JB's Blog

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2010-12-10T00:33:00.000-08:00

New Beginning

2010-12-01T22:05:00.000-08:00

You know the feeling when you're at home just sitting back wondering about different things. It doesn’t matter what's going on around you; you are focused in the moment and really just thinking about about different things that are going on in your life. Well, to say the least, I have had a few of those recently. Being traded from Portland to New Orleans was a bag of mixed emotions. Obviously the city was great, and like I said in the my last blog, I have relationships within that organization that I really believe will last a lifetime, but it was time for a change. It’s funny how some things work, because over the summer one of my good friends is actually from Toronto and told me he could just feel I was going to end up there. I obviously kind of brushed him off and never really entertained it with him. In the back of my mind, though, I knew deep down what a great situation it would be due to the fact it was a young up and coming team that was definitely on the rise. At the time I was still with Portland and trying to make it work there. One thing with me, when I go into something I’m not going to go half way or even three quarters. I believe you have to be 100% committed to truly achieve what you want. Anyway, the morning I got traded from New Orleans to Toronto was different. The reason I say it was different is because I didn’t have mixed feelings this time. Don’t get me wrong, New Orleans is a GREAT organization in a great city, and the fans are amazing ,but I knew finally there was a serious opportunity for me to go out there and play basketball again. The truth is, I haven’t been able to do that consistently for the last two years. Yeah, I could blame the coach team for not being able to play, but to me that is petty. Everything in this world happens for a reason. The man upstairs has a plan for all of us and ,obviously, his plan was to land me in Toronto. A new country, a new climate, a new beginning. I can’t lie and say that I knew to much about Toronto prior to being here, but for the short time that I have been here I hope this is something that doesn’t come to an end. It’s not only a city that embraces us as the players we are, but as the people we are as well. You don’t get that everywhere in the world. So, I guess to really sum everything up, I really hope Toronto continues to embrace me and this team as we continue to do the same......

JB

http://www.jerrydbayless5.com/

Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jerryd-Bayless/128231297236658

Twitter : jbay_5

2010-11-14T18:19:00.003-08:00

Changes

Throughout life everyone experiences changes. Some good, some bad; it is an inevitable part of life that we must come face to face with sooner or later. Obviously I have gone through one of the biggest changes ever in my life over the past couple weeks. With the business that I went into, change definitely comes with the territory. Luckily, I had a pretty good idea what was coming, so I wasn’t caught totally off guard, but it definitely isn’t as easy a transition as I thought it would be. Being traded from Portland to New Orleans is like going from two total opposites of the world. Even though Portland was something I was comfortable with, Ican't express how happy I am with the change. If you have read some of my previous blogs, you’’ll remember me actually talking about New Orleans and the struggle the residents have been through since the storm. It's very ironic that I was traded here after that -- lol.... I've also been lucky that I know people here that have been able to show me around the city , making it easier for me to get aquainted. With us playing Portland on Saturday for the first time since the trade, it definitely will be a little different. Some of the relationships that I gained with my former teammates are definitely ones that will be life-long type friendships. In the end though, Saturday is just another game that we need to win to continue our 7-0 start. Hopefully, we will be able to do it.

Zen

2010-09-28T22:22:00.001-07:00

Casey Holdaul from the Trailblazers conducted an interview with me the other day talking about a couple different things. One of the things he focused on was me calming down this year. I guess you can call it finding my ZEN. Now, Zen is kind of an overused word because in American culture you hear it thrown around as a hoax. Truthfully, it is a beautiful word that demonstrates how one is able to cultivate everything in their world and come to peace with themselves for the period of time that they meditate. Even though that is my own definition, I think that's the best way to describe it. Anyway, you are probably wondering whyI’m writing about this. Well, a couple reasons. Over the summer, one of my goals was to try to find my Zen. In the article, Casey talks about how I let basketball get me so wrapped up the first two years of my career that I forgot that there were other parts of life. In today'ssociety ,I know that I am not the only one that goes through these things. Millions upon millions of people get wrapped up in this same notion that I once had, which was “work is my life”. Truthfully, you get burned out doing this with whatever job you have. By no means am I saying I don't love my job,because to me I have the greatest job in the world. What I'm trying to figure out is -- have you found your Zen? Have you found that one thing that in the mornings when you wake up you can just lay in your bed and think about that's instantly going to start your day off right? Have you found that thing that can transform you out of the most angry and vulnerable attitudes to one of happiness? It’s tough I know, but being able to find this state of mind that you can go to whenever you're in need of an outlet from the world is priceless. Personally, it took me awhile to find mine, but I'm sure you will find yours much sooner! Let me know...

