New Grand Island boys basketball coach D’Cean Bryant is going to log some miles in his first season.
Carter Bryant poses for a photo with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected 14th by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the NBA draft.
ADAM HUNGER, ASSOCIATED PRESS
His son, Carter — who spent one season at Arizona — was selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the 14th pick in the first round of last week's NBA draft.
“I'm going to get down there as much as I possibly can without interfering with our season," coach Bryant said.
Bryant applied for the Islander position to be closer to his girlfriend and their 3-year-old son in Grand Island. A four-year letterman at Long Beach State, where he averaged 8.1 points in 114 games, Bryant coached five seasons at Fountain Valley High School before the past three at Sage Hill in southern California.
Carter — a five-star recruit — played his freshman and sophomore seasons at Fountain Valley and his junior year at private school Sage Hill for his father before transferring to Corona Centennial his senior year. The 6-foot-7 forward started four games for Arizona’s Sweet 16 team, averaging 6.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. He was considered a potential lottery pick with a 39.5 vertical leap among his assets.
How Bryant coached his son is what he seeks to instill in the Islanders.
“You’re building the infrastructure and that comes through development," Bryant said. “So many others get caught up in kids being really good in high school and having all these accolades. Coaching him, we weren't focused on accolades.
“We were focused on going to put in the work, honor people, we're going to be humble, but we're not taking crap off of nobody. We're going to push. We're God-fearing people. We’re putting our faith in God and letting him do his work, but we got to put in the time and the effort.”
While Bryant is leaving his native state, he said Grand Island, where he was hired in May, fits the place where he wanted to be when he was younger.
“Where people are understanding and value who you are, they value the community," he said. “Not saying that didn’t happen in southern California, but there’s certain pieces to being here that matter and I like that part of it.”
The night of the draft, he said, was a “surreal moment” in the Barclay Center in Brooklyn seeing Carter walk on stage, put on the Spurs hat and shake hands with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
“People have asked me what was it like. I don't even remember it. It was just a moment of ‘Wow,'" Bryant said. “It's a blessing, it's a very humbling experience.
“Any parent that gets to that space, my biggest advice is don't answer your phone, ignore phone calls, and enjoy the moment. Enjoy the whole experience. Don't get worried about taking a bunch of pictures. You’ll miss the actual moment and going through those emotions.”
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