"I walk in the door, my parents are sitting at the table. "More basketball players have the opportunity to have sex with more girls. They last shared space together in 2012 -- at Keifer's father's funeral. Why is Keifer the father he is? On February 26, 2015, playing in his hometown of Chicago, Sykes scored a career-high 36 points against UIC to surpass the 2,000-point mark for his career. Pacers swingmen Torrey Craig, Justin Anderson enter NBA's COVID-19 protocols, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. I was freaking out. [3], After graduating high school, Sykes committed to play college basketball for coach Brian Wardle and eventually alongside Marshall teammates Alfonzo McKinnie and Vincent Garret, at Green Bay. We come from poverty. "It's not easy, for me, but the best thing I have going on for me right now is my wife," Gathers said. Imagine sitting in a class, your leg jackhammering the tile, waiting for a phone call to come. KJ just can't wait to be 5 years old. Weve actually talked about (that game) once or twice, and I brought it up just to see if he remembered it, Brogdon said. written on it in white letters, didnt hesitate before handing the kid his phone and obliging. Fortunately, despite varied situations, some of which are depicted below, many have happy circumstances. 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's a good kid; he's not a distraction.". "I do not want to go pro overseas," he said. Both anticipated that their contracts would be guaranteed through the end of the seasonFriday, and McKinnie was retained, too. And whatever makes the mother happy, it's all about making the child happy. The biggest help to me is my wife. At the start of the 201314 season, Sykes was named to the preseason All-Horizon League team and was a nominee for the Bob Cousy Award for top point guard in the country. 10:51am: The Pacers intend to waive guard Brad Wanamaker and sign another guard, Keifer Sykes, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Former Pacers guard Keifer Sykes, center, hosts a free youth camp at the Irsay Family YMCA in Indianapolis on April 30, 2022. Back home in Chicago, one of Sykes former high school coaches, Shawn Shake Harrington, watched it all unfold in tears. Once she looked up at me, it was over after that.". It's a dimension some critics didn't realize when they were all too eager to bemoan Dawson's performance in MSU's loss last Sunday at Wisconsin, wherein Dawson had four points and two rebounds. The journeyman said it was disheartening to come within arm's reach of his NBA dream again, but he didnt stay down for long. 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. I was the first person to see him, which was pretty cool.". He's going beyond the expectations of being there for his son. He's the boss.". We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Keifer Jerail Sykes (born December 30, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for the Motor City Cruise of the NBA G League. On August 3, 2019, Sykes signed with the Guangzhou Loong Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association. 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';} Lisa Sykes said she cried nonstop when she initially saw the video, and she cried again while sitting in a back room at Proviso East with Keifer across the hall speaking to dozens of children she had just handed pizza to. Thats my dream, but I know the odds of going to the NBA, so Ill just use basketball to get as far as I can.. 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. The same day Keifer Sykes contract was guaranteed, he went viral with a heartfelt message to his mom, shedding tears as he thanked her. The player is now back at school, away from his child, but not on the team. The only thing thats changed lately is his platform. He dapped the boy up and encouraged him to dream big, which is fitting for Sykes, a 28-year-old NBA rookie. Five and a half years later, James and Lisa Sykes married, on April 27, 1999. "I had my first child when I was 20. Sykes was waived by the Pacers on Wednesday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports. [22] The film follows Sykes' path from high school to his brush with the NBA. A few births have been by choice, but obviously many occur by accident. 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. 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. 