The 28-year-old doesnt remember the last conversation he had with his dad because he never expected it to be the final one. Soon after, the Austin Spurs acquired him for the NBA G League, and Sykes stayed there until 2016. Without her, I wouldn't have been as successful as I have been this year.". Sykes right-hand man, Rashad McKinnie, who helps run Sykes' Free10 Foundation calls Sykes bond with the youth in the Chicagoland area the The Keifer Effect. No matter where Sykes career has taken him from starring at Marshall High School to becoming a Korean Basketball League All-Star to earning a guaranteed contract from the Pacers hes always carved out time to return to his old stomping grounds. Sykes set a conference record as he was named the Horizon League player of the week thirteen times over his career. You scope college basketball, and the stories are everywhere. Sykes averaged a G-League-high 8.0 assists with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, and Pacers coach Rick Carlisle is confident he can be successful in the NBA, too, on offense and defense. However, no valid sources have yet revealed his annual pay in numbers. 6-keys: media/spln/collegebasketball/reg/free/stories, at [32], On November 3, 2022, Sykes was named to the opening night roster for the Motor City Cruise.[33]. Until now, Sykes has never told the story of how he became a father, what the birth was like, the angst he went through and how scared and shocked he was by the process. Then he sank a 17-footer over . A few births have been by choice, but obviously many occur by accident. "Most four-year players have a teammate at some point who is either having a child or has had a child," Illinois state coach Dan Muller, who's coached a few dads, said. They saw my vision of playing in the NBA and we executed it.. He was just a really good man. He's played professionally inAustralia, China, Greece, Italy, South Korea and Turkey, all with the hopes of one day returning stateside and suiting up in the NBA. Keifer, whose birth was not planned, came two days before 1994. We've had them come in as a group and have my wife talking about child-rearing. The shoes were squeaking, the coaches were yelling and the kids were smiling. [9] A loss in the Horizon League tournament, due in part to a Sykes injury, led the Phoenix to missing an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament and playing in the National Invitation Tournament. Weve actually talked about (that game) once or twice, and I brought it up just to see if he remembered it, Brogdon said. Her name is Averyelle Dream. It's an intense situation for Ray and plenty of coaches who've become surrogate fathers in plenty of ways, this being a prominent one. My heart was just filled with so much joy when he got what he wanted, and thats to play in the NBA for his dream, Lisa Sykes said. The drive was like three hours and I had been on the same trip probably 15 times, but this time it just felt so different. His daughter Zarah has just turned six years old on 22 September 2021. After a game at Indiana in 2012, Dawson asked coach Tom Izzo if he could ride with his family from Bloomington to Indianapolis to escape and spend one night with his son. Upon returning to Marshall whose alumni includes "Hoop Dreams" documentary star Arthur Agee, Timberwolves guard Patrick Beverly and two-time WNBA champion Cappie Pondexter Sykes gifted his former coaches and teachers a Pacers jersey as a thank you for believing in him and laying the foundation for his path to the NBA. Keifer will look at his son. (Virginia coach) Tony Bennett went to Green Bay and was a legend there, and I think Keifer was the guy thats been next in line as the second or first greatest player to play there. I lost like 40 or 50 grand.". Keifer Sykes. Lisa runs an out-of-home daycare operation. Wardle answered his phone that afternoon to hear the mother of his talented newcomer crying on the other line. "For me,itwas just me getting my first bucket. Moreover, last year on her 5th birthday, Sykes took it to his Instagram@ksykeyb28. From mother to son. Afterward, Dawson revealed his son was taken to the hospital two days earlier on account of pneumonia. It has been less than two weeks but with all of the COVID roster shuffling and another player,. Sometimes he'll drive to Chicago, pick KJ up, stay for but a few minutes, and head right back to campus. Bell found out he was going to be a father when he returned to his phone following a workout. This is my path, and thats just what it is. Pictured below, there he is in the hospital with his girlfriend, Kylee, and his baby girl, Maddox, born