JB

Summer coming to an End

2010-09-15T18:29:00.000-07:00

Well, now that the summer is officially over, it can only mean one thing. Time for the grind of the season. I couldn’t be more excited for this season, for the simple fact it's a chance to start playing basketball again. We had a great year last year. Even dealing with all the injuries and unfortunate events that were associated with the 09-10 season, it turned out to be pretty great. During this season, though, we plan to take it to another level, if we can stay healthy. Enough about basketball. One of my friends has recently started trying to get into the whole fashion thing. I have always been into fashion to some degree, but never had thought about starting my own line or anything like that. My friend, though, is definitely going to do well because it's something he's been talking about doing forever and has put some work into. He’s actually starting with t-shirts, sweaters, and hoodies, but will hopefully venture into doing everything. When he’s finally set up with his website and everything else, make sure to support him. I will let you guys know!! Until then, stay blessed.

JB

My First Camp

2010-09-04T22:46:00.000-07:00

Growing up I was blessed with being able to learn and receive help from many different people along the way. There was never a time in my life where there wasn’t someone not only trying to help refine my basketball skills, but help me become a better person. This year was thefirst camp I was ever able to work. I was always a part of many different summer camps and tried to go to as many as I could when I was young. Finally this year, I was able to give back and try to have my own camp. Being able to meet the guest speakers was always a big thing for me growing up, so I tried to be there as much as possible so to answer questions and truly just help. Being able to help those kids grow not only on the basketball court, but individually as a human is an experience that is priceless. It’s funny, too, because you would think kidsas young as these ones were would be asking me all basketball questions, but their questions ranged from politics to money. lol. To me this is the best part about playing in the NBA -- just being able to put a smile on a kids' face that was in the same boat as I once was isgreat. I remember during the first day of camp, there was a kid there that was just crying and crying and crying. He was young, and just missed his parents and was ready to leave. I was able to go over and spend some time and just talk with him, and his attitude did a 360 degree flip. It was kind of a double edge sword, because once I got him talking and feeling better, he didn’t want to stop the rest of the day. lol. But it was well worth it. Just seeing the affect athletes or anyone can have on a kid makes you want to help out with their lives. Now that I have done one camp,I have to keep doing more, be

2010-08-30T23:00:00.000-07:00

By the time you read this, it will have already passed, but I think it’s something that we all should reflect on. Five years ago our country was devastated by a natural disaster so big that not only did it cripple the beautiful glowing spirit of NewOrleans, but took more than 1800 lives as well. It was a time when people not only questioned our U.S. government (deservedly), but also had questions about their faith. Five years later, where do we stand and what have we learned? Isthere hope? Have we learned from our mistakes and built the levies up so nothing of this proportion could ever happen again? Would we be prepared for something of this magnitude if it happened again? According to New Orleans a topemergency management official, the effort was called a “national disgrace”. My first thoughts when I sit back and think about where New Orleans stands after the hurricane is nothing to smile about. The city is still struggling due to the economic downturn produced after the hurricane. The crime rate is still one of the highest in the U.S.. Not to mention there was an oil spill that just happened in the region, which didn’t make it easier. Being able to go to New Orleans a couple times a year due to work has given me a first hand look at everything there. It has let me meet people
that were there during the hurricane and pry information from them about the disaster. One thing that I have learned is their hope and love for the city hasn’t faded. Even with all the trials and tribulations that they have gone through, theirbelief that their city will be revived and back to a cultural destination that the world has loved and cherished has notfaded. More than that, they still have the belief and love for their city to stay there. Hope is a word that is thrown around a lot without a lot of meaning behind it. Hope is a word that is so precious that the minute people have lost it, their world has turned upside down. Hope is a word that I think enlightens and capitalizes the city of New Orleans. Being down and out and left with nothing is something no one ever wants to experience. It is something that I can not directly relate to. I can, however, provide hope. Even though the hurricane is five years in our past, there are still people who need help. Sometimes we forget how blessed we really are when you have never been through a devastation like this. With our help, though, we can continue to aid the recovery process and help illuminate this once vibrant, beautiful, jazz-oriented town. If it’s time, money or talent, please do whatever you can to help. Then you will be doing something bigger than most do. You’ll be giving hope....