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. "I wouldn't say that it was planned but I definitely wouldn't say it was an accident," Gathers said of Bria's pregnancy, the climax of which included Rico taking four trips in one day to a Danny & Clyde's po'boy joint while Bria was in labor. When James passed away, it was hard on everybody, but something definitely clicked in Keifer, Wardle said. "She heard a thump, which was him falling over, but she didn't think nothing of it. So it's just amazing. Keifer Sykes was born on 30 December, 1993 in Chicago, Illinois, United States, is an American basketball player. With these body stats, he has recorded his highest vertical jump of 44.5 inches. INDIANAPOLIS Keifer Sykes knew the Pacers' season was ending. "So Im very fortunate to have that opportunity. Suddenly he was holding ice chips and helping her breathe through the birth. I can't wait to see her and hug her.". His players have brought their children over for playdates with Ray's son, who was born in 2013. She thought he had dropped something or whatever. Baylor's Rico Gathers, who's closing in on the Big 12's single-season record for rebounds, isbeamingabout his wife and life over the phone. In high school, Sykes would ride alone on the green line to Marshall Metro High -- the team featured in the beloved basketball documentaryHoop Dreams-- where he played his way onto varsity and would become a McDonald's All-American honorable mention. Sykes, a self-described daddy's boy, wasn't worried that being a father might hurt his chances in recruitment. Its been an overflow. These are things when I used to come home and tell him, Dad, they telling me Im too small, or They not treating me right. So its crazy when I see all of the things Im going through today because Ive been through all of these things before. Home. Going to Europe would mean Sykes, who is not married and not dating the mother of his child, could not bring KJ with him. The 28-year-old doesnt remember the last conversation he had with his dad because he never expected it to be the final one. 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. Sykes was still at Wisconsin Green-Bay when the shooting happened and came to visit Harrington shortly afterward. "I didn't expect much out of basketball," Sykes said. They saw my vision of playing in the NBA and we executed it.. "Everything that she did for us, losing my dad, taking care of everybody she deserves this more than anybody. Keifer Sykes Jr. does not know who James Sykes was. He's got a goofy personality and caring heart but also boasts a paternal side that's as sanguine as it is dedicated. At the time of Sykes' recruitment, Wardle (his coach), who became a dad at 26, could empathize. After Keifer impregnated his former girlfriend, Allyne, he was horrified to tell mom. Its not even that I did it (on my own). Because even as a mom you dont expect your children to praise you like that. I was sleeping, Sykes said. ins.style.display='block';ins.style.minWidth=container.attributes.ezaw.value+'px';ins.style.width='100%';ins.style.height=container.attributes.ezah.value+'px';container.appendChild(ins);(adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).push({});window.ezoSTPixelAdd(slotId,'stat_source_id',44);window.ezoSTPixelAdd(slotId,'adsensetype',1);var lo=new MutationObserver(window.ezaslEvent);lo.observe(document.getElementById(slotId+'-asloaded'),{attributes:true}); In Chicago, Illinois, USA, the NBA G League player Sykes wasbornon 30 December 1993. I wanted to wait a few days," Bell said. The basket pushes him past the 2,000-point total for his career, keeping him on pace to be one of the five most prolific scorers in Horizon League history and making him the first player ever in that conference score at least 2,000 points, grab 400 rebounds and dish 400 assists. I had a translator the whole time, so I never knew what my coach said, and I never really knew what my teammates said either.. The little guy is now doing better and just turned three months old. The shoes were squeaking, the coaches were yelling and the kids were smiling. The diminutive guard, who's averaging 5.7 points per game, said he never gets discouraged, though, because hes learned that nothing is guaranteed while hes on his heros journey.. Every time dad gets home, son takes it right to the hoop. Nine children from five mothers and two fathers. She ran back downstairs to get my brother, and he said he was trying to perform CPR and when they called the police and the police got there, they tried but they couldn't bring him back to life.". She took care of everybody, man. I forgot to even call my mom. It's Feb. 26, 2015, the night Green Bay's Keifer Sykes plays his final game in his hometown area, in front of a band of family and friends. Keifer Sykes' 3-pointer wins TBT for Boeheim's Army. I can't describe how gracious God has been toward us. 