three weeks ago -- smack dab in the middle of the season. Yet, Forbes in 2019 evaluated that he must be receiving a minimum NBA salary which was $900,000. Like Bell at Gonzaga, Delaware's Kyle Anderson is a four-year starter. He'll want to turn to ESPN and watch a basketball game. Because even as a mom you dont expect your children to praise you like that. "I really made the NBA.". Earlier that day, Sykes was at Marshall High School in Chicago, his alma mater, about a 25-minute drive from Proviso East, giving away coats and hope. At the time KJ was born Keifer was holding down a job with the Chicago Public Schools system, playing basketball and working rec centers with kids on the east side. [11] For the week of January 410 of 2015, Sykes won the Naismith National Player of the Week Award. On July 21, 2016, he was selected by Anyang KGC in the second round of the 2016 KBL draft.[20]. It's free school, and I'm getting it, so let's go.". Thats the Keifer Sykes Effect., Its bigger than what yall seeing and what we're seeing as far as him making it to the Pacers. KJ wasn't even 2 when his grandfather died. For Sykes, whos been giving back for years, that was the norm. [1] The film follows Sykes' path from high school to his brush with the NBA. So long as his health is good, he'll have earned a pro contract by then. Sykes said, laughing. [29] He was waived at the end of training camp. Like Sykes, he's a senior NBA prospect. Sykes has seen his role grow over the years, shouldering more and more of the offensive workload for Green Bay, while rounding himself into a dynamic offensive option. In this, Dawson's final year at Michigan State, My'Shawn has lived with him, the two of them bonding, sharing meals in a small off-campus apartment. [30], On December 27, 2021, Sykes signed with the Indiana Pacers for the remainder of the season. All coaches who were asked estimated that more than half the teams in Division I men's basketball currently have at least one player who is father, or a father-to-be, on their roster. The game-winner capped. But that nightmare hasn't ended, neither has the pain. 'I told you don't let him go to that school.'". Home. I was afraid to tell my mom.". Sykes joined Indianas G League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, and clawed his way back to the Pacers, who eventually signed him to a guaranteed deal for the rest of the 2021-22 season. The two-time Horizon League Player of the Year scores a career-best 36 against UIC, helping the Phoenix win 72-67. She's been a tremendous help to our players and our players' girlfriends. ", James Sykes died of heart failure on June 6, 2012. "Because if dont nobody else deserve it, Keifer deserves it., Sykes has totaled 33 games in his NBA career, 10 of which he didnt play in. They were Dawson's final moments without having the responsibility of another person's life in his hands. I just needed to be myself, so I went into the bathroom, but I couldnt really get back up, Sykes said. And whatever makes the mother happy, it's all about making the child happy. After Keifer impregnated his former girlfriend, Allyne, he was horrified to tell mom. May 14 is the due date. An uncle to six and the son of a farmer, Anderson grew up bailing hay in Newark, Illinois. Sykes said he also shared a moment over the phone Thursday night with fellow Chicago native and former high school and collegeteammate Alfonzo McKinnie, who now playsfor the Bulls. Due to his success, he was invited to the 2016 NBA D-League Elite Camp. [14] On September 28, 2015, he signed with the San Antonio Spurs,[15] only to be waived by the team on October 21 after appearing in three preseason games. The Pacers waived third-string point guard Brad Wanamaker after his poor playand picked up Sykes mainly as an insurance guard since starting point guard Malcolm Brogdon was sidelined with a sore right Achilles and backup point guard T.J. McConnell is out due to right wrist surgery. Keifer Sykes plays professional basketball in Turkey, not Los Angeles or New York. Gathers, who's likely to return for his senior season, said his household of three is living off $15,000 per year. He remembers hopping into a car after getting that call, riding with the aunt of My'Shawn's mother, a 10-minute drive to Methodist Hospital. In high school. Reach him via email: jboyd1@gannett.com. Probably no one better to hear it from (than) her because she always believed in me, her being a guard coach. Sykes said his mother will be in attendance for his sixthNBA game and first asaguaranteed player Saturday night when the Pacers host Utah at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. My