JB

Love .....

2010-08-06T16:34:00.001-07:00

I love you. Since the first day I laid eyes on you, I knew you were the one. The day I was first introduced to you I was very hesitant to give you a chance. That ended the minute I touched you. You have taught me so many lessons in life that I know I would be no where without you. The first time I laid eyes on you, I remember asking myself what I would do to be with you forever. You are the most beautiful thing on the earth, from your brass hued skin that sparkles from the ground up, to your beautiful smell that can make any man stop and think twice. If I were able to take you and move to an island with you, I would do it in a second. You’ve stuck by me through all of my ups and downs, and have never pushed me away even though at times I have been so frustrated with you I probably said things that are unacceptable. There are times that I have to leave you which make me sick because I realize that we won't be together forever, and we should spend as much time with each other as possible. As much as I try to athe thought of us not being together, it will find its way into my head from time to time. Spalding, please keep a special place in your heart for me, as I have done for you.
Love,
JB
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Happiness..

2010-07-26T14:02:00.000-07:00

The last couple weeks I’ve had a little tweak with my body, so I haven’t been able to workout as much as I would like. It has been a blessing in disguise because I’ve had a chance to reflect on some things that I haven’t thought about in a long time. The other day I was able to watch Will Smith's Pursuit of Happyness. It has always been one of my favorite movies simply because of the way he faces his trials and tribulations. This time while watching it, I was zoned out with thoughts that really had me reflecting. What truly makes me happy? Now, obviously there are things that can have a short term effect of happiness with us. Money, women, and power are a few of the things that first come to my mind when thinking about it, but when you dig deeper ,you find out that some of the richest, best looking, and most powerful people in the world are the unhappiest. So the question is, what really makes us happy? Can you buy happiness? I looked up the definition of happiness: “ The quality of state of being happy”. The definition doesn’t really help with the question, but I have realized after thinking and asking about it that everybody has a different set of things that
make them happy. For some people it may be music, some food, some maybe even sleep. You know those Master Card commercials that list many things and name the price, but eventually come to something and say it's priceless. I think finding something that makes you happy is the most priceless thing of all. Plus, it makes life so much more enjoyable.

JB

Jbsblogspot@yahoo.com

Stereotypes

2010-07-19T19:43:00.000-07:00

I feel like one of the biggest stereotypes that I have to fight as an athlete is that the only thing I am is an athlete. I remember growing up and having to listen to my parents constantly preach , “Be more than a athlete”. As with most kids, it went in one ear and out the other as I kept trying to fulfill my dream to play in the NBA. When I was young, school always came easy to me. I’m not saying that I was a straight A student ,but I could maintain a 3.6 without putting much effort in at all. It wasn’t until one day in my senior year that I realized that because of the success that I received on the basketball court, some people viewed me as just another jock. We had some kind of carnival for younger kids at my school, and someone put on my name tag "Jerryd Bayless/Athlete." To most young men and women at that stage in their life,they wouldn’t think twice about such a name tag. When I saw it, though, it bothered me greatly because it was something that my parents had warned me of since I was young. As much as everyone in the world tries to hide it, one of the worst feelings there is is when you disappoint your parents. When I got that name tag, I felt I had disappointed them. I didn’t feel that bad because the tag just had "athlete"on it, but because athletics is only a couple chapters in my life. Not to be cocky or arrogant, but I view myself as a 50 chapter book. I feel this mistaken perception is something that all athletes should take upon themselves to change. It’s interesting; I just left Vegas after attending the NBA players association meeting where I was able to see so many other bright minds that people have stereotyped. Due to the fact that 95% of the time you see us is during a game or something related to it, it’s rare that you get to truly see and appreciate that most of these guys have brilliant minds. From business, to cooking, to writing ;) all of these men have so much more going on for them than sports. I am proud to say that I am part of this era of NBA players because we have gone from having just "athlete" on our name tags to much,much, much more!!!!
JB
jbsblogspot@yahoo.com

Life...

