The former University of Wisconsin-Green Bay star . It's nothing else but about KJ.". When Sykes joined the Phoenix, they were an expansion team in Year 2 of their development, and according to Mitchell, no one expected much from them or Sykes. A young man will ask his boy about his father. More:Why do the Pacers keep losing close games? On Dec. 7, 2013, Wisconsin Green-Bay hosted and upset Virginia behind a stellar performance from Sykes. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. "My stomach just dropped when I saw what he looked like. Another team lost a player in the middle of the night, without warning, because he was given an ultimatum by the child's mother. of the Basketball Super League. For me, my pride in him is just on his self-belief and determination.. It's an intense situation for Ray and plenty of coaches who've become surrogate fathers in plenty of ways, this being a prominent one. Anyang Korea Ginseng Corporation (20162017), Horizon League Men's Basketball Player of the Year, 2013 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, "Horizon League Announces Men's Basketball Award Winners", "McCallum Leads Men's Basketball Award Winners", "Sykes Named to Bob Cousy Award Watch List", "Green Bay holds on to beat Virginia 75-72", "Phoenix Keifer Sykes crosses the 2,000 mark", "Sykes named AP honorable mention All-American", "Green Bay's Sykes is HL Player of the Week", "Keifer Sykes will be in Final Four dunk contest", "Cavs Announce 2015 Samsung NBA Summer League Roster", "Spurs announce 2015-16 training camp roster", "Spurs waive Fredette, Ndoye, Sykes and Thomas", "AUSTIN SPURS ANNOUNCE 2015 RETURNING PLAYERS AND TRAINING CAMP INVITEES", "Cotton, Spurs Rout Legends as Satnam Singh Debuts", "NBA D-League Announces Full Roster for elite mini camp", "Terrico White, Michael Efevberha, Keifer Sykes selected in KBL draft. 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. Sykes made his second and third career starts against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden and Nets at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Jan. 4 and 5, scoring 22 and 18 points, respectively, with Mitchell and Co. cheering from Australia. "My son played (NBA 2K) last night with me. Keifer Sykes, Indiana Pacers As a small guard playing in a big city, Sykes was consistently underappreciated and underranked. Although Sykes has not brought details of his wife in light, he is a father to his son Hugo and daughter Zarah. He later joined the University of Wisconsin in Green Bay on a basketball scholarship. I couldnt believe it.. Keifer Sykes is an American athlete and professional basketball player. Free schooling.". I was really on my own and traveling in Chicago for an hour each way each day. 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. It wasnt like when I went to Europe and your teammates have been around American players enough to know some English. 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. We assure our audience that we will remove any contents that are not accurate or according to formal reports and queries if they are justified. Keifer Sykes was clutch in the fourth quarter for Boeheim's Army. Its not even that I did it (on my own). "I tell them I grew up just as disenfranchised and poverty-stricken as they were. Until she did. The annual $1 million tourney features several alumni squads from around the country filled with professional players, and while Sykes was hesitant to play in TBT at first, it resulted in one of the best moments of his career. 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. Sykes set a conference record as he was named the Horizon League player of the week thirteen times over his career. They want me to stay overseas to make more money for them. 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. We treat him as one of us. The 5-foot-11 guard signed a training camp deal with the Pacers but was waived before the start of the 2021-22 campaign. After being cut, Sykes could've left Indianapolis for good and focused . You can go D-I. These were things that I had doubts of. So, he packed his bags and headed overseas, not to the more popular foreign leagues in Europe or China, but to South Korea. Once she looked up at me, it was over after that.". His players have brought their children over for playdates with Ray's son, who was born in 2013. Sykes was waived by the Pacers on Wednesday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports. Neither player entered the game, and McKinnie has since been waived, but that night McKinnie was just proud to exchange matching No. I didnt go somewhere that eased me into it. Memphis also had a player, Dominic Magee, who initially transferred out of school earlier this season to be closer to his home in New Orleans to be with his young son. I finally opened it when I gathered my strength and the coaches were all crying, everybody was crying. 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. However, no valid sources have yet revealed his annual pay in numbers. "As soon as I could see her a little bit, I was really protective of her, just because she's so innocent and so helpless," Johnson said. NBA News. Our dedicated Editorial team verifies each of the articles published on the Biographyhost. 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. 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. He kept it from her as long as possible; the "entire school" knew about it, but she didn't. Burrell's daughter, Alyson, is in Puerto Rico. They went through predraft workouts together in 2015.Thats where my respect (for him) came from. I lost like 40 or 50 grand.". Reach him via email: jboyd1@gannett.com. Simple things, like sleeping patterns. 