People are pretty quick to assume that Johnathan Motley’s journey to the National Basketball Association (NBA) league was an interesting ordeal. Why is this true and how do they come to this conclusion? Let’s see together, shall we?
Who is Johnathan Motley?
He was born on May 23, 1995 in Houston, Texas. Like other basketball players who made it to the NBA, Motley started playing this game of handball in high school. When he went to college, he played for the Baylor Bears where he received the nickname Big Man.
After two years of college basketball experience, he declared for the NBA and hired an agent, ending any chance he had of returning to college. But then a meniscus surgery he had to undergo made it impossible for him to be drafted into the NBA.
As fate would have it, Johnathan Motley was subsequently offered a contract to become the first basketball player to sign a bilateral contract with the Dallas Mavericks and its G-League affiliate, Texas Legends. The following are the things to know about the American professional basketball player.
6 things to know about the NBA player
1. The beginning of his romance with basketball
Jonathan Motley wasn’t always a great man. When he started playing basketball in seventh grade, he was short and skinny. It is said that he couldn’t even adjust to his jersey and was always trying to hold his shorts on while he ran around the pitch.
Motley almost kissed death during his junior year in 2011 when his appendix burst. He collapsed in court and spent three weeks in Texas Children’s Hospital. After a series of antibiotic treatments, he fully recovered and came back with renewed energy.
2. His academic career
Many college coaches started to interest Johnathan Motley immediately after his freshman year in high school, it was because he became a top 100 recruit. He committed to Baylor rather than schools like Texas and SMU (Southern Mississippi University) because he wanted to be in the same state as his mother, Willie Motely. He wanted her to cheer him on and support him at every game.
In his freshman year, his trainer redshirted him in order to give him time to work more on his lean body, gain more weight, and adjust to the rigors of the college routine. Adding weight increased Jonathan Motley’s athleticism and endurance. These were some of the factors that helped him lead the team to their first ever number one ranking in the 2016-2017 season.
3. Join the NBA
After his freshman year in college, Jonathan declared for the NBA. He then hired an agent, thus avoiding any risk of returning to Baylor. He was predicted to be picked in the second round of the 2017 NBA Draft, but due to his torn meniscus cartilage, which required surgery, he was not puckered.
Motley made the most of his situation when a two-way deal with the Dallas Mavericks and their G League team, Texas Legends, was made. He had to play for both teams and he didn’t hesitate to jump into the game. Motley was the first to sign such an agreement. Nonetheless, he was traded to the Clippers for Maarty Leunen.
4. Professional Achievements
Right from high school, Johnathan Motley was an excellent basketball player, earning him a handful of coveted accolades. While a third-team 2016 All-Big 12, 2017 saw him land the Karl Malone Award. He was named to the 2017 USA Consensus Second Team, as well as the First Team of the 12 Greatest Teams of the Year. That’s not all, Johnathan was named the 2018 NBA G League second team.
5. Height, Weight and Body Net Worth
Jonathan Motley is not called “Big Man” for nothing. It is 10 inches taller than 2.0 m (6 ft) and weighs 104 kg (230 lb). Truly, he is a big man and for someone of his size, he displayed remarkable athleticism, speed and agility.
6. Jonathan’s Family
This basketball player was single-handedly raised by his mother, Willie Motley. The bond between mother and son is inseparable, with Jonathan turning down offers from different colleges to be close to his mother. He had planned to reward the woman for her support when he was sent to the NBA, but his dreams have yet to materialize.