Crawford's son lives in Memphis. On April 5, the 5-11 guard was autographing mini basketballs and. 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. If it happens, he'll count that moment, along with the one he experienced Friday, as two big wins for his hometown. Every mom always finds out. Most did. 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. Chi-Town: Directed by Nick Budabin. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'biographyhost_com-banner-1','ezslot_5',132,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-biographyhost_com-banner-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'biographyhost_com-banner-1','ezslot_6',132,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-biographyhost_com-banner-1-0_1');.banner-1-multi-132{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}. [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. We come from poverty. 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. 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. Hes gonna have the film footage, and its the continuation of truly one of the amazing stories in sport.. "Little KJ is very outspoken, loud, and a joy to be around," Lisa Sykes said. The two remain close, and Harrington said hes thankful the gun violence that changed his life didnt have the same effect on the player he nicknamed Special K., I just started calling him Special K because I knew that kid had something special about him, Harrington said. I dont know why they wouldnt allow this story to be continued in as much detail as possible. And I think we were able to give him that. Like Sykes, he's a senior NBA prospect. 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. She took care of everybody, man. "My stomach just dropped when I saw what he looked like. When I was like, Oh, Im small, he was like, Nah, you can go to the NBA. Reach him via email: [email protected]. The game-winner capped. "Loved James Sykes. Because even as a mom you dont expect your children to praise you like that. Bell's boy already loves basketball. Thats the heros journey, Sykes said. Just to see him get that opportunity and be out here playing, Im so excited for him. pic.twitter.com/iZU0TTtaHa, James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) January 15, 2022. Keifer Jerail Sykes (born December 30, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for the Motor City Cruise of the NBA G League. Breakups, forced relationships, long-distance relationships, fractures between families, money -- these are stresses that, comparatively, make basketball seem so simple. 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. You could be winning and they still try to nitpick at something. You go to South Korea and thats a whole different culture, Sykes said. The 4 year old sat behind Green Bay's bench, in section 115, watching his dad make history last Thursday. So when you see a kid and he graduated (high school) in 2021 on back, and he comes up and he makes it to the league, youll be like, Man, hes so tough. The biggest phone call. [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. Its a real heros journey.. "That was the hardest part, telling her, and the first thing she said was, 'She's going to be cute.'". "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. It's been an emotional journey for Freeman, who went out and bought a few pregnancy tests last summer, and then cried and hugged Kylee as they discovered they'd be parents. 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. "And when the baby came out, man, it was so cool to be part of that atmosphere," Freeman said. A chain response of fear, as it often does with teen pregnancies, triggered a stress reaction. He took birth to his late father, James Sykes, and his mother, Lisa Sykes, as the youngest of their nine children. 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. Doctors had to wait until the baby boy was just a little bit bigger, a little bit heavier, and a little bit older before they cut into his chest and sewed up the hole in his heart. Milwaukee Bucks (22-9, first in the Eastern . But it came down to the last shot, and fortunately I was able to hit it and win us some money. 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. "My players say I don't understand, but I do understand," Ray said. I cant do that. KJ just can't wait to be 5 years old. "You can hear him in the stands. I finally opened it when I gathered my strength and the coaches were all crying, everybody was crying. Even prominent teams, like Gonzaga, are touched by early fatherhood. Korea checks hit $250,000, but it's cutthroat", "Long Lions agree terms with Keifer Sykes", "Turk Telekom Ankara officially signs Keifer Sykes", "Panathinaikos announces 1-month deal with Keifer Sykes", "Panathinaikos to part ways with Keifer Sykes", "Phoenix Complete Roster with Keifer Sykes", "Pacers Sign Washington Jr., Sykes, Taylor", "Keifer Sykes earns NBA Call-Up with the Indiana Pacers", "Pacers Sign Terry Taylor And Duane Washington, Jr", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Keifer_Sykes&oldid=1120027463, American expatriate basketball people in Australia, American expatriate basketball people in Greece, American expatriate basketball people in Italy, American expatriate basketball people in South Korea, American expatriate basketball people in Turkey, Green Bay Phoenix men's basketball players, Undrafted National Basketball Association players, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 4 November 2022, at 18:08. It wasn't a happy cry. When was Keifer Sykes born? "He earned it," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said of Sykes' contract being guaranteed for the rest of the season. Having not yet committed to Michigan State, the stress of choosing a college only added to Dawson's ongoing personal strain. Sykes, who these days has NBA scouts frequently traveling to gelid Green Bay, has previously bypassed chances to turn pro early in Europe. Though each situation is different, if there was one player whose circumstances most resembled Sykes', it's Dawson's. Its been a blessing. Wardle answered his phone that afternoon to hear the mother of his talented newcomer crying on the other line. I could never do that. So all of this has been more than me. 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. He left a big mark on his teammates. There's too many [coaches] calling me. Like Sykes, Dawson's been a father since he was a junior in high school. The sacrifices she made, man. Waiting. 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. "It's crazy, I told my son I'll never play 2K until I get on it, so that was kind of motivation for me. Almost every player interviewed for this story was scared to tell mom. Suddenly he was holding ice chips and helping her breathe through the birth. NBA News. But in talking to dozens of college coaches for this story, you discover that that this is a more common situation than you might think. 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. And as I have witnessed in recent days, the documentary is being augmented with a videographer. 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.". Nine children from five mothers and two fathers. "So Im very fortunate to have that opportunity. Everything was going so fast.". "I had my first child when I was 20. Theres a lot of different rules over there. Keifer Sykes was born on 30 December, 1993 in Chicago, Illinois, United States, is an American basketball player. Lisa Sykes, who passed out pizza during her sons coat giveaway at Proviso East, said she never wanted to visit her children in prison or, worse, bury them. Home. I've heard a couple of times him screaming, 'Go, Daddy!' "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. 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. "I don't ever want to go through that as a head coach again," Wardle said. Obviously the city is gonna be so happy,"Sykes said. " I didn't have my phone. So long as his health is good, he'll have earned a pro contract by then. Once she looked up at me, it was over after that.". Although Sykes has not brought details of his wife in light, he is a father to his son Hugo and daughter Zarah. We had nothing. pic.twitter.com/4JC9VJNSpW, James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) January 7, 2022, "Everything that she did for us, losing my dad, taking care of everybody she deserves this more than anybody, Keifer Sykes said. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. We play them (soon)!'" When Sykes joined the Phoenix, Mitchell put him back at his natural position, point guard. Sykes could match upagainst his "best friend" for the first time in the NBA when Indiana hosts Chicago on Feb. 4. Our dedicated Editorial team verifies each of the articles published on the Biographyhost. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. 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. With teen pregnancies, triggered a stress reaction winning and they still try to nitpick at something good... 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