed a “Next Stars” contract with Illawarra instead of waiting to see whether he’d get picked in the NBA draft, he didn’t know what to expect. LaMelo Ball had needed just 12 games with Illawarra to cement himself as a top NBA prospect, but he was a global celebrity who’d already been on scouts’ radar for several years.
Jessup, a former low threestar recruit out of Longmont High School in suburban Denver, didn’t begin to receive attention from scouts until he shot 39.7% from 3point range on 7.7 attempts per game as a senior at Boise State. Not wanting to use a 202021 roster spot on a late secondround pick, the Warriors took Jessup 51st to acquire his rights and monitor his development in Australia.
What they didn’t necessarily anticipate was that he’d be thrust into a featured role
with Illawarra. As the No. 2 option behind former NBA draft pick Tyler Harvey, Jessup has scored at least 20 points in six games this season. He also has thrived as a secondary ballhandler, initiating the offense and finding open shooters.
“I wasn’t really expecting big minutes
when I got here,” Jessup said. “As the time went on and I started practicing with the team, it was clear there was a need to score. Not that we don’t have other scorers, but I guess they really appreciate my shooting.”
Jessup’s size allows him to defend multiple positions, and he is a
better finisher around the rim than scouts might have thought. This is all good news for a Warriors team deep into the luxury tax. If Jessup can carve out a niche next season off the bench, he’d offer Golden State another budget acquisition who can help round out the roster.
To prepare himself for that possibility, Jessup has watched almost every Warriors game on NBA League Pass. The rest of his free time is spent scouring Wollongong — a beach town of nearly 300,000 50 miles south of Sydney — for the best Australian meat pie, relaxing on one of the area’s whitesand beaches and taking day trips to such local tourist destinations as that Bald Hill Lookout.
As much as Jessup wants to play in the NBA, he is intent on first doing what he couldn’t do in college: relish a year abroad.
“It’s beautiful out here, man,” Jessup said. “When I get some time off, I just like to get in the car and drive. There’s so much to see, and I may never get this opportunity again.”
“I’ve learned what it takes to be a pro, which has been huge.” Justinian Jessup