2010-06-28T18:05:00.000-07:00

In life there aren't many times when you meet someone that can have a dramatic impact on your life from thebeginning, especially for me, considering the fact I usually have a ten layer brick wall blocking everyone from getting too close to me. It's funny because my friends and I always use the song "There's always that person” forsomething totally different, but I thought, for this blog, it directly relates to the topic I'm talking about. Since I was drafted to Portland, my relationship with this person has grown and grown to the point that I consider him part of my family. Not only is he one of the best coaches that I have ever had, he’s also one of the best people I've ever met. When I was first drafted to Portland, he was the first person to call me and welcome me to the team. Even though I had never met him before, he acted like we had known each other for thirty years. Our relationship has grown to the point that I consider him more than a coach/friend, but a mentor. His values, love for the game, and loyalty are second to none. I know many of you have heard that I like to go back to the gym at night and work out during the season. What you didn’t hear was this coach has been there every night with me since day one. Now, If anyone reading this has been around the
NBA, it's custom to usually go to practice and immediately after you get what you need such as shots, treatments, and weights. For a coach to go back at night, and do this every night throughout an 82 game season is not only rare, but practically unheard of. Think of it as going to the office for your workday, then having to come back because some intern keeps bugging you. Lol. I remember during my rookie season and parts of my second year when I still didn’t play as much as I would like, this coach always encouraged me and pointed out examples of great players that had gone through the same thing. I’m not trying to say that I will ever be or live up to what those players have accomplished, but for a young player going through those types of situations, you try to look for hope and positive energy . He brought that everyday, not only for me, but for the whole team, coaching staff, and organization. I know the sky's the limit for this coach. Not only am I 100% sure that he will be a head coach in the NBA, I'm 100% sure he will keep affecting people’s lives in a positive manner. Kaleb Canales is a one of a kind coach and person. I’m sure you will find that out soon, too!!!!
JB

H+D

jbsblogspot@yahoo.com

P.S.- Everybody in Portland has been great as well. From the coaches to the front office. I have just received so many emails about him I thought I would l share it with everyone.

