I do a lot of things for my foundation before I was even in the NBA. I remember looking up in the clouds like, My dad is in heaven already? Ill never forget that I was holding myself together until we got to the corner and turned down my block, thats when I was just like, Damn and broke down like crazy. 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. They think, 'that's what I eat, so that's what the baby should eat.' Rotowire Apr 6, 2022. "We were a stage for him to perform on. More:Pacers swingmen Torrey Craig, Justin Anderson enter NBA's COVID-19 protocols. Over Indianas past two games,Sykes is averaging 20.0points, 5.5assists and 3.5rebounds while shooting 53.8% from the field, 50.0% on 3-pointers and 85.7% at the free-throw line. It's about mom just as much as dad. That wasn't the case with a 7-footer at Louisiana Tech named Joniah White. When Wardle got to Sykes' dorm room, the 18-year-old was sitting alone on his bathroom floor, sobbing. 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. His dad is alive, but he's not around and never has been. "I wasn't trying to map out a strategy to go pro. 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. I didnt go somewhere that eased me into it. Their relationship was so strong, their parents were OK with Bria moving to Waco, enrolling in a community college, and living in her own apartment at 18. We see him as one our guys, even though we only played a small part in his rise and elevation. I was the first person to see him, which was pretty cool.". He graduates in two months. You could be winning and they still try to nitpick at something. The Cavaliers went on to win the 2014 ACC regular-season title and earn a No. The Pacers' Keifer Sykes.AP [30][31] He was waived on April 7, 2022. He is at Green Bay because that staff impressed his father. Buchanan, who leads URI in assists, played in Tuesday night's game against the Flyers, a vital one for Rhode Island's NCAA tourney at-large chances. I just repeated it like, Remember what your dad said. His dad taught him everything he knows about being a man, being responsible and taking the lead in everything you do.. 1:08; See All. She's long had a keen love for caring for the young, something as immediately evident in Keifer as his flaring athleticism. "I really made the NBA.". Keifer Sykes would have used his share of the $2 million championship prize to help his Free 10 Foundation and his church. Gathers' teammate, Al Freeman? He madehis firstNBA startat Cleveland onJan. 2, scoring 10 points. So, hell most likely head into the offseason having to prove himself all over again to the Pacers and other NBA franchises for a shot to remain in the best league in the world. Keifer's always been a person purely at comfort around family and only his family. At the time of Sykes' recruitment, Wardle (his coach), who became a dad at 26, could empathize. "I was on thetraining table. However, they waived him on 21 October of the same year, after three preseason games. "I walk in the door, my parents are sitting at the table. He carried the Phoenix to a 75-72 victory with 21 points and a game-high 10 assists, compared to 17 points and six rebounds from Brogdon. "I can finally say I made it," Sykes said. 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. Theres a lot of different rules over there. Lisa was there with her cancer-stricken mother; James was there tending to his niece after she'd been assaulted in a domestic dispute. We had nothing, man. If it happens, he'll count that moment, along with the one he experienced Friday, as two big wins for his hometown. The season included an upset over eventual Atlantic Coast Conference regular season champion (and NCAA tournament 1-seed) Virginia in a game which saw Sykes score 21 points and distribute 10 assists. "He just needed somewhere to show everybody what he was capable of. [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 two-time Horizon League Player of the Year scores a career-best 36 against UIC, helping the Phoenix win 72-67. Hes so well-rounded. According to dad, My'Shawn's "not the typical kid who wants to come home and watch cartoons." 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. Sykes estimated he's trekked it back and forth about 20 times per season over the past four years. Moreover, last year on her 5th birthday, Sykes took it to his Instagram@ksykeyb28. After the euphoria of winning TBT and signing a training camp deal with the Pacers, Sykes faced another hurdle when he was cut before the season started. He and his wife/high school sweetheart, Laura, are expecting. Follow IndyStar Pacers beat writer James Boyd on Twitter: @RomeovilleKid. Oh my God, that melted me, Lisa Sykes said, her voice shaking. 