brother calls me and gives me the news, literally out of my sleep. And like Sykes, when Dawson found out he was going to be a father, he had zero interest in letting his mother know right away what he'd gotten himself into. Free schooling.". That's the thing. So Im always a fan of guys like Keifer that defy the odds.. For me, my pride in him is just on his self-belief and determination.. "We were a stage for him to perform on. The Cavaliers went on to win the 2014 ACC regular-season title and earn a No. I could never do that. "Looking back on my season, where did it go, and it's been a weird, weird year.". And as I have witnessed in recent days, the documentary is being augmented with a videographer. He converted a traditional 3-point play when he drove, banked a shot and got a free throw, too. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Its really not about the NBA, Sykes says. Really, he worried about leaving his son, how KJ would be without him, and not so much about what the schools thought of his situation or the backstory on his complicated family structure with a troupe of half-siblings. Obviously the city is gonna be so happy,"Sykes said. " This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pacers rookie Keifer Sykes' remarkable rise from inner-city Chicago, 3.32995855, After hitting $1 million shot, Keifer Sykes signed with Pacers to be closer to home, a dagger 3 and layup on back-to-back plays, Pacers rookie Keifer Sykes' remarkable rise from inner-city Chicago. Keifer Sykes was a two-time Horizon League Player of the Year at Green Bay. But it doesnt matter. He madehis firstNBA startat Cleveland onJan. 2, scoring 10 points. Moments after making the million-dollar shot, it was reported by multiple outlets that Sykes signed with the Pacers, bookending a truly remarkable day. Having not yet committed to Michigan State, the stress of choosing a college only added to Dawson's ongoing personal strain. I was the first person to see him, which was pretty cool.". "I do not want to go pro overseas," he said. Hed come so close in the past and inched even closer with a shot that turned him into an overnight sensation. When the family moved into a three-bedroom place on the west side, "We'd have a bedroom, three boys on one side, three girls on one side," Keifer said, "and sometimes the boys would share the couch.". Joining his fifth club in 12 months, Keifer Sykes' path to his impressive NBL debut has been the continuation of a globetrotting journey for the Chicago native, who still has a goal to reach the NBA. He didn't sleep through the night, and in the darkest hour, their child was born. After taking a trip down memory lane at Marshall, Sykes headed to Proviso East, the alma mater of his friend and Mavericks guard Sterling Brown, to host a one-day basketball league and another coat drive the two pros organized together. Sykes said it was devastating to never receive his final payment, but he refused to surrender to his tough times aboard and eventually had a breakthrough campaign in Australia with the South East Melbourne Phoenix of the National Basketball League. She lives more than 250 miles away, in Iowa, with her mother. Just being able to see him now, its been crazy. Sykes and the mother of his child broke up when he was 17, when he left for college. But that's what it takes to be a superhero for my family, a superhero in my community and a good basketball player. The next day, Bloodman played 18 minutes against Kentucky. See, the basketball part, thats easy. I was gonna have to fight an uphill battle, so I was already ready for it if I didnt get drafted.. "It's my job to do what my dad did and tell him who my dad was," Keifer said. "At first there was a lot of fear. For his senior season, Sykes had high expectations as he was placed on the Bob Cousy Award Watch List (later becoming a Cousy Award Finalist), the Wooden Award Watch List, and the Naismith Award Watch List during the preseason. He has just one full sibling, James Sykes Jr., and seven more half-siblings: DaVon, Jarvis, Kristie, Jameeka, Rashaunda, Shakeeya and Antwan. The former University of Wisconsin-Green Bay star . Both anticipated that their contracts would be guaranteed through the end of the seasonFriday, and McKinnie was retained, too. When I was like, Oh, Im small, he was like, Nah, you can go to the NBA. "You don't want to encourage your guys to have kids out of wedlock, but when it happens, you have to help them. Keifer Sykes was born on December 30, 1993. Keifer Sykes would have used his share of the $2 million championship prize to help his Free 10 Foundation and