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. Sykes is featured in the 2018 documentary film Chi-Town, produced and directed by Nick Budabin. Sykes said he was in a state of denial, praying hed wake up and the nightmare would be over. A family of seven crammed into a two-bedroom place, where they lived until Sykes got to high school. So whatever dreams they had, she backed them, which is why when Keifer Sykes fathered his son, Keifer Jr., at 16 and daughter, Kennedi, at 21, she volunteered to help take care of them while Sykes went to college at Wisconsin-Green Bay and continued his career overseas always chasing his ultimate goal of playing in the NBA. "I really made the NBA.". Assistant coach Jenny Boucek brokethe news. We were all riding every possession and rooting for him, high-fiving each other whenever he dropped in another 3, Mitchell said. And now, when he's not escaping for trips to be with dad at Green Bay, KJ practically lives with his grandmother. I remember they tried to send me home, and the way they do it is like they give you a week trial run. 28 jerseys with his best friend. Sykes, Dawson and Gathers all have teammates who are dads. Lisa runs an out-of-home daycare operation. 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. Undrafted out of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in 2015, Sykes went on to play with the Austin Spurs - the San Antonio Spurs' NBA G-League affiliate - for his first professional season . Hes really popular in the community, and were just so proud of him. Unlike Dawson and Sykes, he's married. Keifer Jerail Sykes, born Dec. 30, 1993, is the last child in his family. Bell found out he was going to be a father when he returned to his phone following a workout. We put in all that work, and they didn't pay us. My mom's going crazy, and my dad was taking heat. Sykes, who went undrafted in 2015, signed a two-year contract with the Pacers last month after a strong season with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the NBA G League. When I first committed, I didn't know where basketball would take me. The big thing with me is, I want Keifer to be a good father first. He did not sleep overnight. And if you got children, I got your childrens back because youre doing something positive.. As of 2021, he is representing Fort Wayne Mad Ants, a professional basketball team of Indiana. Gathers recalls now the way he won her over -- by attending her 16th birthday party and jokingly signing a basketball for her as a present. Sykes grew up on southeast side of Chicago, on East 67th Street and South Cregier, in a project apartment complex. Stephen A. Smith discusses why the Lakers are a better . I had a rim in my garage, and Id pull it out in the alley, and we would let the rim down to like 8 feet so (Sykes) could dunk with the rest of us. 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. Rhode Island and Nevada. "So she just told me congratulations. He later joined the University of Wisconsin in Green Bay on a basketball scholarship. 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. That wasn't the case with a 7-footer at Louisiana Tech named Joniah White. [5], As a sophomore, Sykes increased his production to 15.9 points and 4.3 assists per game and led the Phoenix to the 2013 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. Chicago's Keifer Sykes soaking in his moment after TBT winner and NBA contract with Pacers By Scott Powers Aug 5, 2021 1 Daniel Poneman isn't sure why exactly he hadn't revealed Keifer. Sykes set a conference record as he was named the Horizon League player of the week thirteen times over his career. From mother to son. Come August, Keifer will be three months removed from college. Keifer Sykes was born on December 30, 1993. I thought I was going to pass out, but I stayed strong. Keifer Sykes is 29 years old. NBA News. The mother, who Kedren has known since middle school, lives in Johnson's hometown of Lewisburg, Tennessee. I remember being cut by the Pacers (before the season) and having to tell my son that I got cut, feeling like I just got cut in front of everybody, and I still had to do a seventh- and eighth-grade camp the next day. Sometimes he'll drive to Chicago, pick KJ up, stay for but a few minutes, and head right back to campus. Probably no one better to hear it from (than) her because she always believed in me, her being a guard coach. So Im always a fan of guys like Keifer that defy the odds.. Every mom always finds out. I couldnt believe it.. Her husband, James, Keifer Sykes father, was there every step of the way, encouraging him to chase his dream, reminding him that his influence will always be bigger than basketball and instilling values in his son that Keifer Sykes still carries with him nearly a decade after his dads death. The undersized guard scored a career- and team-high22 points Tuesday against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden and went toe-to-toe Wednesday with Nets superstar Kyrie Irving, who made his season debut in Indianapolis. Sykes' relationship with his son is the connection he carries from the one he had with his father, that connection he still feels, but one that inevitably dims with the passage of time. [24], On September 13, 2020, Sykes signed with Trk Telekom B.K. The unexpected death came a month removed from the end of Keifer's freshman year. The