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. Once she looked up at me, it was over after that.". One afternoon Keifer was on the green line, headed back home, when he got a call. I was an All-Star, we won the regular-season (league) title and postseason title, but over there its so cutthroat, Sykes said. He has just one full sibling, James Sykes Jr., and seven more half-siblings: DaVon, Jarvis, Kristie, Jameeka,. If anything, Sykes being a dad was a positive. A tremendous man," Wardle said. Imagine sitting in a class, your leg jackhammering the tile, waiting for a phone call to come. Due to his success, he was invited to the 2016 NBA D-League Elite Camp. In thesix years of his professional career, Sykes has played for various leagues worldwide, including the NBA and NBA G League. Five and a half years later, James and Lisa Sykes married, on April 27, 1999. Keifer says his first pro basketball check will go toward buying and engraving a tombstone for his father. It wasn't a happy cry. "He's absolutely like his dad," Lisa Sykes said of her youngest. in the Turkish TBL, posting 22.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. Some schools turned down interview requests. They have a hierarchy. Like Sykes, he's a senior NBA prospect. He's going beyond the expectations of being there for his son. If he's in town, have him around practice, around the locker room. It's nothing else but about KJ.". 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. On April 5, the 5-11 guard was autographing mini basketballs and. "It's always been this way, really, but off the record, it's demographics, number one, and popularity of basketball players today," one coach said. This is my path, and thats just what it is. So I really had to focus in and just go out there and do what I 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. When he's running around, jumping, having fun, I can't do nothing but laugh. They last shared space together in 2012 -- at Keifer's father's funeral. [25], On October 4, 2020, Sykes signed a 1-month contract with Panathinaikos of the Greek Basket League. Bell's boy already loves basketball. Some of them terrifying, like the hell and stress Rhode Island's T.J. Buchanan has endured all season. We commit to cover sensible issues responsibly through the principles of neutrality. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. 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. After waiting for months, Dawson found the courage while plopped on a bus headed to Milwaukee. They just don't know. Think back to high school. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. "She's the key to being married, to being a dad. He was on a trip for a basketball tournament, and that's when he called his mother at work. Like Sykes, he opted not to turn pro early despite having a child to feed. When was Keifer Sykes born? That was crazy, but the craziest part is that if we had made it to the championship (in Australia), I wouldve missed the deadline to submit (for TBT).. Mississippi State is the prime example. Discover Keifer Sykes's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. He relies on the motto, "More God," meaning that whenever he's faced with adversity, he'll trust God even more and remain the course. [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. Keifer said that conversation will probably come in the next year or so. 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 first words out of his mouth are eerily foreshadowing. And if you got children, I got your childrens back because youre doing something positive.. Eventually, Keifer will find himself back in Homewood, Illinois, standing over a plot where James Sykes eternally rests. Sykes went on to become a three-time First-Team All-Horizon League honoree and two-time Horizon League Player of the Year, solidifying himself as one of the best players in Wisconsin-Green Bay history. Without an iota of resentment in his voice, the Michigan State star answers: three years. He's brand new to this game. Keifer Sykes #28 of the Indiana Pacers dribbles the ball while being guarded by Chris Paul #3 of the Phoenix Suns in the third quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Jan. 14, 2022, in Indianapolis. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 27 years old? Every situation is different. Keifer Sykes' 3-pointer wins TBT for Boeheim's Army. Vital players at Cincinnati, Southeastern Louisiana and VCU (two players) are fathers. He admits now it was a lot to go through. I was really on my own and traveling in Chicago for an hour each way each day. He posted a picture carrying her and wrote a beautiful heartfelt message. We treat him as one of us. Sykes father, James, died of a heart attack June 6, 2012. The hardest thing was the drive. 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. American NBA Player, Representative of Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Indiana. His daughter Zarah has just turned six years old on 22 September 2021. 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. 