his church. First and always, Sykes prides himself on being an awesome dad. Turning 5 will be the milestone. Former South East Melbourne Phoenix import Keifer Sykes has enjoyed a stunning rise with the Indiana Pacers, starting at point guard in their 129-121 loss to Brooklyn Nets on Thursday (AEDT) after seven years playing around the world and in the NBA G-League. The two helped Marshall finish third in the Class 3A Illinois high school boys basketball state tournament in 2010, and 12 years later they were on opposing sides of an NBA game for the first time when Sykes and the Pacers hosted McKinnie and their hometown Bulls on Feb 4. [8] In a 6966 loss to Wisconsin, Sykes scored 32 points, including a highlight dunk in the first possession of the game. We come from poverty. I didn't have goals to go further. One night, when a super . If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Johnson has two teammates, Markel Crawford and Trahson Burrell, who are fathers. "She was really scared to tell me," Dawson said of his girlfriend's pregnancy. My foundation is about mass incarcerationand gun violence. This June will mark a decade since Keifer Sykes father died, 10 years of carrying on without his biggest fan. Every year he's gotten better at balancing and understanding that. For more than a few college athletes, this is the side of life the public does not see. Keifer Sykes' 3-pointer wins TBT for Boeheim's Army. Once she looked up at me, it was over after that.". Flash to Feb. 12, 2015, and Freeman's sleeping in the chair next to Kylee, awaiting his miracle. Like Buchanan, and others currently playing college hoops, BYU's Josh Sharp also became a father last fall. Four-year starter Gary Bell Jr. hopes to have his son, Gary Bell III, in the stands come the first weekend of theNCAA Tournamentin Seattle or Portland. I was at the back and people didnt believe in me, but my dad always believed in me and always affirmed me.. Since leaving the university after his senior year, Sykes has played in the NBA G-League, over seas, back to the G-League, and finally was presented an opportunity seven years after his college. He quickly capitalized on his opportunity. For now, the per diem pays for diapers. Keifer Sykes was on campus after his freshman season at Wisconsin-Green Bay, taking summer classes and going through workouts, when his phone rang around 7:30 a.m. His older brother, Jarvis Tucker, was on the other end. Sykes is from the South Side of Chicago, so he was originally supposed to attend Hyde Park Academy, Simeon or St. Rita, which have all produced pro players. [17], On November 13, Sykes made his professional debut in a 10482 win over the Texas Legends, recording eight points, one rebound, six assists and three steals in 17 minutes off the bench. KJ will look up to his dad. How tall is Keifer Sykes? The sacrifices she made, man. [23], On December 27, 2019, Sykes signed with the Olimpia Milano until the end of the season. Sykes mother called Keifer to tell him what happened, and when she couldnt reach him, she called his college coach Brian Wardle. Keifer Jerail Sykes (born December 30, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for the Motor City Cruise of the NBA G League. Even when I got here, (Boucek) just following me on Instagram and Twitter, and telling me alwaysto continue to chip away at it.". I gowith different guys. The death of Sykes father painfully added to that. var cid='2438531626';var pid='ca-pub-3621518944223410';var slotId='div-gpt-ad-biographyhost_com-medrectangle-3-0';var ffid=2;var alS=2021%1000;var container=document.getElementById(slotId);container.style.width='100%';var ins=document.createElement('ins');ins.id=slotId+'-asloaded';ins.className='adsbygoogle ezasloaded';ins.dataset.adClient=pid;ins.dataset.adChannel=cid;if(ffid==2){ins.dataset.fullWidthResponsive='true';} More than a decade later, and after making a name for himself overseas, the only box Sykes said he had left to check was to beat the odds his younger self foretold and finally play in an NBA game. 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Whos been giving back for years, that was the first time I had to real. Four-Year starter Sykes and the kids were smiling n't even 2 when his died. Do n't let him go to that. `` as successful as I have witnessed in recent days, Austin... Week of January 410 of 2015, Sykes signed with the Olimpia until! 2015, and others currently playing college hoops, BYU 's Josh Sharp also became a father he. Stay for but a few minutes, and others currently playing college hoops, BYU Josh.
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