Homegrown Heat

[Sħãlïq™]

Nice story I came upon:

 

http://espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=HomegrownHeat

[Lkr]

I'd read it, but the layout is so shitty that it is impossible for me to read through it

[Sħãlïq™]

I'd read it, but the layout is so shitty that it is impossible for me to read through it

Here's most of it:

 

Childhood Dreams

Written by Dan Le Batard / Illustration by David Le Batard

 

When the Toronto Raptors visited Miami, they had players from Brazil, Rome, Australia, Russia, Nigeria, Croatia and Spain. There was no one on the team from the entire country of Canada, never mind from the city of Toronto.

 

"What we have here is so unique," the Miami Heat's James Jones says. "We're into something special. This just doesn't happen. You never, ever see this."

 

Basketball is such a global game. The world is scoured for talent -- 30 teams, only 15 jobs on each, every player on the planet elbowing his way up the survival-of-the-fittest ecosystem to fight for that pile of money. Given how much competition there is for so few positions, and given how precious little basketball talent comes out of Miami, it is as likely that you'll find a player from Turkey on the Miami Heat roster as it is that you'll find one who is homegrown. But three?

 

Three Heat players who developed their dreams as kids in streets near the arena?

Three Miami guys who get to be a part of the most insane and interesting Heat season ever?

 

"There are no words to express how truly blessed I feel," guard Carlos Arroyo said, "to be a part of something like this."

 

Of course, he said this just before he no longer was. Miami produces football players, not basketball players. Lakers guard Steve Blake grew up here. And Utah's Raja Bell and Milwaukee's John Salmons went to college at Florida International University and the University of Miami, respectively. In other words, the Heat had as many Miami guys on its roster most of this season as all other NBA teams combined (not counting Gilbert Arenas and Trevor Ariza, who were born in Miami but left as infants).

 

"When the guys in the barbershop tell me to 'Bring it home,' it isn't just a saying," Heat forward Udonis Haslem says. "This really is my home. This is personal. It is bigger than basketball."

 

There are times, after making a 3-pointer, that James Jones will scan the crowd for a particular face. He is looking for someone inside this dream who helped make it happen, "It blows you away, to see the excitement in the face of family members and friends, to see their joy in seeing you be successful," James says. "They had something to do with me being here. And now they get to share in my delight, in my light."

 

The best part isn't merely climbing the mountain, toward that light. The best part isn't even the exhilaration or accomplishment in arriving atop it. No, the best part is bringing so many people with you to enjoy that view.

 

"That sharing," Jones says, "is indescribable."

 

What's it worth? Playing at home? Priceless? Well, no, actually, it has a price. For Haslem, it was exactly $24 million. His first big Miami contract was $10 million less than he was offered by Atlanta. He chose to stay home. Last offseason, while Denver and Dallas offered him $34 million, he accepted $20 million to stay in Miami.

 

"My family needs me here," he says. "I can send money from another state. But they need more than money. They need all of me to be here."

 

His mother passed away last summer. She was on her deathbed when he informed her that he would be taking $14 million less to remain in Miami. He says it was the last time he ever saw her smile. James Jones says he once hit 115 straight 3-pointers in practice. That's his record, and that's his niche -- shooting from distance. It is how he beat Ray Allen in the 3-point contest at the All-Star game. Having sharing slashers like Dwyane Wade and LeBron James is obviously very good for business in his limited line of work. Trevor Ariza predicted before the season that no one in the league would have more wide-open 3s than Jones.

 

Weird season for him though -- from starting to benched to now being the Heat's most consistent long-range playoff threat again. Mike Miller can do more, and is a $30 million investment, but he keeps getting hurt. So Jones hit more 3s in the first half of this season than he had in the last two years combined. Then, in the entire month after winning the 3-point contest, he took as many shots as he did in the season's second game alone (nine).

 

Jones can't create his own shot. No player in the league has required an assist on a higher percentage of his shots. So which would you choose if you had to pick, James? Would you play with this rock-star team in another city, with slashers who get you open, or would you play with a lesser NBA team and less help in your hometown?

 

"That's a good question," Jones says. "But my choice would be to play in Miami."

 

How many tickets you need?

 

"I can fill the upper bowl," Haslem says.

 

Haslem turns to a media relations employee.

 

"How many season tickets I have?" he asks.

 

Twelve is the answer.

 

"But I have to get four or five more for each game," he says. "Sometimes more."

 

Says Arroyo: "I put an end to that mess. I don't answer my phone."

 

Jones has 10 tickets per game.

 

"Not enough," he says.

 

The worst part of playing at home? The criticism. From fans? No, from family.

 

"Family is always the worst critic," Jones says.

 

"Family always wants more," Arroyo says.

 

"They don't mean any harm," Jones says.

 

"But it's always what you could have done better," Arroyo says.

 

"How'd you let that fool block your shot?" James says.

Edited June 2, 2011 by Shalïq