LA

2010-06-22T21:31:00.000-07:00

Even though a lot of my blogs are pretty serious most of the time, I still do like to have fun. Sometimes I even forget that I am twenty-one, and it scares me a little because I know in a blink of an eye I'm going to be thirty, proabably with a family and kids. So I decided on this blog to open up about my weekend in LA. Here we go!
First, me going to LA was never supposed to happen. Origanally I was supposed to go to NYC for the weekend to visit a friend and work out. But because of what happened to my Father, there was no way I could miss Father's Day with him -- so I had to be back by Sunday no matter what. During the first couple of days of the week I was in Phoenix working out with Kaleb Canales, one of our coaches (in an upcoming blog I will explain what he has meant for my career since I’ve been in the NBA. Simply put -- he’s the BEST at what he does), and we kept talking about going to LA to work out with Bill Bayno and Jeff Pendegraph. The thing with me is I don’t like missing days to work out no matter what. We had to figure out a way to make sure to get a gym and get everything situated. That was the least of my worries. Lol. I knew the minute I told the friends that live with me that I was going, they were going to want to come too. Especially because all of them are from LA. We decided to drive so we could have a car to get around a lot easier. Now I told
you before in one of my older blogs that if you are around these guys you would understand that they are some of the funniest human beings ever. Now imagine being stuck with them in a car for five and a half hours. It was like being at Comic View. Some of the things that come out of their mouths! Not to mention everyone of them think they are rappers. Lol . I don't even want to get into that about them ! Anyway, we left on Wednesday around one oclock. The one tradition that we have every time we go to LA is that when we get there we immediately go to Roscoes. A lot of you are probably thinking about the Roscoes in Hollywood, but no no no no, straight to Pico we go. There might not be a better restaurant in the world. From the food to the drinks to the atmosphere, it is truly addicting. The fact that we went there proabaly six or seven times in the four days we were in LA should be proof. It’s really unbeliveable.
After we ate I dropped my friends to visit with their families and I visited with a friend. Although I haven’t known her for a long time, I feel like we relate to each other in a way that a lot of my peers can’t. She’s somewhat in the same type of business that I am, so it usually leads to great conversation for both of us. We talked for hours and eventually ended up going back to Roscoes. Lol. I told you it was addicting. Anyway, I think it's good to have someone that you can vent to about things that they can relate to, and they can do the same.
The next day was one of the worst days of my life. Anyone and everyone who has ever had food posining definitely knows my pain. That morning I woke up fine, worked out at USC with my coaches and did my usual routine. About 4 oclock I went to a friend's house to play dominoes with him and his family. As usual we ate, hung out, and just had fun. About an hour after we got there, though, I got that feeling. Hahah. I don't want to go into detail about it as it's pretty much when you begin getting light headed, sweating, and feel dizzy everytime you stand up, not to mention the stomach pain. However, game seven of the finals was about to start in an hour! Some how I had to figure out a way to get my act together to watch this game. Lol. There was no way I was going to let this make me miss game seven of the finals. We had originally planned to go to the game, but I knew that wasn’t going to work. As the game started, I could tell I was getting worse. I was trying to hide it because a lot of people were there and I knew a storm was coming . I did my best for as long as I could, but midway through the second quarter it was time for me to go. I told all of my boys to just get me back to the hotel as fast as possible. At first they thought I was kidding, but after they got a good look at me they knew it was time to go. We took the freeways home, hoping that because of the game the traffic wouldn't be as bad. Mistake!!!!! The traffic was still terrible and I could tell I was getting sicker and sicker. Finally, we exited onto Sunset. If you have ever been to L.A. you know that that is one of the busiest streets in Hollywood. It was packed and we were stuck because that was the only street that would go through to my hotel. I was trying to do the best I could to relax, but I couldn’t. My friends started to worry a little bit because they started to say I was heaving, but I know I was trying to just do the best I could to not throw up in my car. Lol .I didn’t do the best I could because once we got to about Sunset and Wilcox it got REAL!!! . Luckily I opened the door quick enough that only a little got in my car, but I was in literally in the middle of the street throwing up and holding up traffic. Haha. Everytime I went to get back in the car, it would just start again. It was really one of the worst feelings I have ever had. To make things worse, there was a movie premiere going on right across the street, so there were hundreds of people outside looking at me like I was crazy. Lol. Finally when I did finish, I was so tired that I instantly went to sleep in the car and ended up going to bed that around seven. The worst part about the whole thing is not that I was sick though, it's that I missed GAME 7!!!!! I guess we all live and learn.
The next couple of days and nights were pretty relaxed. My friends and I were just relaxing and hanging out. At nights we would just relax out on the back porch of the hotel and play dominoes. One thing about us is we're not really into the club thing that much. Every once in a while, maybe, if it's one of our birthdays or a special event, but other than that, it's very very rare that you will see us there. This pretty much sums up my time in LA. Come back next week for a new blog!
JB
Jbsblogspot@yahoo.com

Living life abundantly

2010-06-13T20:28:00.000-07:00

In one of my older blogs I remember talking about “Living life abundantly” because you never know what can happen. This past week has reminded me about this to the highest extremes. Last Friday my Father suffered a heart attack. When I recieved the news it was like getting shot in the back, punched in the face, and kicked in the ribs all at one time. My cousin, who got the call from my Dad, told me when I got to the hospital that he was already in surgery. I felt helpless and betrayed all at the same time. I felt helpless for the fact that there was absolutley nothing I could do but pray. Most people, including me, are used to being in positions where you can somewhat control the outcome of the situation. Then when you're put in situations where you have no control, it's tough to compensate and adjust. I also felt betrayed because I felt my Dad didn’t deserve this. If you have ever been around my Father ,you would know he is one of the most loving men in the world. If he considers you a friend or if you're family, he will be with you through the trenches and back. I just felt that something like this didn’t deserve to happen to him.

