Keifer Sykes: 'Hope to get the respect I deserve in Europe' / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: Zuma Press – Scanpix Credit Zuma Press – Scanpix

Life has not been easy on Keifer Sykes. The undersized (1.80) point guard has gone through many hardships and adversities in his life.

Growing up on the southeast side of Chicago, in a project apartment complex, he got used to sharing a two-bedroom place with his six siblings and half-siblings. That's where they lived until Sykes got to high school. Losing his father James when he was 19 and welcoming a son at only 17 were some of the milestones that left an indelible mark on his personality and character. At the time his son KJ was born in August 2010, Keifer was holding down a job with the Chicago Public Schools system, playing basketball and working in recreational centers with kids.

James Sykes tragically passed away from a heart attack in 2012 after Keifer's freshman season at the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay. It was a devastating blow for the then-teenager, who turned his focus on not only becoming an NCAA star but also graduating college, which he ultimately did in 2015.

All that is gone, but not forgotten. Basketball has brought Keifer Sykes in North Korea, the Turkish second division, China, Italy, Greece, and, most recently, the NBL in Australia. Following an uneventful period, when COVID-19 broke out and he had to change three teams (Armani Milan, Turk Telekom, Panathinaikos) over the course of fewer than 8 months, came a productive stint with the Adelaide 36ers, where he put up 14 points, 5.3 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game on 41% shooting.

In July, he enrolled in the famous "The Basketball Tournament". Playing next to EuroLeague legend Tyrese Rice with Boeheim’s Army (a Syracuse alumni team), the 27-year-old made the most important shot of his career so far, allowing it to finish off Team 23 69-67 in the Elam Ending of the championship game and earn the million-dollar grand prize.

By that time, he had already landed an Exhibit-10 contract with the Indiana Pacers, which is a deal for the NBA’s league minimum. While there is no guaranteed salary, the agreement can include an optional bonus of between $5,000 and $50,000 if the player is waived and then joins the franchise’s G-League team. An important factor to be considered is that Exhibit-10 contracts can also be converted into two-way contract by the franchise.

What's next for him no one can tell. For a player who wasn't selected in the 2015 NBA Draft, overcoming the obstacles has become second nature. In his fourth NBA Summer League participation, Sykes played well for the Pacers, averaging 8 points per game on nearly 55% shooting from the field. At the same time, the team needs a third point guard, and there are limited options in the free agency market.

For the author of a million-dollar shot, this can be a career-defining summer if he gets to fulfill one of his dreams: play an NBA game. If not, he will once again test the overseas waters to see if there are teams eager to rely on him and, as he confided in his interview with BasketNews, "show him the respect he deserves."

Keifer Sykes recounted his recent Summer League and TBT experience, explained what it feels like playing overseas and being a teenage father, while he also revealed the EuroLeague offer he received and declined last season.

It has been an extremely busy summer for you. The TBT Tournament, when you made the winning shot for Boeheim's Army, then the Summer League with the Indiana Pacers and an Exhibit-10 contract with them. How did you experience all that and what's up next for you? - BasketNews asked Sykes in a video call.

My experience has been good. My goal still is to play my first NBA game. I knew that to put my talents on display. I got the opportunity to play the TBT and I knew I wanted to play Summer League but didn't know where to. For those two things to go well for me, it was great. The season in Australia started late, in January, which means we ended pretty late and I didn't get back until June 20. To play in front of my family has been cool. Obviously, to go viral wasn't part of the plan. For people to see how much better I've gotten and the growth of my game at this stage, it was a blessed opportunity.

Right now, I'm in California, training with my High School teammate Alphonzo McKinnie who plays in the NBA. I'll rest a couple of days and then I'll go back to Chicago and do some things for my foundation and the less fortunate kids. After that, I'll get ready for training camp. I feel like I've shown that I can play on this Pacers team and in the NBA in some capacity with my leadership, getting some wins as a point guard. Winning is very important to me and to do that in a TBT setting and with the Pacers team, I wanted to show my value and what I could bring.

What kind of feedback did you get from the Pacers management, in terms of you making the roster in the long run?