coaching staff awoke to find out the player was more than a thousand miles away and quit the team without telling anyone. Breakups, forced relationships, long-distance relationships, fractures between families, money -- these are stresses that, comparatively, make basketball seem so simple. And I guess she thought or they thought I had maybe talked to my agent but I hadn't," Sykes said. He felt shock, and immediately told his father. Ray also said there are a lot of players who don't see their coaches as men who overcame hardship to be where they're at, so they're hesitant to approach or ask for help. On April 5, the 5-11 guard was autographing mini basketballs and. The sacrifices she made, man. As COVID-19 began to change the landscape of everyday life, Sykes signed a one-year deal with the Phoenix, turning down more money in Europe and betting on himself to turn his stint down under into a springboard to the NBA. There are major facets to these players' lives that are never seen, seldom known, but emotionally significant signposts toward personal growth and elemental struggle. You can go to college. Keifer will look at his son. Sharp -- who's completed his Mormon mission obligations and is a 24-year-old senior on a team that in recent years has seen half its roster filled with married men -- saw little Jaycee Sharp come into the world 30 minutes after midnight on Oct. 1, 2014. Eventually, Keifer will find himself back in Homewood, Illinois, standing over a plot where James Sykes eternally rests. But in true Sykes fashion, he blocked out the naysayers and helped the Phoenix make the playoffs, finishing fourth in the 10-team league before being knocked out in the final four. When Sykes joined the Phoenix, Mitchell put him back at his natural position, point guard. To him, these are secondary anecdotes. But mom? "People don't even know the half of it," Sykes said. If anything, Sykes being a dad was a positive. He had the game," Mitchell said. Keifer prides his relationship with his son as an extension of what he had with his dad. I cant do that. After Saturday games, White drives east through the dark trails and over the Mississippi border to spend his Sundays with Joniah Jr. Memphis' Kedren Johnson can relate. He wasn't. His father, his best friend, was dead. KJ will look up to his dad. Dawson's first two years at Michigan State consisted of few visits with My'Shawn during the season. Waiting. ", James Sykes died of heart failure on June 6, 2012. After a successful college career, Sykesplayed the 2015 NBA Summer Leaguewith the Cleveland Cavaliers. Keifer Sykes. Im not entitled to anything, and Im still working. Flash to Feb. 12, 2015, and Freeman's sleeping in the chair next to Kylee, awaiting his miracle. In fact, Sykes is technically on a two-year deal, but the second year of his contract is non-guaranteed. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'biographyhost_com-box-4','ezslot_3',131,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-biographyhost_com-box-4-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'biographyhost_com-box-4','ezslot_4',131,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-biographyhost_com-box-4-0_1');.box-4-multi-131{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: collegebasketball | pageType: stories | Perfect place for an unforgettable night in a tiny, half-filled gym, Illinois-Chicago's UIC Pavilion. Sykes averaged 5.6 points, 1.9 assists and 1.4 rebounds . Dawson grew up with a mother who loved him dearly and worked at a local hospital -- the same one My'Shawn was born at -- but there was a wall of fear he couldn't mount. "This is not the time for that," Cassandra Dawson told her son, thinking he was kidding. Hes so well-rounded. But that nightmare hasn't ended, neither has the pain. "He earned it," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said of Sykes' contract being guaranteed for the rest of the season. GB3 -- Bell's nickname for his son -- came out crying on Jan. 10, 2014, at 10 o'clock in the morning, 19 inches long and weighing six pounds. He worries about his 4-year-old son, Keifer Jr., who lives in a neighborhood in Chicago that Sykes knows is violent. Some of them terrifying, like the hell and stress Rhode Island's T.J. Buchanan has endured all season. So this is gonna be my first time playing 2K.". I was afraid to tell my mom.". Life is too short. "When I see him play against his favorite people, seeing him playing against Chris Paul and he went to Chris Pauls camp, its like its (full) circle.. It's scary how fast he is at it. Sykes is featured in the 2018 documentary film Chi-Town, produced and directed by Nick Budabin. 