This past week has put so many things in perspective for me. The long days and nights in the hospital gave me time to sit and reflect on what’s really important in life. Although I do love basketball and it’s the second love of my life, I would be able to live and function without it because I’m much more than a basketball player. If I had lost my Dad, or anybody else in my family, that night, I can't say the same regarding my ability to live and function. My family is my world. I love them more than life itself. Sometimes I think in American culture we tend to forget that because the media tends to stray away from that. Media focuses more on what sells rather than whats' the truth. By no means am I saying that's a bad thing, because they have to provide for their families as well, but its' easy to get lost in their message. So hopefully after your done reading this, you're able to sit back and realize the gift of family and life, and take full advantage of both. Your family is something that no one can take away from you. Enjoy them! We all end up leaving this earth sooner or later. We should take advantage of what we have now -- which is our Family.

My Father is blessed. He was able to survivethe heart attack and is supposed to make a full recovery. Hopefully, this will serve him a wake up call that he needs to change his diet and find ways to better maintain his health. He’s always adjusted to different situations; I'm sure this one won’t be any different.

Take care, Be safe, and Live life Abundantly,

JB

P.S.
I’ve recived many emails from last weeks blog and will answer them on the next blog.
jbsblogspot@yahoo.com

Summer 2010

2010-06-01T16:39:00.001-07:00

It has once again been forever since I’ve blogged. But hey, better late than never, right? There are so many things that I have been holding on to that I am going to try to have to fit into this blog. Where to start… where to start... I guess the best thing to talk about first is the season. The word that comes to mind about this season is “roller coaster.” I’m not talking about me personally, I’m talking about this team. With all of the injuries and adversity that this team had to go through, there were so many highs and lows that were forced upon us. Although it is tough to really appreciate the things this team did due to our first round loss, it was a great season. The fight, character, and heart of this team really showed throughout the season. But, enough about basketball.

The summer is here. Even though it came faster than anyone wanted, it’s still one of my favorite times of the year. It’s a time for me personally to unwind for a little before I start back working out, and catch up with my family and friends. So far my summer has pretty much consisted of watching the playoffs, sitting by my pool with my three boys that live with me, and playing dominoes. Lol! I know it sounds boring but if you were around these guys, I guarantee you wouldn’t stop laughing for hours. I haven’t taken any vacations because I’m still waiting to decide where to go. There are some trips I really want to take, but I just don’t want to stay on a plane that long! lol. After the season , I’m so burnt out of getting on planes that I just feel like chillen. I’m not going to lie, I do miss Portland though. The city has definitely grown on me. I think it’s because it’s just so different from Phoenix that I like the change. Well, it’s getting kind of late and I’m going to work out in the morning, so this is the end of this blog. Keep checking in for updates as I am going to write a lot more this summer.
JB

P.S., If you have questions you want me to answer send them to jbsblogspot@yahoo.com

Adversity

2009-12-16T19:44:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the hold up in the blogs. We have just been on the road so much, it’s been tough to find time to get some thoughts together. This blog is about something that every human being goes through. Adversity! Sometimes things happen to make you wonder “why”? I think everyone once or twice in their lives have been through a situation that just makes them ask why. Last week I was in one of those situations. In the beginning of the first quarter of our game, one my teammates/ best friends hurt his knee. Now, obviously sports injuries are bound to happen. There's truthfully no avoiding them and every team will have some every year. This one, though, just wasn't right and had me asking myself “why”. By now you guys all probably realize I'm talking about Greg. From day one since I’ve been in Portland, Greg and I have became good friends. I have seen him in his ups and downs and have been with him through a lot. A worse thing couldn’t have happened to a better guy. My Mom used to always tell me that everything always happens for a reason, and it’s a song that I have kind of kept with me to this day. After this happened, it made me question what could possibly be the reason. There was not one reason I could think of. There was one thing I couldn’t
keep out of my head, though. FAITH! Now religion is something that I try to kind of keep away from while writing these blogs, but during times like this I believe it’s very important to believe in a higher power to help you through. It is very easy to get down and depressed during times like these. I feel as if there's a fork in the road for Greg or anybody that has ever been in a situation facing some kind of adversity. Will you take the easy way out and relax? Or will you take the road where you will face the adversity and break it? Now, I can’t say what everyone who is reading this blog will do, but I do know what Greg will do. He’s going to look at that door of adversity and with his size 18 shoe, kick it down just like he’s done before! I can honestly say that I truly believe that not only will Greg come back, he will come back better than ever. It’s not part of his DNA to give up or let adversity get the best of him. Mark my words and have faith because the big fella will be back!!!!!!!!!