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. KJ doesn't know just yet how his grandfather died -- or even what death is, or that people disappear from the world in abrupt and unfair ways. All Rights Reserved. After a successful college career, Sykesplayed the 2015 NBA Summer Leaguewith the Cleveland Cavaliers. Assistant coach Jenny Boucek brokethe news. It's scary how fast he is at it. My'Shawn's mother lives back in Indiana; it was her idea to have father and child live together this season, in part because she's working night shifts at a Speedway to save money and find some quiet that was lost during the early years of My'Shawn's life. The contract became guaranteed. He has just one full sibling, James Sykes Jr., and seven more half-siblings: DaVon, Jarvis, Kristie, Jameeka, Rashaunda, Shakeeya and Antwan. (In this case, an ex-girlfriend of Kiefer's told her.) 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. 6-keys: media/spln/collegebasketball/reg/free/stories, at He's a guy that people have underestimated, whether its his size or what school he went to, and hes clearly continued to work on his game, to grind, to believe in himself. College basketball rosters across the country are dotted with young dads. "Keifer Sykes was a +27," Pacers assistant coach Mike Weinar said when spotlighting players who were effective in a summer league win over the Wizards. "It's fun, though. When I first committed, I didn't know where basketball would take me. 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. He converted a traditional 3-point play when he drove, banked a shot and got a free throw, too. One night, when a super . But it doesnt matter. 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. [22] The film follows Sykes' path from high school to his brush with the NBA. As Sykes sat in the Pacers' practice facility after shootaround Tuesday, he laughed as he reflected on his Italian team, Scandone Avellino, going bankrupt after the 2018-19 season and failing to pay its players their full salaries. . Its a real heros journey.. "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.. Free schooling.". Sykes is featured in the 2018 documentary film Chi-Town, produced and directed by Nick Budabin. He'll want to turn to ESPN and watch a basketball game. He played college basketball for the University of WisconsinGreen Bay and his professional career has included stints at Anyang KGC of the Korean Basketball League, Ankara DSI of the Basketball Super League, S.S. Felice Scandone of the Lega Basket Serie A and South East Melbourne Phoenix of the National Basketball League. Having seen each other from afar in previous years, they met again, of all places, in an ER when she was 23. In that week, Sykes averaged 28.7 points, five rebounds, and four assists per game while shooting 53.6% from the field, 50% from three, and leading the Phoenix to a 30 record. The two met in middle school in Louisiana, and remained close friends until things turned romantic midway through high school. 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. Soon after, the Austin Spurs acquired him for the NBA G League, and Sykes stayed there until 2016. Lisa Sykes was asking her son's coach to tell Keifer his father was gone because she couldn't bear to do it. 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. INDIANAPOLIS Keifer Sykes knew the Pacers' season was ending. So many missed calls from his girlfriend. He'll have his headstone then, and he'll have his son and grandson touching it. On 5 August 2021, he also struck a deal with the NBA team, Indiana Pacers. The game-winner capped. On July 21, 2016, he was selected by Anyang KGC in the second round of the 2016 KBL draft.[20]. "The rim looked so small. The sport is now, has long been, and will continue to be populated by men who are fathers well before they are emotionally and financially ready for the task. Most did. "I was speechless," he said. They want me to stay overseas to make more money for them. How old is Keifer Sykes? James Sykes, a former vice president of the Broadway Armory Park association, is buried at Memorial Gardens in Homewood, Illinois. Former Pacers guard Keifer Sykes, center, hosts a free youth camp at the Irsay Family YMCA in Indianapolis on April 30, 2022. Averyelle was born shortly after the sun came up. 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. 28 jerseys with his best friend. Life is too short. Buchanan flew into Detroit after Sunday's Rams practice, then spent his Monday helplessly pacing around the University of Michigan Medical Center as his 18-week-old son underwent open-heart surgery. He worries about his 4-year-old son, Keifer Jr., who lives in a neighborhood in Chicago that Sykes knows is violent. Until she did. 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. Then he sank a 17-footer over . He felt shock, and immediately told his father. 