After recently going viral on NBA Twitter for a tweet in which he made his case for an NBA roster spot, veteran forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson spoke to Cyro Asseo of HoopsHype about his quest to get back into the league.
“I feel like, given the time I was in the NBA, I think it was very important for me to self-reflect and think about all the things that I could have done differently that kind of shaped me into the person I am today,” Hollis-Jefferson said. “I was just sitting there the other day thinking about it. I was thinking about it all, man. Just where I’m at, how far I’ve come, the growth, the experiences, everything that I’ve been through.
“… It was one of those days where your wheels are turning. And I said, man, I should be in the NBA, dude. I know everyone knows how hard I work, how much I care about basketball, but that’s really where it stemmed from.”
A first-round pick in 2015, Hollis-Jefferson appeared in 305 regular season games for three teams from 2015-21. While he has been out of the NBA for four years, he has continued to compete in professional leagues around the world, spending time in Turkey, Puerto Rico, South Korea, the Philippines, and Lebanon.
Still just 30 years old, Hollis-Jefferson says a desire to be closer to home is a big part of the reason why he’d love to make it back to the NBA.
“Just wanting to be on that big stage and really, really wanting to be closer to home, to be closest to my kids,” he said. “It’s one thing for them to take a max five-hour flight to, say, California, versus a 20-hour travel day to Asia or somewhere else.”
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Despite some speculation that a recent meeting between LeBron James, his business partner Maverick Carter, and Nikola Jokic‘s agent Misko Raznatovic was a recruiting trip, they were actually discussing plans for an international basketball league that is being spearheaded by Carter, multiple sources tell Ben Horney, Daniel Roberts, and Alex Schiffer of Front Office Sports.
- Jeremy Woo of ESPN.com identifies the 10 most interesting second-year NBA players he’ll be watching in 2025/26. Woo’s list includes first-year standouts, like reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, players recovering from major injuries, such as Thunder guard Nikola Topic and Sixers guard Jared McCain, and youngsters who will be in line for major role increases as sophomores, including Rockets guard Reed Sheppard.
- Former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas was among six people arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of hosting illegal high-stakes poker games at a mansion in Los Angeles owned by Arenas, according to a report from The Associated Press. The press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office detailing the specifics of the case can be found right here.
- A man has been found guilty for second-degree murder in the killing of former NBA forward Adreian Payne, per Silas Morgan and Cristobal Reyes of The Orlando Sentinel (susbcription required). Lawrence Alexander Dority, who shot and killed Payne in May 2022, claimed that he thought the 31-year-old was reaching for a gun and cited self-defense, but Orange County Sheriff’s Office investigators concluded Payne didn’t have a weapon on him and that he didn’t pose a threat to Dority, who is scheduled to be sentenced on August 29.
All the Feds need to do is let the IRS tax each member of the high stake poker games $100,000 each for evading IRS rules and not waste money with court cost. taht would end the illegal gambling a big fine and its over.
Arenas should have located the operation in Reno or the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe.
Stupidity + greed is a problem.
As far as Topic, how is he going to get much PT on the Thunder? And based on his summer league showing, Reed Sheppard could end up a bust.
Topic will get plenty of regular season run. OKC rested Caruso a fair amount of regular season. He had a few injuries but if playoff setting he would have played. If they get those blow out wins they rest starters. IHart probably rest some nights. They had ways of resting guys but still complying with rules.
Corporate gambling – good, private gambling – a crime.
Gil should have incorporated that poker operation, with his mansion serving as commercial premises. He could have advertised his business all the way down to the college athletics level.
As long has he buys himself some influence by bribing the right officially certified criminals, i.e. executives and politicians, he’ll have nothing to be concerned about.
Jebron Lames!
Oh sign me up for Brons new league, SMH.
Agent Zero just can’t help himself.
Stupid takes. Stupid games.
I lasted two minutes listening to his podcast….it’s amazing what status, money and ego can do to a person’s thought process. Dudes so out of touch with reality. Each to their own but these guys who can’t ride off into the sunset and live quietly, happily and still crave attention is beyond comprehension.