| Sam Young’s Journey Is A Remarkable One Authored by Brian Reynolds - December 17, 2009 - 7:05 pm
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The Memphis Grizzlies had three picks in last year’s NBA draft. Two of the picks were first round selections in which they used on big-man Hasheem Thabeet (2nd overall) and swingman DeMarre Carroll (27th overall). Their third pick, however, is proving to be a much more productive player – at least in the early going of their respective careers. And given his background, it really shouldn’t be a surprise.
With the 36th pick of the draft, Memphis selected Sam Young, a gusty, four-year player out of the University of Pittsburgh.
Young’s childhood was anything but normal. According to SI.com’s, Seth Davis, Sam’s mother, Marquet Craig, was just 15 years old when she brought Sam into the world. His father would end up in a juvenile detention center for selling cocaine to an undercover cop. Marquet would move Sam, along with his four younger brothers and sisters, with regularity in hopes to find a safer place to grow up.
The family ended up living in the Maryland suburbs when Sam was set to attend Pittsburgh to play for coach Jamie Dixon. Sam, however, was not academically qualified for the school and instead had to spend a year at the Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia.
Sam found his experience at the military academy to be extremely difficult and incredibly lonely. He found inspiration through his mother when he came home for a visit. He typed a message that read I can’t let my mother work harder than me, and posted it on the front wall in his dorm room. He had great respect for the woman who raised him and his siblings at such a young age with virtually no help.
Sam kept his eyes on the prize and understood that in order to advance in the world he would have to work for it. Nothing would come easy.
According to ESPN.com’s Brian Bennett, Young wasn’t the typical party guy. His friend, Chris Howard said it best.
“This is a guy who’d be at school at 6:30 in the morning working out or at the gym,” said Howard. “He’s not one of those guys you’re going to see in the club. Sometimes he’ll call me and say he’s going to the movies, and I’ll joke and say, ‘Who are you going with? Who’s the girl?’ And he’ll say, ‘I’m going by myself.’”
The focus paid off.
At the academy, Sam’s skills showed on the court. He averaged 23 points and 11 rebounds while his team went 28-1. He was highly recruited again, and chose Pittsburgh as the place to play his college ball.
Sam was frustrated in his first two years as a Panther. He didn’t like his role on the team and almost transferred to Kansas State before coach Dixon told him that things would be different in his junior year. And they were.
While only starting in five games as a freshman and a sophomore combined, Young would go on to start the last 73 games of his Pittsburgh career. As a senior, he averaged 19.2 PPG, 6.3 RPG and logged almost 32 minutes of game-time. Young shot 50% from the field in his final two years at Pitt, and received heavy praise from coaches everywhere - including Jim Calhoun who said, “There hasn’t ever been a player who gives us as many problems as he does.”
Young’s draft stock rose considerably after an outstanding postseason where he averaged 23.5 points in four games. However, Sam fell to the second-round on draft day and was not guaranteed a contract.
No problem. He would just have to work for it.
After an impressive summer league, Young signed a contract and officially had accomplished his dream as an NBA player. The contract pays Young $900,000 in guaranteed money for the first two years with a club option for year three.
When the Grizzlies came to Atlanta on Wednesday night, I caught up with Sam after the game where he was fresh off a career high 20-point performance and we talked about his night and basketball in general. He has come such a long way that you can tell he’s just in awe where he is when he answers questions for reporters.
I asked him if he was beginning to feel more and more comfortable as an NBA player.
“A little,” he said. “But I played so terrible in the first half, I don’t even think the 20 points should be mentioned. I feel more comfortable, but we didn’t get the win.”
I wouldn’t expect anything else, but Young to be humble. He thinks out each question he’s asked and gives the best answer he can. I asked him what parts of his game he’s working on the most. He paused for a little and then said:
“I try to work on a little bit of everything. Right now, though, I’m focusing more on shooting. I think that’s the most important thing. When you get in this league and you’re playing against giants, you have to be able to put the ball in the hole from distance.”
Sam dominated the fourth quarter of the game against the Hawks. Although it was mostly garbage time, he was clearly taking advantage of it.
“I feel like in a one-on-one situation, I’m very confident in myself and my ability. I feel like I can get the job done almost every time.”
I wonder where that confidence came from.
--Brian Reynolds is a contributing writer for RealGM and a graduate of Emory University. He can be reached at Brian.Matthew.Reynolds@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter at BReynolds404. |