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. He and KJ communicate every day; KJ can unlock an iPhone and FaceTime in no time. Her name is Averyelle Dream. [10] For the second time in his career, he was named to the Honorable Mention AP All-American team. Even when I got here, (Boucek) just following me on Instagram and Twitter, and telling me alwaysto continue to chip away at it.". I didn't want my children to go through that. Waiting. Nine children from five mothers and two fathers. But since Sykes' family felt he was already being overlooked due to his stature, they decided to send him an hour across town to Marshall on the West Side, where his dream of being a basketball star had a better chance of flourishing. Keifer Jerail Sykes, born Dec. 30, 1993, is the last child in his family. Sykes didn't like the recruiting process -- at all. This is my path, and thats just what it is. The hardest thing was the drive. Sykes said he nearly "gave up on everything" after his father's death, but he kept going through countless sleepless nights to carry on James Sykes' legacy. 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. The Pacers' Keifer Sykes.AP Wardle describes it as the hardest situation of his career, far beyond anything he faced during the summer of 2013, when accusations of verbal mistreatment from former Green Bay players threatened his job. More: After hitting $1 million shot, Keifer Sykes signed with Pacers to be closer to home, Its only one team that wins out of 64, so the chances are whatever, Sykes said. [4], From his freshman year in 201112, Sykes was immediately inserted into the Phoenix starting lineup, and was also the youngest player in the nation, let alone youngest starter. 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' 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. No one taught Branden Dawson how to be a father. First and always, Sykes prides himself on being an awesome dad. At James Sykes' urging, and Keifer's own interest in ending the courtship of so many other coaching staffs, he committed fairly early as a junior. His father taught him and told him about becoming a boy to a man, Lisa Sykes said. 10:51am: The Pacers intend to waive guard Brad Wanamaker and sign another guard, Keifer Sykes, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). 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. 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. "I really made the NBA.". The child's mother, Cecilia, and members of both parents' families crammed into a hospital room and glanced back and forth between watching a father on TV and keeping an eye on T.J. sleep with tubes and probes keeping him alive. Discover Keifer Sykes's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. On Tuesday morning, Buchanan got into a car with his father, aunt and uncle and drove nearly four hours to join his team in Dayton, Ohio. Keifer prides his relationship with his son as an extension of what he had with his dad. At the conclusion of the regular season, Sykes was again named first team all-conference, he was named an honorable mention AP All-American, and was named Horizon Player of the Year. "One time I asked him, and he didn't know. I told him, 'Boost me up to 99 right now, and put me against Steph Curry! 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 | The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. And these (five games) that he's played, he's played tremendously. Sykes was still at Wisconsin Green-Bay when the shooting happened and came to visit Harrington shortly afterward. "When I got there, I was nervous, and it was kind of surreal," he said. According to Pacers teammate and Wisconsin native Tyrese Haliburton, Sykes is a GB legend, and fellow teammate Malcolm Brogdon had the chance to see that legend in the making during college. His performance warranted praise from Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, who has repeatedly noted how remarkable Sykes career has been. I just needed to be myself, so I went into the bathroom, but I couldnt really get back up, Sykes said. . Sharp and his wife, Jordan, planned the pregnancy. Of course he was worried about telling mom. Because a lot of people dont even know the half of what it took for me to be here. 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. Sykes joined the Pacers in late December after the team released reserve point guard Brad Wanamaker. He quickly capitalized on his opportunity. She lives more than 250 miles away, in Iowa, with her mother. "The sacrifices she made, man. Rhode Island and Nevada. The plan is for mother and child to pack up and go with. You go to South Korea and thats a whole different culture, Sykes said. "He earned it," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said of Sykes' contract being guaranteed for the rest of the season. He has just one full sibling, James Sykes Jr., and seven more half-siblings: DaVon, Jarvis, Kristie, Jameeka, Rashaunda, Shakeeya and Antwan. Follow IndyStar Pacers beat writer James Boyd on Twitter:@RomeovilleKid. The big thing with me is, I want Keifer to be a good father first. After shining with the Austin Spurs throughout the 2015-16 campaign, Sykes joined the Warriors for the 2016 Summer League, but he wasnt picked up by Golden State or another franchise ahead of the season. He was just a really good man. Keifer, along with six of his siblings and half-siblings, took the red line train with mom and dad to City Hall. I shot that wing 3 against the Bulls,I air-balled. "As a coach, you would love to have all parents talk to him in a lot of ways. He was even more so on a mission than he was before.. He remembers hopping into a car after getting that call, riding with the aunt of My'Shawn's mother, a 10-minute drive to Methodist Hospital. Keifer frequently shows his son photos to remind him. 