Jay Scrubb’s journey to the NBA wasn’t linear. There was no NCAA basketball. No McDonald’s All-American workforce alternatives. No highschool rankings to place him on the nationwide radar. All Scrubb had was a dream and an insatiable work ethic.
The record of gamers who’ve traveled the JUCO to NBA route is brief. To additional complicate issues, most gamers on that record used their time on the JUCO degree to earn a roster spot with a Division I faculty. Not Scrubb. As a substitute, the free-scoring guard continued to belief in his work ethic and the product he was placing on the court docket, hoping that an NBA workforce would take discover.
In 2020, Scrubb’s laborious work paid off. After declaring for the NBA Draft, the LA Clippers chosen the JUCO participant of the yr with the fifty fifth choose.
“It was a blessing listening to my identify referred to as,” Scrubb advised me throughout a current interview. “I wasn’t in a position to stroll throughout the stage as a result of COVID, however listening to my identify referred to as made it higher, man. And, after all, silencing the doubters. All people who mentioned I wouldn’t make it up till that time. It goes farther again [to my time] in center faculty and highschool and issues like that, simply to have the ability to silence all of the critics and silence all of the doubters, man, that was probably the most thrilling factor I might do. Only for me and my household, with every thing that we now have been by means of, it was a surreal second, man.”
Picture by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE through Getty Pictures
Getting into his fourth yr within the NBA as a free agent, Scrubb participated in Summer season League as he regarded to discover a new residence across the league. After a number of spectacular performances for the Celtics, Brad Stevens prolonged Scrubb a two-way contract.
Now, he can be aiming to observe within the footsteps of Sam Hauser by not simply enjoying for the large membership, however probably cracking Boston’s rotation subsequent season.
“It’s actually that mentality simply coming in and the identical means Sam did. Being what the workforce wants coming in and being that knockdown shooter, being that man that would are available in and guard and are available in and be that glue piece. It’s form of that very same mindset simply coming in and being that added piece that added increase for the workforce. That’s the primary factor.”
Scrubb will face a tricky problem in breaking into Boston’s backcourt rotation. Even after Marcus Sensible’s departure, the Celtics have Derrick White, Malcolm Brogdon, Payton Pritchard, and Jaylen Brown consuming the vast majority of the minutes. Beneath head coach Joe Mazzulla, although, scoring is positioned at a premium, and that’s the place Scrubb excels.
Throughout Summer season League, Scrubb confirmed a capability to attain in a mess of how. We noticed flashes out of the pick-and-roll as a ball-handler.
There have been hustle factors created by means of high-energy performs.
And a few self-creation off the dribble with flashes of high-level physique management across the rim.
It’s that scoring versatility that would earn Scrubb a possibility to impress and for Scrubb, that’s all he wants.
“They have already got guys like [Jayson] Tatum, [Malcolm] Brogdon, [Jaylen] Brown – you understand, ball-dominant guys. So simply coming in and being that man, flattening open pictures each time they want me to. In the event that they do want me to place the ball on the ground, be certain that it’s environment friendly. Two, three, dribbles, get to the rim. Not doing nothing loopy on the market and simply letting the sport come to me, man. And that’s what’s so particular about this workforce: I’ve a possibility to the place I can simply are available in and be that glue man, and I’m excited for that, man. I’m excited.”
There can be occasions all through the upcoming season when one in all Boston’s backcourt rotation must miss a recreation or two – both as a result of load administration or a slight harm. Will probably be in these moments the place Scrubb will get his alternative to impress — together with the time he spends coaching with the workforce, after all.
Happily, Scrubb has wasted no time in attending to work together with his new teammates, particularly among the workforce’s youthful members. In the course of the interview, Scrubb famous how he’s been figuring out with JD Davison, Dalano Banton, and Jordan Walsh, together with veterans Al Horford and Malcolm Brogdon.
“I’ve had a dialog with him [Joe Mazzulla.] He was in Atlanta coming to observe Malcolm and Al work out, and I had simply occurred to stumble upon him, simply working the place Malcolm and Al have been…I can’t wait to get to Boston, man, and him to see [what shape] among the youthful guys are in proper now. We’re simply figuring out — Me, JD, Dalano, and Jordan. So I can’t anticipate him to have the ability to come down and see what we’ve been doing these previous couple of weeks, man, and I can’t wait to have the ability to get round [the team.]
We additionally touched on a possible backcourt pairing of Scrubb and Davison within the G-League, and the way that would change into a fierce weapon for the Maine Celtics within the upcoming season. Jordan Walsh’s management qualities have been additionally mentioned, together with a rapid-fire query spherical to get to know Scrubb’s persona somewhat higher.
I used to be not anticipating the “Polar Specific” reply.
You may watch the complete interview within the embed above, the place you’ll be able to hear how excited Scrubb is for the upcoming season and his hopes of creating Boston his NBA residence.
“I’m trying to be a family identify right here, man, and I wish to be right here for so long as Celtics followers need me right here. I’m going to place within the work. I’m placing it on the market, man. Celtics champions, man. This yr, we coming residence with the championship.”
Scrubb is already speaking like a member of the Celtics. The subsequent step is to proceed proving the doubters unsuitable by cracking the rotation. However for Scrubb, that needs to be mild work. In any case, he’s been proving doubters unsuitable his entire life.