Intro

2009-11-29T17:55:00.000-08:00

Ahhhhhhhh the holidays!! Growing up the holidays have always been one of my favorite times of the year. I remember being young and just so anxious for Christmas day to come that I never took in the Holiday season. Over my short 21 years my views have changed on so many things, but this is one of the bigger things for me. When you’re young it’s definitely very easy to get caught up in the holidays being about you and making sure that you get everything on your Christmas list. It’s very understandable, though, for a young man or woman to feel this way. Watching t.v./ movies, it is very easy to not only get caught up in this belief, but to live it. I’m not saying that it is wrong because I can honestly come forward and admit that I was part of this notion until last year. Last year was the first year that I spent the holiday season alone. There are only a couple words to describe it. Boring, rough, and terrible. Although my Mother came up and was able to spend time with me after her school let out, it wasn’t the same. That’s when it really hit me and I was able to see what the Holidays were really about. Yeah the presents, and the stockings stuffed to breaking point is nice, but how good does all of that feel when there’s only one person to share it with? I know this is sounding kind of sobby and sad, but what I'm trying to get to is that the Holiday season should be special. It should be a time when you are able to celebrate your family and be thankful for everything that you have been blessed with. It’s human instinct to always want more, but for that four and a half weeks, just try to be thankful.
“ Live life Abundantly”
From practice, to my friends and family in Phoenix I have been asked why I used this quote when asked how I was going to go about this year on media day. Although I stole this quote from a movie, it has stuck with me for several reasons. The first reason is -- it is very true. Why wouldn’t anyone want to live his life to the fullest? Life takes you on so many adventures and introduces you to so many different people, why not take advantage of it? Remember you only get one shot at it so to me its best love every second of it. The second thing is you never know when life can be taken from you. A higher power has a plan for all of us and at any day, minute, or second it could be our last. That’s why I feel it’s best to take advantage of any opportunity that you have. If I have a chance to hang out with my cousins, go to a movie with my Mom, go hit golf balls with my Dad, or get 5 minutes in a game, I'm going to do it and take advantage of it because you just never know. With there being so many days in a year, it’s definitely easy to take for granted this gift right in front of you because you can always say you can do it later. If there is one thing that you take away from this blog entry, I hope that it’s to truly Love life.
“ Love Life”
I don’t really know how to start off this next section because it’s still a touchy subject with me and my whole St. Mary’s family, and has me wondering why things happen sometimes. My senior year at St. Mary’s high school (which is not only the best school in Phoenix, but just a very special place), I was introduced to a young lady named Nicole Rodia. Now you have to understand something about my high school before I continue. The school is a very small school. There are maybe 700 to 800 kids that go there and everybody knows everybody. (Lol) If you do something, the whole school is going to find out about it very quickly. So pretty much the whole school is a family. Anyway, it was my senior year and Nicole’s junior year, and we were in the same art class. I didn’t really know Nicole that well before art. I knew her sister, but probably wouldn’t have known her if it wasn’t for us sitting next to each other in the class. My previous three years in high school I was very guarded and really didn't open up to many people. It was just in my nature to kind of keep to myself and focus on basketball. After I met Nicole and the rest of her friends, I would change though. From day one, Nicole’s personality stood out to me. I remember her just talking and talking to me like we were best friends, and I barely knew her at the time. I was so surprised by this because I was used to people kind of looking at me as a basketball player and not a regular student, especially younger students. It became an immediate attraction and we became good friends. For my first three years at St. Mary’s, I NEVER and I mean NEVER participated in our school spirit assemblies. I was always too shy to ever act that crazy in front of that many people. Once again, Nicole helped me break that mindset, too. I don’t think she knew at the time, but the one thing that could always get me to do something was a challenge. I remember it like it was yesterday -- the day she kept on talking about how the juniors won the first spirit stick of the year (the spirit stick is what everyone is trying to win at the assemblies by being the loudest). Truthfully, at first I didn’t care until she started challenging me with all of her junior friends at our art table. (Lol) Her one challenge changed my whole high school experience from a very sheltered, guarded experience, to a fun, enjoyable one. Throughout the year, Nicole and I became better and better friends, and I knew it would continue for a long time.
The reason I'm telling this story is that about a year after I graduated, Nicole tragically passed away. Nicole was a prime example of what “Living Life Abundantly” and “Loving Life” was all about. Every day, rainy or sunny, she would come in with the same attitude -- happy as can be. For the short time she was with us, I know she lived every day to the fullest and was able to find joy in life. She was not only beautiful on the outside, but was beautiful within as well. I know I speak for everyone that knew Nicole when I say how much we miss her and love her. We love you Nicole!!!