I didn't really get much feedback. Going into this Exhibit-10, they didn't put any ceiling on the deal. In my mind, I would like to upgrade the contract as much as possible. They have two-way opportunities open and I think they've got an open spot already. With them searching for another point guard, I want to be in the right place at the right time and show them that I can help the team.

This was your fourth time in a Summer League since you have been on the rosters of Cleveland, Golden State, and San Antonio. What do you keep from each tournament and what's so special about the Pacers organization?

This is the first time that I went into Summer League knowing that I was already signed to training camp with the team. So, it was a little bit less pressure. Just trying to get comfortable with the team, in front of the coaching staff and the GM, was more comforting than the other three times, where I was just a free agent. In my first year, I had to learn a lot coming in, knowing that it was G League and guys playing abroad that were ahead of me. In my second year, after playing in the G League, I was the starter on the Spurs team but they had my rights. It was definitely pressure because I knew that I had to play outstanding for a team to pay the Spurs to get me out of the two-year contract.

Credit Indiana PacersHave you figured out what NBA teams are looking for in a player during those five days of practices and games? The time span is very limited and you guys have to show everything you've got.

It's definitely limited. They want to see who can be the most adaptable and who can do the necessary work. I just came in with a winning attitude and with them having a lottery pick shooting guard (Chris Duarte), they wanted to have him on display. I had to slide to the "2", play defense and make the necessary sacrifices of getting him shots and not playing selfish basketball in a setting where a lot of guys do the best they can. I had to do different things, like running a team, passing, playing defense, hitting open shots, setting other guys up. As a player, me being 27 and getting into my prime, I have to take advantage of each small moment.

Do you think that overseas players of a certain age, who are not prospects or talents anymore, face more obstacles breaking into the NBA?

100%. I feel it's just politics even for guys that play overseas. You can definitely get lost in the shuffle. That has made my journey interesting. I didn't only sit in Europe, I didn't start or finish in Europe. I've played in South Korea and China, done the G League. My resume is decorated but it takes a little bit of luck, it's about timing and who you know. You got to take chances on yourself. I took a lot of pay cuts and jobs to be in this position that people wouldn't take. I had different agents and coaches that told me that I won't be able to sign an NBA deal - people are still saying that now.

You have spent most of the last several years playing in international leagues: Korea, Turkey, Italy, China, Greece, and you're coming off a one-year stint with the South East Melbourne Phoenix in Australia’s National Basketball League. Where did you have the easiest and the hardest time acclimating to the requirements of the league?

My first year as a pro I played in South Korea and I needed some money financially. We ended up winning the regular season and the post-season. I entered a team with a lot of veterans, in a good league. We had a lot of high-level players and the league put their imports on display by giving them the ball. Also, my experience in the NBL, with them speaking English, with how seamless and close to the NBA their league is.

Conversely, some of the hardest leagues that I've been in were in Europe. A lot of us deal with not being paid on time or not at all. One of my teams went bankrupt and didn't pay us after we finished the season. With COVID last year and me being in Europe, it was hard for my family to come. I feel like our health and safety was an issue. I started in the second division, where a lot of gyms were empty. So, mentally, physically, and spiritually it could be difficult playing in Europe. That's another reason why I wanted to get to the NBA market because it seems that guys that play in the NBA or have NBA on their resume are getting paid better than others who play in Europe.

In terms of the competition level, it's 100% the EuroLeague. No disrespect to anyone, but they have some of the best coaches in the world based on their resumes. Based on their prestige and the players they have, they're very high-level. You see Barcelona with Nikola Mirotic and Pau Gasol, Milan with a lot of NBA players, CSKA, Efes, Fenerbahce. EuroLeague by far has the strongest talent, where I would challenge myself. If you want to be the best basketball player you can be outside the NBA, the EuroLeague has high-level games and players.

Credit Olimpia MilanoYou essentially had one full season in Europe and that was with Avellino in 2018-19. Then, you played 3 months with Armani Milan, 3 weeks with Turk Telekom, and a month with Panathinaikos. Did you sense that those teams didn't put enough trust in you?