2023 www.indystar.com. Sykes was selected in the second round of the 2016 Korean Basketball League by the Anyang Korea Ginseng Corporation, taking a 15-hour trip across the world that began a roughly five-year journey abroad. Simple things, like sleeping patterns. But the most important thing said that night: "The child will be taken care of." Johnson has two teammates, Markel Crawford and Trahson Burrell, who are fathers. Keifer Sykes arrived on Wisconsin-Green Bay's campus as a 17-year old and made an immediate impact his freshman season, playing 29 minutes per night for the Phoenix. He has not revealed his current relationship or marital status. I'm still frustrated we lost, but now I'm like, that's over with. Wardle, who is now the head coach at Bradley, called James Sykes a tremendous man, the type who, alongside Lisa Sykes, wanted his son to be held to the highest standard in all areas. Luckily for Wardle, he said he never had to spend too much energy in those departments because even though Sykes was just 17 when he made his college debut making him one of the youngest players in the country he was prepared beyond his years. Some of the scenarios are not ideal. "She heard a thump, which was him falling over, but she didn't think nothing of it. "I had my first child when I was 20. We playing my hometown team, it was just my birthday (Dec. 30), everybody is excited like, 'You finally (got) the call up.' Keifer Sykes is 29 years old. "It's not easy," Sykes said of juggling fatherhood with basketball and an impending graduation. And to get back and go to my high school and give my jersey, to see all of the people there the men that helped me become a man, the role models that played a role in my life and inspired me, that helped me I think today was the first day I was able to look up like, Man, its really real.. The biggest help to me is my wife. Manage Settings Every year he's gotten better at balancing and understanding that. He later joined the San Antonio Spurs on 28 September 2015. There are dads playing at Minnesota and UNC Wilmington. 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. 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. The big thing with me is, I want Keifer to be a good father first. In addition to having the second-highest teen pregnancy rate, Mississippi charts as the poorest state in the nation. The night before Averyelle was born, Johnson flew from Tulane back to Memphis, got in his car, immediately drove the three and a half hours to Franklin, Tennessee's Williamson Medical Center, and arrived around 3 a.m. "Looking back on my season, where did it go, and it's been a weird, weird year.". INDIANAPOLIS Keifer Sykes remembers every doubter. when he's on the foul line. Im doing what I do as a mom and thats to provide for my children and back them in everything they do, Lisa Sykes said. He listens. Buchanan III is expected to stay in the hospital until at least this coming Sunday as the scar on his heart slowly starts to heal. Following his senior year at Marshall Metro in Chicago, Sykes wasn't even considered a top-25 senior in Illinois. When Sykes joined the Phoenix, Mitchell put him back at his natural position, point guard. Going to Europe would mean Sykes, who is not married and not dating the mother of his child, could not bring KJ with him. My brother calls me and gives me the news, literally out of my sleep. It's very important to Keifer that KJ does not forget -- or rather, can easily remember -- who Keifer's father was. They all have their own things that they do, and I got your back. Dozens of programs were contacted for this story and asked if they had a player on their roster who was a father or a father-to-be. Its the shift (within in the community) that matters more.. So Im always a fan of guys like Keifer that defy the odds.. And like Dawson and Sykes, he's a pro prospect. Sykes didn't like the recruiting process -- at all. "The team was always paying us late, and they didn't think we would make the playoffs, but we got in the last spot, played the No. section: | slug: paternal-fraternity-the-overlooked-reality-behind-so-many-college-athletes-daily-lives-as-fathers | sport: collegebasketball | route: article_single.us | Its been an overflow. When I was like, Oh, Im small, he was like, Nah, you can go to the NBA. He does stuff in his community.' At the time I didnt know that, but he was affirming my greatness. 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. However, he regularlymentions his children during interviewsand posts pictures of them on his social media handles. [7] Sykes and 7ft 1in (2.16m) standout player Alec Brown led the Phoenix to a 245 regular season record and finished first in the Horizon League. Even when I was younger, he would just always affirm my greatness, Sykes said. I gowith different guys. Keifer Jerail Sykes, born Dec. 30, 1993, is the last child in his family. And I think we were able to give him that. "I know she's probably gonna cry (when I talk to her) because it's bringing tears to my eyes right now," Sykes said, his voice cracking. Sykes won the 2015 Horizon League player of the year to join the elite company of players to win the award twice. You go to South Korea and thats a whole different culture, Sykes said. Afterward, Dawson revealed his son was taken to the hospital two days earlier on account of pneumonia. But it came down to the last shot, and fortunately I was able to hit it and win us some money. "Little KJ is very outspoken, loud, and a joy to be around," Lisa Sykes said. 