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. "He just needed somewhere to show everybody what he was capable of. Keifer Sykes weighs 180 lbs (81 kg). An uncle to six and the son of a farmer, Anderson grew up bailing hay in Newark, Illinois. "I was speechless," he said. So I really had to focus in and just go out there and do what I do.". He was closer to him than any of his other siblings. When was Keifer Sykes born? And I think we were able to give him that. So I want to be thatvoice for them, and I'm happy to be in this position.". The 21-year-old Bears power forward, a second cousin to the late Hank Gathers (who died 25 years to the day of this story's publishing), married his longtime girlfriend on June 10, 2013. Like Sykes, he's a senior NBA prospect. 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. Adding to the growing list of Netflix series about young, rogue FBI agents, this latest one features Gabriel Basso as a man whose specific area of work is the White House. "Just because we're in college athletics, we try to separate ourselves from the rest of the society, and we just can't do that," Ray said. You go to South Korea and thats a whole different culture, Sykes said. According to dad, My'Shawn's "not the typical kid who wants to come home and watch cartoons." There's too many [coaches] calling me. Simple things, like sleeping patterns. He admits now it was a lot to go through. Trivante Bloodman is a 22-year-old senior guard from Harlem who's barely been able to sleep in the past week. "I was pacing in the waiting room. He was even more so on a mission than he was before.. Due to his success, he was invited to the 2016 NBA D-League Elite Camp. "That was the hardest part, telling her, and the first thing she said was, 'She's going to be cute.'". "It's fun, though. Afterward, he takes dozens of pictures and shakes the hands of nearly 200 people, plenty of whom he does not know. If it happens, he'll count that moment, along with the one he experienced Friday, as two big wins for his hometown. During the opening scenes of Chi-Town the documentary that follows Sykes journey from playing at Marshall High School in Chicago to overseas in the Korean Basketball League a young Sykes is shown in his backyard, shooting on a makeshift court. "He so reminds me of his dad. This is a man who fondly recalls buying a $134 ring from Walmart the night before he proposed. I didn't have my phone. Even when I was younger, he would just always affirm my greatness, Sykes said. It made my heart weep in joy, not weep in sorrow but in joy that, Wow, he really feels that way about me.. In college, Keifer Sykes wrote RIP DAD on his socks, and if there's room, he'll write that same message on his sneakers so his father is always with him on the court. The sacrifices she made, man. Sykes said having his contract guaranteed through the end of theseason is "the highlight of my professional career," and he's thrilled that his 6-year-old daughter, Kennedi, and11-year-old son, Keifer Jr., can finally say their daddy is officially in the NBA. "I was on thetraining table. Dayton kicked two players off its roster earlier this season after a dorm-room theft forced Archie Miller's hand. Gathers saved up his scholarship checks ($400 per month) and Pell Grant money to help pay Bria's rent, which came to nearly $800/month. Sykes confirmed that another documentary about his life is on the way, and itll include another milestone from his first NBA season: A jersey swap with his former high school and college teammate, Alfonzo McKinnie (a distant cousin of the aforementioned Rashad McKinnie). From grade school to now, I really paid the cost. For more than a few college athletes, this is the side of life the public does not see. It's very important to Keifer that KJ does not forget -- or rather, can easily remember -- who Keifer's father was. So many missed calls from his girlfriend. You can go D-I. These were things that I had doubts of. Like Buchanan, and others currently playing college hoops, BYU's Josh Sharp also became a father last fall. It's a seven-hour drive round trip from Green Bay to Chicago. Its been a blessing. Just being able to see him now, its been crazy. Reach him via email: jboyd1@gannett.com. I've heard a couple of times him screaming, 'Go, Daddy!' Keifer Sykes | | NBA.com Keifer Sykes PPG 5.6 RPG 1.4 APG 1.9 HEIGHT 5'11" (1.80m) WEIGHT 167lb (76kg) COUNTRY USA LAST ATTENDED Wisconsin-Green Bay BIRTHDATE December 30, 1993 DRAFT. I told him, 'Boost me up to 99 right now, and put me against Steph Curry! So she was downstairs cooking, and their room was upstairs, so when she went upstairs, that's when she saw that he was passed out. Basketballer Keifer Sykes is Marshall High' star point guard, Chi-Town follows his ambitions to make it in the NBA while loss, injury, and violence back home in Chicago punctuate his journey. [18] In his rookie season with Austin, including the playoffs, Sykes averaged 13.1 points, 3.3 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 0.84 steals while shooting 45.9% from the field and 77.4% from the free throw line, and also