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. We've had people tell us to not keep the baby, frankly.". So I want to be thatvoice for them, and I'm happy to be in this position.". So this is gonna be my first time playing 2K.". Soon after, the Austin Spurs acquired him for the NBA G League, and Sykes stayed there until 2016. We playing my hometown team, it was just my birthday (Dec. 30), everybody is excited like, 'You finally (got) the call up.' Manage Settings It has been less than two weeks but with all of the COVID roster shuffling and another player,. Sykes mother called Keifer to tell him what happened, and when she couldnt reach him, she called his college coach Brian Wardle. It's a seven-hour drive round trip from Green Bay to Chicago. And I was just like, OK, Imma kill, because if you dont do your thing, youre out.. He so reminds me of Keifer.". With Keifer Sykes. Sykes subsequently joined the Fort Wayne Mad Ants and averaged 16.3 points, 8 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game. "A curious boy who loves to be around his cousins. I was charging it. He posted a picture carrying her and wrote a beautiful heartfelt message. I see my daughter come out to the world.". [28], On August 5, 2021, Sykes signed a contract with the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). From mother to son. "I was speechless," he said. Sykes had done all he could at Wisconsin Green-Bay, ending his illustrious college career with 2,096 points, 522 assists and 467 rebounds. "So she just told me congratulations. The 28-year-old doesnt remember the last conversation he had with his dad because he never expected it to be the final one. Keifer, whose birth was not planned, came two days before 1994. Assistant coach Jenny Boucek brokethe news. That's money which now goes toward feeding their baby boy, Ricardo Darnell Gathers Jr., who came into the world at 4:53 a.m. on June 13, 2014. He still gets frazzled thinking back to cutting KJ's umbilical cord, which he hesitantly failed to prune on first attempt, and only succeeded on the second snip under the loving demands of his father that he cut his son's cord. "He so reminds me of his dad. They just don't know. So all I wanted to do is take care of her. Earlier that day, Sykes was at Marshall High School in Chicago, his alma mater, about a 25-minute drive from Proviso East, giving away coats and hope. Sykes went scoreless in his NBA debut against Charlotte on Dec. 29 and twodays later totaledtwo pointsagainst his hometown Bulls. "The milk is spilt all over the place," she recalled saying. 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. The biggest help to me is my wife. He is at Green Bay because that staff impressed his father. The next day, Bloodman played 18 minutes against Kentucky. She took care of everybody, man. Bell found out he was going to be a father when he returned to his phone following a workout. I thought I was going to pass out, but I stayed strong. If it happens, he'll count that moment, along with the one he experienced Friday, as two big wins for his hometown. Former Pacers guard Keifer Sykes, center, hosts a free youth camp at the Irsay Family YMCA in Indianapolis on April 30, 2022. Sykes is featured in the 2018 documentary film Chi-Town, produced and directed by Nick Budabin. Anderson is banking on landing a pro contract overseas this spring or summer. [1] The film follows Sykes' path from high school to his brush with the NBA. Reach him via email: jboyd1@gannett.com. "You don't want to encourage your guys to have kids out of wedlock, but when it happens, you have to help them. To him, these are secondary anecdotes. 6-keys: media/spln/collegebasketball/reg/free/stories, at "I immediately fell in love with her.". I knew my mom couldn't afford college. 'I told you don't let him go to that school.'". Sykes signed a non-guaranteed two-year deal with a team option for the second season with Indiana on Dec. 27, and the 5-11 guardfound out he'd been retained for his first seasonwhile at the team's practice facility Friday. On 5 August 2021, he also struck a deal with the NBA team, Indiana Pacers. He dapped the boy up and encouraged him to dream big, which is fitting for Sykes, a 28-year-old NBA rookie. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. College basketball rosters across the country are dotted with young dads. After a game at Indiana in 2012, Dawson asked coach Tom Izzo if he could ride with his family from Bloomington to Indianapolis to escape and spend one night with his son. "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. I have made past mistakes in my life, and God continues to make a way for us. How old is Keifer Sykes? He wasn't. Every year he's gotten better at balancing and understanding that. New Mexico and Mississippi State -- schools in the two states with the highest teen pregnancy rates in the country, feature players who are fathers. They think, 'that's what I eat, so that's what the baby should eat.' 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. "She's the key to being married, to being a dad. I trained with different guys. 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. 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. And whatever makes the mother happy, it's all about making the child happy. The point guard impressed early. In high school. I'm still frustrated we lost, but now I'm like, that's over with. Simple things about how to feed your baby. Home. You scope college basketball, and the stories are everywhere. This is a blessed, beautiful evening, and it's blessed and beautiful because it ends the way Sykes wants every game to end: with a boisterous embrace of his son, Keifer Sykes Jr. KJ, they call him. "Over time, shock turned into excitement," White said of his world changing as a 17-year-old. Thats the heros journey, Sykes said. Hes really popular in the community, and were just so proud of him. Sykes elevated his play in the postseason, including a game in which he recorded 31 points and 6 steals in a 26-point comeback in a win-or-go-home game 3. But mom? So I really had to focus in and just go out there and do what I do.". For Sykes, whos been giving back for years, that was the norm. [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. 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. My own agents telling me that I'm not gonna play in the NBA. Even when I was younger, he would just always affirm my greatness, Sykes said. My'Shawn's been to almost every Spartans home game this season, sitting with Dawson's high school coach, Johnny Ryan, and a former teammate, Devonte Harris. For more than a few college athletes, this is the side of life the public does not see. Branden had lost "significant weight" and was unable to consistently eat due to anxiety. I told them, 'Don't have any babies. 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. The two-time Horizon League Player of the Year scores a career-best 36 against UIC, helping the Phoenix win 72-67. 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