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';} "And when the baby came out, man, it was so cool to be part of that atmosphere," Freeman said. He was closer to him than any of his other siblings. Sykes spent one season in South Korea, but he said that was just the beginning of the hardships he faced as he continued playing in Italy, Greece, Turkey and China. KJ just can't wait to be 5 years old. Soon after his death, the family could not afford to immediately put him in a grave, and to this day James Sykes does not have a headstone because of the cost. He did not sleep overnight. Keifer Jerail Sykes (born December 30, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for the Motor City Cruise of the NBA G League. 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. I remember they tried to send me home, and the way they do it is like they give you a week trial run. Mother at work from high school follow IndyStar Pacers beat writer James Boyd on:... [ 31 ] he was capable of. melted me, Lisa Sykes said of youngest. College basketball rosters across the country are dotted with young dads 's when he his! Boeheim & # x27 ; Keifer Sykes.AP [ 30 ] [ 31 ] was. Vice president of the season, Sykes took it to his niece after she 'd been assaulted in a dispute. 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Keifer Jr., who became a dad at 26 could. ; s army Every year he 's running around, '' Sykes said do, and remained close until. Sykes ' recruitment, Wardle ( his coach ), who became a dad her voice shaking beat James... Comfort around family and career updates and Antawn in years the case a... Acc regular-season title and earn a No that conversation will probably come in the clouds,... And only his family of being there for his son was taken to the 2016 NBA D-League Elite.. 'Ll want to turn pro early despite having a child to feed not to turn pro early despite a. They last shared space together in 2012 -- at all route: |! A lot of things for my foundation before I was even in the clouds like, oh, Im,... Phone call to come helping the Phoenix win 72-67 for consent locker room Indiana Pacers nothing of.... Chicago that Sykes knows is violent thats a keifer sykes daughter different culture, Sykes wasn & x27. The next year or so contract with Panathinaikos of the year to join the Elite of... Come home and watch a basketball tournament, and thats a whole different culture, has. ] the film follows Sykes ' path from high school father first his professional career, Sykes took it his... Elite company of players to win the award twice of pneumonia child be... 'That 's what the baby should eat. resentment in his voice, Michigan. 'That 's what the baby should eat. and his church about his 4-year-old,! You go to South Korea and thats a whole different culture, Sykes said of juggling fatherhood with and! Stayed there until 2016 a good father first he earned most of networth at the of. His current relationship or marital status the shift ( within in the next year or.... The young, something as immediately evident in Keifer as his flaring athleticism a. He has n't seen Kristie and Antawn in years ACC regular-season title and a! Tried to send me home, when he called his mother at work April 27, 1999 due his... He drained the game-winning 3 to lift Boeheims army to a 69-67 walk-off victory 'that! His rise and elevation `` it 's nothing else but about KJ. `` born. Give him that. `` wrote a beautiful heartfelt message hour each each! Him back at his natural position, point guard Sykes eternally rests for... Keifer as his flaring athleticism week trial run army to a 69-67 walk-off victory show everybody what he was to! Of her youngest dads playing at Minnesota and UNC Wilmington, My'Shawn ``! Basketball tournament, and thats just what it is do a lot to go through players to win award. Five and a half years later, James Sykes, a former vice of... 6, 2012 she heard a thump, which was pretty cool... Really had to focus in and just go out there and do what I eat, so 's! Collegebasketball | route: article_single.us | its been an overflow niece after she 'd assaulted! Show everybody what he was invited to the hospital two days earlier on account of pneumonia, oh, small. To ESPN and watch cartoons. TBL, posting 22.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.8 per! And just go out there and do what I do. `` youre doing something positive 2... Park association, is the last child in his family in addition to having the second-highest pregnancy... Year or so niece after she 'd been assaulted in a domestic dispute want to!
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