JB

Things on my Mind

2009-11-22T16:57:00.000-08:00

I’ve been wanting to do this blog for a while now, but it seems like something has always come up or I have ended up forgetting about it. There are so many things on my mind today that I would love to share with you and see what you think, as well. Many of you are probably wondering what I'm going to be talking about through out these blogs. I can assure you basketball might be one of the last things on the list. I've always considered myself much more than a basketball player and feel like this blog is a perfect way to show that. I think the best way to start this blog is to really tell you about me and for you to really get to know me not the image that the media portrays of me or what you get to see on the court. First, I want to clear up the fact that I am an angry guy who is arrogant. I have heard this so many times the last couple years in Portland and it is the farthest thing from me. Yeah I am in a tough situation at the moment, but I love life way too much to just be mad. You look around the world and the times that we are in, and for me to just be mad when I've been blessed to play in the NBA is very untrue.

On the court at times, I can agree that I do become very intense, but off the court I could be one of the quietest people you’ll ever meet unless I know you. This has been something I have wanted to clear up for awhile.It’s kind of funny to me that I ended up being a professional basketball player, considering the way my family is structured. My Mother is a counselor/teacher at a community college in Phoenix. My Dad is a forensic Psychologist and has owned his own clinic in Phoenix for over 30 years. My brother recently quit Wall-street to be the CFO of my Father’s company. Besides my Mom, who takes early morning runs, and
my brother, who played sports but never really took it serious enough to go past high school, there was never a large emphasis on athletics in my family when I was growing up. The thing with my parents was all school. Now, I know you hear a lot of athletes say that their parents wouldn’t let them play or hang out after school until they got their homework done. My parents would take it to the next level -- not letting me earn more than one B on my report card without being grounded. They gradually changed when I got to high school because of all the traveling that I had to do, but I knew not to play when it came to academics. I look at a lot of my friends, and their parents weren’t as strict with them. When I see what they are doing, it makes me thank my parents so much more. I’m not really the type of person that is really mushy mushy with my family, but I can’t explain how much I do love them. I know sometimes they question what I really care about because I am so focused on trying to be great at this game, but they literally mean the world to me. I’m talking about my whole family from my Mom, Dad, Brother, Aunts, Uncles, cousins, and Grandparents.
In my very short life I have been blessed with many people around me that have already been on the same NBA journey that I am beginning. Frank Johnson (the former coach of the Suns) has been the reason I have grown to be the player I am today. He has taught me the values and all the necessary things I needed to know to make it to this level. I remember calling him every day and asking him to go work out with me, and every day I called he was there. I consider him a second father, and there isn’t anything in this world that I really think I could do to repay him for what he has done. Next is a former self-proclaimed shooter named Eddie Johnson. I grew up playing in local tournaments with his son, and our relationship grew through the years. Although he wasn’t there every day at 5 am with Frank, he was always there to guide me through the ins and outs of this business. When he would show up to the gym, he would usually try to outshoot me, which always ended in a loss for him because I know the one thing to say to him to make him miss (lol). I wish I could tell you guys what it is, but he would literally kill me (hahahaha).Well, this is my first of many blogs to come. Keep coming back once a week to check it out!
JB

My First Post

2009-11-17T23:06:00.000-08:00

Writing has always been a way for me to get things off my chest. Growing up English would be the one class I looked forward to because it would allow me to share my thoughts about things that I had kept inside. This is exactly why I have decided to do this blog. Not only is it a great way for me to clear the air about certain things, its a great way to let you into the life of a young NBA player. So check back once a week and I will give you something new every week starting tonight.