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Spennies
Sports InsiderJamario Jumps for the Moon and Reaches the Stars.
December 9th 2007 13:26
We all love feel good stories and happy endings, because life is so often a big disappointment for most of us. One of the blessings and banes of being human is that we’re conscious of the fact that sometimes, things don’t work out the way we want. Or that we have to make compromises and give up our hopes and dreams along the way to make our way through this crazy world. That is why we celebrate stories like that of Jamario Moon because he allows us to dream big.
The Toronto Raptors rookie has been a massive revelation and has everyone wondering: where has he been all this time?
Jamario’s journey to the NBA has been one of dreadful lows, and, ultimately, one of triumph. Bouncing around in lesser leagues and with the Harlem Globetrotters, Jamario would do anything to keep his hoop dreams alive. Non-payment for games played, long bus rides across the country, bad hotel rooms and playing to empty gyms were part and parcel of Moon’s basketball career before this season.
According to Jamario, the lowest ebb in his nomadic basketball journey was playing for the storied Globetrotters due to the toll it took on his body. Moon was the high-flying dunker that wooed the crowd with his jaw-dropping abilities, skying towards the rafters to catch 15 food alley-oops. Jamario had to catch those balls without fail, night after night or faced being cut from the squad.
“If you didn’t get those dunks, they would release you,” Moon said. “Wherever they threw the ball, you had to get it. And I don’t care how young you are, that takes an incredible toll on your body. You’ve got to be upbeat every night. You’ve got to smile. You’ve got perform. You got
to give them the show.”
He laughs now, and says, “People ask me how high I can jump, and I tell them the truth: I just jump as high as they throw the ball. I just go get it where it is.” (Wojnarowski, Yahoo!, 2007)
Moon, for all intents and purposes shouldn’t be a burgeoning star now in the NBA. After being cut from three minor league basketball teams, un-drafted and unloved when he declared his intention to turn pro in 2001, Jamario should be on the basketball scrap heap with millions of others who weren’t good enough. But he isn’t, and we love him for that.
The question still remains: where has Moon been all this time? Yes, he was bouncing around leagues such as the CBA, but the talent didn’t just appear overnight – it had always been there. It’s just NBA teams wouldn’t cut the man a break and put the word out that Moon wasn’t worth the trouble. Problem was Toronto kept on seeing a star. A ballers, baller – athletic, quick, energetic, and frightening on the defensive end, whilst having a nose for rebounding that was sorely missing from the Raptors squad. He was good and the team knew it.
As a young kid, Moon was caught in the world where any player with prospects was hounded by agents and people who wanted a piece of a potential golden ticket. Jamario got sucked up in the hype, and a lot of his problems stemmed from the fact that he listened to bad advice from those that didn’t have his best intentions at heart.
After bouncing around in the basketball wilderness for most of his early 20s, Jamario found salvation in the CBA with the Albany Patroons, and finding a new agent, Joel Bell, who was going to bat for his client to the death. Bell found it perplexing that a talent like Moon had never been invited to NBA training camps, so he turned water into wine.
This past summer, Toronto organised a mini-camp where Moon would display his talent for the Raptors front office. After seeing, Jamario do his thing, the Toronto management knew they couldn’t let him leave without gaining his services. The rest, as they say, is history. Jamario and his wife count their blessings, but still save up coupons and shop at Wal-Mart just in case.
“I’m glad I went through everything I did,” Moon said. “I wasn’t ready for any of this at 21 years old, and who knows where I’d be now if I got drafted then? I’m thankful for everything God put me through.” (Wojnarowski, Yahoo!, 2007)
In a cynical sports world, we need stories like that of Jamario Moon to remind us that we should always keep our dreams alive. Sometimes, happily ever after does happen.
The Toronto Raptors rookie has been a massive revelation and has everyone wondering: where has he been all this time?
Jamario’s journey to the NBA has been one of dreadful lows, and, ultimately, one of triumph. Bouncing around in lesser leagues and with the Harlem Globetrotters, Jamario would do anything to keep his hoop dreams alive. Non-payment for games played, long bus rides across the country, bad hotel rooms and playing to empty gyms were part and parcel of Moon’s basketball career before this season.
According to Jamario, the lowest ebb in his nomadic basketball journey was playing for the storied Globetrotters due to the toll it took on his body. Moon was the high-flying dunker that wooed the crowd with his jaw-dropping abilities, skying towards the rafters to catch 15 food alley-oops. Jamario had to catch those balls without fail, night after night or faced being cut from the squad.
“If you didn’t get those dunks, they would release you,” Moon said. “Wherever they threw the ball, you had to get it. And I don’t care how young you are, that takes an incredible toll on your body. You’ve got to be upbeat every night. You’ve got to smile. You’ve got perform. You got
Jamario Moon is a budding superstar. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
He laughs now, and says, “People ask me how high I can jump, and I tell them the truth: I just jump as high as they throw the ball. I just go get it where it is.” (Wojnarowski, Yahoo!, 2007)
Moon, for all intents and purposes shouldn’t be a burgeoning star now in the NBA. After being cut from three minor league basketball teams, un-drafted and unloved when he declared his intention to turn pro in 2001, Jamario should be on the basketball scrap heap with millions of others who weren’t good enough. But he isn’t, and we love him for that.
The question still remains: where has Moon been all this time? Yes, he was bouncing around leagues such as the CBA, but the talent didn’t just appear overnight – it had always been there. It’s just NBA teams wouldn’t cut the man a break and put the word out that Moon wasn’t worth the trouble. Problem was Toronto kept on seeing a star. A ballers, baller – athletic, quick, energetic, and frightening on the defensive end, whilst having a nose for rebounding that was sorely missing from the Raptors squad. He was good and the team knew it.
As a young kid, Moon was caught in the world where any player with prospects was hounded by agents and people who wanted a piece of a potential golden ticket. Jamario got sucked up in the hype, and a lot of his problems stemmed from the fact that he listened to bad advice from those that didn’t have his best intentions at heart.
After bouncing around in the basketball wilderness for most of his early 20s, Jamario found salvation in the CBA with the Albany Patroons, and finding a new agent, Joel Bell, who was going to bat for his client to the death. Bell found it perplexing that a talent like Moon had never been invited to NBA training camps, so he turned water into wine.
This past summer, Toronto organised a mini-camp where Moon would display his talent for the Raptors front office. After seeing, Jamario do his thing, the Toronto management knew they couldn’t let him leave without gaining his services. The rest, as they say, is history. Jamario and his wife count their blessings, but still save up coupons and shop at Wal-Mart just in case.
“I’m glad I went through everything I did,” Moon said. “I wasn’t ready for any of this at 21 years old, and who knows where I’d be now if I got drafted then? I’m thankful for everything God put me through.” (Wojnarowski, Yahoo!, 2007)
In a cynical sports world, we need stories like that of Jamario Moon to remind us that we should always keep our dreams alive. Sometimes, happily ever after does happen.
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