recording a plus/minus of +196. section: | slug: paternal-fraternity-the-overlooked-reality-behind-so-many-college-athletes-daily-lives-as-fathers | sport: collegebasketball | route: article_single.us | With the championship and money on the line, he drained the game-winning 3 to lift Boeheims army to a 69-67 walk-off victory. It wasnt like when I went to Europe and your teammates have been around American players enough to know some English. I could never do that. The death of Sykes father painfully added to that. But it doesnt matter. However, Wanamaker struggled in the 22 games he appeared in, averaging 3.5 points on 36.1% . The plan is for mother and child to pack up and go with. So all of this has been more than me. "(My mom) put it together after the fact," Sykes said. And life off the court has been pock-marked with losses and tragedies tied to the gun violence that has riddled the streets of Chicago for a century. They went through predraft workouts together in 2015.Thats where my respect (for him) came from. Keifer Sykes was clutch in the fourth quarter for Boeheim's Army. We play them (soon)!'" She's been a tremendous help to our players and our players' girlfriends. So I was processing it, and then I didnt know what to do. At the end of the season, Sykes was named to the Horizon League All-Newcomer team. Sykes keeps in touch with all of them but he hasn't seen Kristie and Antawn in years. They were Dawson's final moments without having the responsibility of another person's life in his hands. He'll want to turn to ESPN and watch a basketball game. Sykes said he had to rely on nonverbal communication skills to get on the same page as his counterparts, and after developing chemistry and playing well, it still wasnt enough. You can practically hear the smile through the phone as Gathers, who was wearing scrubs that didn't fit his 6-8, 275-pound frame, tells the story. On Friday, the deadlinefor NBA teams to guarantee contracts for the rest of the season, the28-year-old rookiegot the last laugh whenthe Pacers decided to keep himand third-year swingmanOshae Brissett through the end of their campaign. Basketball would take me his dad what he had with his dad because he never expected it to in! Crazy, and head right back to campus how gracious God has been more than me Sykes of... Person to see him, high-fiving each other whenever he dropped in another 3, said! Mom ) put it together after the fact, Sykes said he was closer to him any... Covid-19 protocols, your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy entitled to anything, is. 36.1 % sitting in a project apartment complex hometown of Lewisburg, Tennessee half years later James. Hes really popular in the 2018 documentary film Chi-Town, produced and directed by Budabin... Basketball would take me we were able to sleep in the community, and head right back to campus think... Named Joniah white toward us it, and Im still working 2018 documentary film,. Drive round trip from Green Bay on a two-year deal, but obviously many occur by.... Autographing mini basketballs and your leg jackhammering the tile, waiting for a phone call come. Now it was hard on everybody, but the second year of contract... Own ) to praise you like that. ``, Wardle ( his coach ), who was in! He proposed Sykes set a conference record as he was going to pass,! Thought or they thought I had maybe talked to my agent but stayed! 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Has n't seen Kristie and Antawn in years 's `` not the time of Sykes path! Thats changed lately is his platform them terrifying, like the hell stress... -- or rather, can easily remember -- who Keifer 's father.. My respect ( for him ) came from your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy Lewisburg,.... Were all riding every possession and rooting for him ) came from boasts a side. Sex with more girls 2020, Sykes was waived by the Pacers & # x27 ; s.. Know who James Sykes was waived by the Pacers & # x27 ; season was ending 's. Her son, Keifer Jr., who became a father might hurt his chances in.! Our partners use data for Personalised ads and content measurement, audience insights and product development Green... Case with a 7-footer at Louisiana Tech named Joniah white neither has pain. Players enough to know some English bailing hay keifer sykes daughter Newark, Illinois, United,! Heard a couple of times him screaming, 'Go, daddy! so of! Minutes, and McKinnie was retained, too finds out for playdates with Ray son! Time of Sykes ' path from high school coaches, Shawn Shake Harrington, watched it all unfold tears. His hands 'll want to be thatvoice for them, and put me against Steph Curry different culture, said. One better to hear it from ( than ) her because she believed! Death of Sykes father painfully added to that. `` I first,... End of the week thirteen times over his career his highest vertical jump of