Like many professional athletes, the Latter-day Saint basketball player and newly crowned NBA champion, Elijah Bryant, spends the moments before going on the court with eyes closed and headphones in place, and ritualistically cancels the noise in search of peace and concentration.
But your playlist is probably a little different than most.
“Right before a game, I meditate and listen”I am a son of God“, He said. “It always resets my focus and reminds me of my main purpose.”
“Sometimes I get caught up in everything I have to do in a game, and that song helps me understand what my main purpose is on this mortal journey.”
The 1.95-meter guard also listens to some general conference talks before the game, including “Careful vs. carefree”From Sister Rebecca L. Craven, second counselor in the Young Women general presidency. Those messages fuel appreciation for what you’ve been given – your family, your faith, and yes, the basketball skills that allow you to support your young family and share your faith with a wide audience.
When the Church News spoke to Bryant, he was still feeling the euphoric burden of winning a National Basketball Association title with the Milwaukee Bucks.
“I’ve always had the faith and the understanding that if I push myself, things like this can happen,” he said of the championship race. “Sometimes we can get too caught up in what is happening to us right now. … But the Church teaches us that if we obey the Lord’s commandments, He can move mountains. So I’m just trying to focus on what I’m doing today to be the best person I can be and serve as many people as possible. “
Bryant’s journey to the NBA – like his own conversion to the Gospel – did not follow a linear path.
After a basketball season in his junior year at Brigham Young University in 2018, Bryant, with a high score, chose to forfeit his final college season and enter the professional ranks.
He was hoping to get a spot on an NBA roster, but was not drafted. So he and his wife, Jenelle, left the United States to seek professional basketball opportunities in Israel. Bryant played well in Asia – claiming All-Israel honors [mejor equipo], experiencing a new culture and enjoying the hospitality of the Israeli people.
“My religion was highly respected in Israel,” he said. “The Jewish community, like the Latter-day Saint community, is very family oriented. People really respected my values because they were similar to theirs. “
Still, he never wavered in his determination to play in the world’s first professional league. Last May, he crossed that ambition off his goal sheet and signed a contract with the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks.
The phrase “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity” aptly describes Bryant’s multi-continental journey to the NBA. In the years leading up to the opportunity with the Bucks, he prepared by improving a little each day, regardless of wins or setbacks that day.
“I think my best attributes in basketball are my ability to face adversity and my ability to stay mentally strong,” he said.
Bryant immediately showed off his wide range of skills to NBA fans. In his May 16 debut with the Bucks, he came off the bench to score 16 points and grab six rebounds against the Chicago Bulls.
“It was one of those moments to pinch myself,” he recalled. “But I also told myself that I had worked my entire life to get to the NBA, so don’t go out and play scared. I made a lot of mistakes in that game, but I did a lot of good things ”.
After the game against the Bulls, he tried to “play it cool.” But inside, he added, “I felt like a little boy. Was so happy. I had made it to the NBA and could cross that off my list. “
Latter-day Saint Bucks
Bryant is one of many Latter-day Saint athletes who compete in the professional ranks. But it is rare to have multiple Church members enrolled on the same NBA team. So Bryant was excited to be teammates with rookie / Latter-day Saint guard Sam Merrill during the Bucks’ championship race.
“Having Sam on the team made my transition to the NBA so much easier; just having someone on the team of the same faith, “he said.
Bryant and Merrill were known for their years of rivalry at BYU and Utah State University, respectively. “And it definitely helped to have a familiar face on the Bucks because there are a lot of things you have to adjust to in the NBA.”
The Bryant / Merrill connection injected an additional layer of excitement for the Milwaukee-area Latter-day Saints who were supporting the Bucks during their recent run to the playoffs.
“Both Sam and Elijah performed at Church together the day after the Bucks swept the (Miami) Heat in the playoffs,” recalled Bishop Dale Edman of the Parkway Ward, Milwaukee North Stake. “It was very exciting for our youth to be able to talk to both of them.”
Family, faith (and a boy named Blu)
Bryant, a convert to the Church, grew up in Georgia. He is the product of a supportive family, had Latter-day Saint relatives, and attended church occasionally as a child.
Looking back at his youth, he is grateful for the people in the local ward who cared for his family by inviting young Elijah and his siblings to Sunday church services and, not surprisingly, to play basketball at the meetinghouse.
“On Monday or Tuesday we had lessons with the missionaries and then on Wednesday we were in the Church playing basketball,” he said.
Jason Campbell was a home teacher and remains a close friend of Bryant and his family. He recalled that 12-year-old Elijah “was a good kid with an amazing story” who wowed local members in the gym with his playing skills.
“I joked with Elijah that he would be the next Jimmer Fredette,” Campbell said, laughing.
During his teens, Bryant was not always active in the Church. He had challenges.
But I always had faith. He knew the right way. … I knew I wanted to have a family sealed to me, but I didn’t always know what the path to get there was like. My decisions didn’t always add up to what I had to do, ”he said.
After enjoying a productive season, the North Carolina Elon University freshman chose to transfer to BYU. That decision changed the young athlete’s life.
“I knew that I needed to be around like-minded people who were trying to take care of their families, go to the temple, and live a good life. Going to BYU helped me train and helped me see what was possible: I could play basketball at a high level and also be a high-achieving student and have a family. “
Bryant’s good fortune in Provo, Utah, extended beyond the basketball court. He also met Jenelle Fraga at a party thrown by mutual friends. The two became friends, began dating, and then got married in the Salt Lake Temple before their junior season at BYU.
Bryant has fun talking about his basketball memories and winning an NBA title. But his enthusiasm for all things basketball can’t match his enthusiasm for being a father. He and Jenelle are the parents of a baby named Blu, who will soon be celebrating his first birthday.
Bryant can’t imagine experiencing his basketball career without his faith and his family.
“Faith, family and health are the three words written in my journal,” he said. “Those are the three pillars that I try to focus on. These are the three things I should be most grateful for. Those are the things that keep me grounded. Regardless of whether I ever play another NBA game or win another NBA championship, I am blessed because I have a great family, my faith and my health. “
There really is no offseason for a professional basketball player, even after winning an NBA title. Bryant will soon be competing with the Bucks summer league team and then training camp with the full team before the 2021-2022 season.
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