NBA Characters | The Forgotten Spurs legend, who used the registration fee of 150 yuan to earn tens of millions of dollars in salary

The Texas summer night is as sticky as honey, and the neon lights smudge in the humid air.

Jonathan Simmons dragged his tired body out of the training hall. It was already one o'clock in the morning. His shadow was stretched by the street lights, like an ink mark that refused to succumb to the night. There are only the last twenty dollars left in his pocket, the gas in the tank is only enough to last three days, and there are four young daughters waiting to be raised at home. Therefore, this is not a dream about glory, but a war about survival...

Jonathan was born in the Fifth Ward of Houston, a community labeled by statistics as a "high crime rate", where basketball is not It was a pass to the Hall of Fame, but a Noah's Ark to escape the violence on the streets. His mother, Cynthia, worked fourteen hours a day just to keep her four children away from the temptations on the street corners. Jonathan remembered that his mother's hands were rough and cracked from cleaning the floors of rich people's homes for many years, but they could always miraculously make money for basketball shoes. Those shoes were always one size larger, "so they can still be worn next year," his mother said.

On the basketball road, Jonathan had an extremely difficult journey. It was not until the age of 16 that he gained some attention due to his skyrocketing height. In his last year of high school, he was elected as the regional MVP. However, this was not enough to bring him to the NCAA Division I league. Jonathan played in the junior college for 2 years and was eventually discovered by the University of Houston. However, because he failed in one of his subjects, he was not allowed to play until the second season. At this time, Jonathan was already 23 years old, older than those rookies who had finished college.

Although Jonathan averaged 14.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game, he was not selected in the 2012 draft without any suspense.

For Jonathan, he had no time to reflect, but immediately left for the ABL league, because at this time, Jonathan was already the father of four children. He had to enter the professional league as soon as possible in order to support this precarious family.

In the end, Jonathan was selected by the Scottish Legends in the first round and represented the team in 16 games, averaging 36.5 points per game. However, the monthly salary of less than one thousand US dollars still left the whole family struggling. He had to do odd jobs in his spare time to make ends meet, playing cartoon characters in a children's playground and taking photos with children in a heavy doll suit under a temperature of 35 degrees. He also worked night shifts in the storage center to move goods, and the wound on his fingertips cut by a cardboard box never fully healed. He spent countless late nights doing push-ups on the floor of his rented tenement apartment, sweat dripping down into a shapeless lake. When a neighbor complained about the noise, he smiled and apologized, then continued training.

In the summer of 2014, 25-year-old Jonathan once had the idea of giving up basketball. He was overwhelmed by the burden of life. I called a friend, hoping that the latter could help him recommend a nine-to-five job. In addition, he also After discussing with his mother, he planned to obtain a barber license and become an ordinary barber. However, the turning point often happened at the most desperate moment. At a loss, Jonathan received a call back from a friend. The latter had not found a suitable job, but brought him a life-changing news.

"The Austin Spurs are hosting a training camp. You can sign up for $150. I think you should give it a try."

After hanging up the phone, Jonathan felt mixed in his heart. With the support of his family, he decided to give himself a chance and go to Austin on the way to the city. , the dilapidated classic car broke down three times, and Jonathan had to spend the last money in his pocket on repairing the car. At this moment, he had no way out. The training camp at the University of Nottingham was filled with players who had NBA dreams. Most of them experienced the same experiences as Jonathan, and the difficulty of competition can be imagined.

"My daughters are still waiting for me to bring food home."

Jonathan always remembers this sentence in his heart, and it has also become the source of his spiritual strength. He runs, sprints, and defends tirelessly. Finally, Jonathan managed to get a signing opportunity.

Every staff member who has watched Jonathan play will invariably say, "This guy works too hard." His defense is like a bulldog. As soon as the ball escapes the opponent's control, Jonathan has already thrown his body out, and then holds the ball and falls heavily to the floor. With an average of 15.2 per game With points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.0 steals, and a three-point shooting percentage of 39%, Jonathan was selected to the third team of the Development League All-Pro and also got the opportunity to represent the NBA team in the summer league.

Especially while playing for the Spurs, Jonathan averaged 17 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.7 steals per game, leading the team to the Finals and winning the championship. Under the watchful eyes of thousands of spectators and teammates, he won the MVP trophy.

"Jonathan, are you willing to join us?"

The general manager's words made Jonathan freeze in place, tears began to roll in his eyes, and he replied softly with a trembling voice "Thank you," a two-year, $1.4 million contract was handed to Jonathan. After signing and walking out of the arena, Jonathan called his mother's phone and said, "You can rest." Then both mother and son burst into tears.

A 26-year-old rookie, compared to those geniuses, Jonathan is like a "joke", but only those who know him know how great he is.

Jonathan's Spurs career was very successful. His game attitude won the favor of coach Popovich, who quickly promoted him to the main rotation. In the 2017 playoffs, Jonathan averaged nearly 20 minutes per game, and he lived up to expectations, handing in a report card of 9.1 points, 48.3% shooting, and 47% three-point shooting. He became a surprise player in the semifinals against the Rockets, scoring 18 points and 4 assists in G4..

After the season, the Spurs did not insist on keeping Jonathan Simmons and let him go to Orlando to accept the Magic's high salary of 20 million US dollars in three years, because they knew that this guy needed money more than a championship.

In the Magic, Jonathan got more opportunities and had many 30+ performances. However, without the support of the Spurs system and the constraints of Popovich, his problems were also exposed, especially after receiving a high salary. , Jonathan also relaxed and seemed to be squandering the ball in his hands. Although his production increased, his efficiency plummeted, and his defense was no longer as desperate as before. He was often passed by opponents in one step. This attitude also made the Magic dissatisfied, and they packaged and traded him to the 76ers.

In Philadelphia, Jonathan's problems still did not improve. Four months later, he was traded again and then laid off. Since then, his name has not been associated with the NBA.

In fact, everyone can understand that Jonathan’s original intention to play professionally was to make money. Now he has done it. Even after removing various taxes, he has received tens of millions, which is enough for him, his mother, and their four children. In the following days, Jonathan traveled to the CBA and Europe, and continued his basketball career in foreign countries.

There is no aura of being the chosen one, no high-profile college career, or even a stable career, but this is exactly the truest portrayal of the professional sports pyramid - for those players lingering on the edge of the league, basketball is not a performance in the spotlight, but a struggle for survival day after day.

Jonathan's story belongs to those bumpy nights on the G-League bus, to those moments missing family in a hotel in a foreign country, and to those games where no one cheered but he tried his best. He may never enter the Hall of Fame, but his career illustrates the most essential spirit of basketball: no matter what fate gives, fight for every ball with all your strength.

"Some people play basketball to become legends, while some people just want to survive. I am very lucky that I found my own legend in survival." - Jonathan Simmons

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