The Boozers played hockey when they lived in Chicago (photo via Carlos Boozer Instagram/CeCe Boozer Instagram)
CHICAGO – The week of the AWS NBA Draft Combine is full of measurements, on-court shooting and first glimpses of who the top players are on the court. There are agility drills and scrimmages. Measurements and agency pro days that NBA executives and fans alike dissect leading up to the NBA Draft on June 22-23.
It’s also a chance to get to know who these players are off the court. Each player’s road to the NBA is different and it’s a journey.
There are stories of other sports that made them choose basketball and shaped them into the basketball players they are today. The family members who motivated and challenged them along the way, and players from different countries and worlds who now intersect at the combine, each going through the same process.
NBA.com tracked down some of the unique stories that helped make the next wave of NBA talent great.
Cameron Boozer … on ice?
“When I was younger (around 7 or 8 years old), my dad played for the Bulls and me and my brothers went to a Blackhawks game and we just really enjoyed that experience and we wanted to try it so we played for about a year or two. My brother Carmani played goalie and me and Cayden played whatever, we were so young. I don’t remember. Cayden hated it the most, for sure.”
When asked to rate his skating ability Boozer said, “at the time, about an 8 or 9. I was a good skater.“
Dybantsa, Flagg were nearly (AAU) teammates
“Cooper [Flagg] played for Expressions Elite in 8th grade and I played with them too and there was no rule that year until the EYBL came out and said the state that you live in has to touch the state of the team that you’re playing on and the program it’s based out of,” said BYU star AJ Dybantsa. “So Maine didn’t touch Massachusetts, so Cooper played for Maine United and I played for Expressions but yeah, we were supposed to play on the same team because I was going to play up that year. I never got to play on the same team with him but I played against him plenty of times. I played against him in the EYBL, Made Hoops camps and Top 100 camp but I always think of what it would’ve been like to be teammates that summer.”
Going pro in Peterson family
This year, Kansas standout Darryn Peterson and his older brother, Darryl, will enter the NBA and NFL in the same year. Darryl Peterson III, a former linebacker at Wisconsin, signed with the LA Rams shortly after the NFL Draft as an undrafted free agent.
“A lot of people don’t know this, but my brother played football at Wisconsin. He’s a really good football player and he just got signed with the LA Rams. We grew up working and having the same dream, different sport and it’s just super cool to see him achieve his and me, hopefully next month, achieve mine. Shout out to our parents. We both worked super hard and they sacrificed so much for us to both chase our dreams. Without them it wouldn’t be possible.”
Caleb Wilson’s first love was baseball
Caleb Wilson poses after winning a baseball tournament as a child (photo via Caleb Wilson Instagram)
“Baseball is a great sport and I feel like it’s more mental than anything and baseball teaches you a lot of lessons because the thing about baseball is you’re often going to fail. So having the ability to learn and fail and move on from that is really important and helped me as an athlete. I played shortstop, third base, pitched and played first. I stopped playing baseball in 8th grade. I was so tall the strike zone was just too big so it was time to focus on basketball.”
Wilson was recently asked to throw out the first pitch on two different occasions: “I threw out two first pitches recently and one was bad, one was good. One was a strike, the other was a little in the dirt,” Wilson said while laughing. “I’m still grateful for the game but basketball is what I love.”
Burries’ support section
Brayden Burries’ entire family travels to games with matching t-shirts with his face on it.
Brayden Burries’ family has consistently supported him throughout his career.
“My dad started making custom shirts for everyone when I was playing AAU and it carried to high school and then to college and it’ll probably carry to the pros. My favorite shirt is the red Arizona one and there’s a baby blue one from when I was younger and was playing with Carter (Bryant). It means everything to play the game I love and look over in the stands and see my parents there and my friends and family with all matching shirts, it means a lot and I can find them right away. There’s always a lot of them.”
Brown Jr.’s long-lasting love of hoops
Mikel Brown Jr. says his love for basketball started from day 1.
Mikel Brown shooting at hoop as a toddler. (courtesy of Mikel Brown Jr.)
“My love for basketball started from an early age. My mom and dad had me when they were in college. My dad was still hooping so he used to take me to a lot of practices, I used to sleep in the dorms with them, he would take me to class while he was doing tests. And just always being there with him and he put a ball in my hands early and basketball has been in my life forever. I love the game and that love I have for the game isn’t going to go anywhere. I’m having fun.”
Brown’s dad, Christopher, has been by his side coaching him as a kid growing up before he became a five-star high school prospect.
“My dad coached me my entire life and it was very much tough love. Just him being there for me every step of the way goes unnoticed. People see him in the stands and he has a straight face but he really is enjoying the process and just being that big supporter while on top of that, just being on me and him getting me to be the best player I can.
“That’s been built and instilled in me since I started playing. Seeing him be self-driven and self-motivated and watching my mom (Marisela) as well and the way she coaches my sister in volleyball.”
Hannes Steinbach and family have ties to Hall of Famer
Hannes Steinbach grew up on a farm in Würzburg, Germany (74 miles from Frankfort) and his dad, Burkhard, played with Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki for five years.
“There was a basketball hoop in my driveway and a gym 20 minutes away. I didn’t have a trainer or anything fancy like that. I would always just drive there with my dad. Dirk played with my dad and he and his family used to visit us in the summertime and his kids would just run around with us on the farm and we would chase the animals and play there.”
Nowitzki has been a mentor for Steinbach through this process. “Dirk just told me to enjoy the entire process because it goes by pretty quickly and just to stay in the moment.”
Sibling influence on Peat’s rise
Koa Peat comes from a family of NFL players, but it was his older sister, Leilani, who influenced his basketball career.
Peat’s dad, Todd, played six seasons in the NFL (1987-90; ’92-93) split between the Arizona Cardinals and then-LA Raiders. One of his older brothers, Andrus, has played 10 NFL seasons and is currently on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Another older brother, Cassius, played college football for Michigan State, while his brother, Keona, plays for the University of Arizona.
“My sister Leilani had a big influence on me and she played basketball for Seattle U so growing up and watching her play, I feel like I kind of implemented my game after hers. She was a point-forward and could do a little bit of everything and she was a fierce competitor too.”
“I played football growing up, we all did. During COVID-19 it just kinda slowed down and I had a growth spurt. I always loved basketball and it was the best option for me. Plus the weather is better inside the gym for sure…you can’t control that on the football field.”
Thomas’ commitment to winning
Meleek Thomas hates losing and only quit football after a rough losing season.
“I played football for just one season. When you don’t have a good record or you don’t finish the year strong, that’s kind of a wrap for that so I just stuck to what I know and what I’m good at and went right back to the hoop. It was in 7th grade and I was a wide receiver and corner and like everyone says, ‘winning solves a lot of problems.’ We weren’t winning and it was bad so I used that as a sign just to stick to basketball.”