Yes, I did sense that. I don't think those teams valued my game and what I could do. I am a humble player and I know that I can get better. Playing with Sergio Rodriguez at Armani Milan, with Demetris Nichols, Caleb Green, and Norris Cole at Avellino was a life-changing experience for me. Me being 23-24 and them being veterans, I didn't know how much time I would spend with them but I knew that every single day I had to soak up as much information as possible. Coach Messina and coach Vucinic from Avellino, even being around coach Pop in the Spurs' training camp, was vital to my development. They transformed my game and my mentality.

A lot of people don't value what I've done but hopefully, a team can see my worth and my resume. I'm definitely putting more trust in myself because all those things have made me want to be one of the top guards in the game of basketball.

You've said that last season was very hard for you with COVID and not being able to see your family for six or seven months. I guess that your priority now is to stay in the States, even if you're assigned to the G League, right?

My goal is to sign (with the Pacers) and play my first NBA game. I feel I can only get better, but after COVID I didn't even get re-signed to a EuroLeague team. This deal with the Pacers is really nice because it's two hours from home and me signing an Exhibit-10, I will still be with their G League team, which now practices with the team. I don't wish injury to anyone, but in an 82-game season, I feel like I want to show them that my services will be necessary. Plus, any team could pick me up. I know that teams overseas and China draw from the G League as players get injured over there in the middle of the season. If I ever get tired of it, I could just take a job there, or in the EuroLeague. With family being big for me, I wanted to spend time with them and stay home.

For those not familiar with the TBT or for those who follow it from a distance and know some guys that have played in Europe, like you, Conner Frankamp, Tyrese Rice, Kyle Hines, Nick Calathes, how would you describe it? What's the main feature that we are missing out on?

The TBT has the best players who are not in the NBA. It's one of the biggest tournaments in the States. That was huge for me as I was able to solidify myself as one of the top players abroad because we were able to win this single-elimination, 64-team tournament. Every single team had overseas pros, high-level guys that make millions of dollars. I measure myself up against EuroLeague champions when it's hard for me to get a EuroLeague job. So, I kind of took that personal. I usually don't play in that tournament, but I was highly motivated to play against some of the highest-paid guys in China and Europe. I feel like I've shown that one of the best players abroad and I've gained the respect of my peers on U.S. soil.

It was a really cool experience for me, being one of the younger players and admiring all these guys. To play with someone like Tyrese Rice, I was excited to learn as much as I can from him. I want to be a champion and play in EuroLeague, at the highest level. To just pick his brain and stand alongside him for two weeks and win the championship was bigger than any money for me. To be able to seize that moment and for the last shot to go viral, was a testament to all the hard work.Credit Dennis Nett/syracuse.com

Which other chapters of your life or career would you add to a potential second part of the Chi-Town documentary that followed your path from high school to your brush with the NBA and was filmed in 2018?

I would definitely be excited to show the grind, the journey, the sacrifices, and the amount of work that it takes to manufacture your dream. Obviously, in the movie, I lost my father and I would love to have him here. I was a teenage father. All these things can derail you when you're chasing your dream, especially if you're by yourself for 8-9 months, playing abroad, and people say that you can't get to the NBA. It seems like the NBA is in a whole another stratosphere. I am definitely excited to start filming and get some content up there for people to follow us players being abroad. It will be nice to show the different aspects of my journey and how the game can humble you, but also teach you so many valuable lessons.

After what you achieved this summer, do you feel that you're going to get a great deal more respect if and when you come back to play in Europe?

I hope so. It's crazy because I'm getting a lot of respect and feedback from people who acknowledge me from that TBT shot. For me, to see guys catapulted straight from college to the NBA or Europe, get jobs that I've wanted and worked hard for, without jealousy or envy, has not been easy.

Last year, I did have a Red Star deal but I didn't feel the offer was enough for what I've done. I received some scrutiny for not taking it. It was less money than I've been paid on smaller teams. It was a grand opportunity. I loved that club and the EuroLeague, but I want to feel respected for what I bring to the club; I bring leadership, discipline, I'm super professional, a great locker-room guy, a great extension of the coach, mentor for my community...

When you go to these clubs and they offer you less or you have in the back of your mind that you may not even be paid, it's tough for us to make dedications and sacrifices. Hopefully, with different teams and clubs, I will get the respect that I deserve and people will respect my opinion as a player.

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