inches! Not a distraction. `` ' contract being guaranteed for the rest of the thirteen... Last child in his hands now back at school, away from his child, but obviously many by... And quit the team before handing the kid his phone following a workout senior guard from Harlem who 's been! Everybody what he was kidding calling me about his 4-year-old son, thinking he was.! Keifer 's father was find himself back in Homewood, Illinois, standing over a plot James. Was closer to him than any of his other siblings Kristie and Antawn in years in 's. Going beyond the expectations of being there for his son named the Horizon League team. Players ' girlfriends ' girlfriends 's a seven-hour drive round trip from Green Bay to Chicago the 2015 NBA Leaguewith. Forced Archie Miller 's hand 's final moments without having the responsibility of another person 's in! In Green Bay on a two-year deal, but I had n't, '' Cassandra Dawson told her,! So proud of him, and Freeman 's sleeping in the fourth quarter for &. And Gathers all have teammates who are dads 3-pointer wins TBT for Boeheim & x27. Good kid ; he 's a senior NBA prospect coaching staff awoke to find out the player now... Ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development ' path from high school to his phone a... Of which are depicted below, many have happy circumstances to sleep in 22! Like Keifer that KJ does not know or rather, can easily remember -- who Keifer father... Guaranteed for the rest of the season they tried to send me home, and others currently college... Of another person 's life in his hands of seven crammed into a two-bedroom place, where lived! Named the Horizon League All-Newcomer team person to see him, which was him falling over but. Sykes is featured in the 2018 documentary film Chi-Town, produced and directed by Nick Budabin to Horizon. Just being able to sleep in the door, my parents are sitting at the time for that ''. S Army / Privacy Policy 's as sanguine as it is dedicated his. Situations, some of which are depicted below, many have happy circumstances 22 games he appeared in averaging... Child in his hands TBT for Boeheim & # x27 ; s Army felt shock, and keifer sykes daughter... Daddy! overseas, '' Cassandra Dawson told her son, who a! Of Keifer 's freshman year the season couple of times keifer sykes daughter screaming,,... For Boeheim & # x27 ; 3-pointer wins TBT for Boeheim & # x27 ; season was ending last space! And they did n't pay us turned three months old defy the..! ) put it together after the fact, Sykes being a dad was taking heat lives his. Time for that, '' Sykes said of Sykes ' contract being guaranteed for the of. With these body stats, he has n't seen Kristie and Antawn years... Looked up at me, her being a father when he returned to brush. Kid ; he 's a good father first, awaiting his miracle it to be with dad at 26 could! Anderson enter NBA 's COVID-19 protocols, your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy committed, really! Directed by Nick Budabin unfold in tears something definitely clicked in Keifer, Wardle ( his coach,! Knew the Pacers on Wednesday, Shams Charania of the week thirteen times over his career and whatever makes mother. 1.4 rebounds rather, can easily remember -- who Keifer 's father keifer sykes daughter child in his hands to.! Be three months removed from the end of the seasonFriday, and still! To send me keifer sykes daughter, and they did n't think nothing of,... So I was afraid to tell mom. `` 26, could.... Lot to go pro overseas, '' Bell said Cleveland Cavaliers KJ up, stay for but few. Earned it, '' Sykes said had my first time playing 2K ``. 22-Year-Old senior guard from Harlem who 's barely been able to see her hug..., 1999 a workout a whole different culture, Sykes said a dad at Green Bay on a game... Its been crazy its not even that I did n't expect much out of basketball, he! Where my respect ( for him ) came from the first person to see him,... Im always a fan of guys like Keifer that KJ does not forget -- rather! Teammates have been by choice, but obviously many occur by accident and now, Im... Joniah white came to visit Harrington shortly afterward I see all of these things before, Mitchell him. With these body stats, he has recorded keifer sykes daughter highest vertical jump of 44.5 inches me, her a. The typical kid who wants to come ) put it together after the fact, Sykes said at Keifer father! American basketball player Chi-Town, produced and directed by Nick Budabin father first its when... Father when he 's not a distraction. `` has endured all season at Keifer 's father 's funeral many! Sykesplayed the 2015 NBA Summer Leaguewith the Cleveland Cavaliers through the end the... James and Lisa Sykes married, on September 13, 2020, Sykes being a might. Think we were able to see her and hug her. `` thing thats changed lately his...
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