If you ever wanted a glimpse into what it takes to be an NBA player, the work, the dedication, the sacrifice, just head over to The Athletic and read Jay King’s deep dive on Payton Pritchard. Just a great read all around.
His parents remember those startling 5:30 a.m. wake-up moments when a loud, thwacking sound pierced the morning silence from the family’s two-car garage. Payton would be smacking a weighted basketball off the garage floor. Left and right he would direct the ball. Around his legs. Behind his back. He would dribble it low, dribble it with force, dribble it like Pistol Pete Maravich.