Patrick Beverley’s belief fuels 11-year run, from Houston to Bulls

Beverley’s belief fuels career, from Houston to Bulls originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

HOUSTON — Saturday night will mark Patrick Beverley’s 579th career NBA game, coming in his 11th season and in the city and against the Houston Rockets franchise that gave him his first opportunity.

“They took a chance on me,” Beverley said.

In January 2013, Beverley had just taken a nine-hour flight for a road game with his Spartak St. Petersburg team in Russia when he got the call that his lifelong dream was about to become reality. So of course, Beverley hopped another long flight to the United States.

“I was so excited for my first NBA practice that I barely slept,” Beverley said.

Beverley made his NBA debut for the Rockets on Jan. 15, 2013. Did he think he’d be sitting in a University of Houston gym just over 10 years later on Friday, following an off-day practice with his fifth team in the Chicago Bulls?

“Absolutely,” Beverley said. “I knew I was going to be in the NBA since I was a kid. I just didn’t know how to get there.”

This isn’t revisionist history. In a January 2013 interview with the Chicago Tribune days before his NBA debut, Beverley made clear all he needed was a shot.

“I’m going to take advantage of this opportunity,” he said then.

It’s this kind of single-minded belief that defines Beverley as much as his aggressive defense or chatterbox ways. Billy Donovan had seen it from the opposing sideline over the years, first from shared SEC battles when Donovan coached at Florida and Beverley played at Arkansas and then in playoff battles between the Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

“I have great respect for guys that have this, like, unwavering belief,’’ Donovan said. “He’s got that. There’s an edge and a competitiveness to him and a belief in how he feels he can impact the team. I think he’s really good verbally. He’s got a lot of experience. Even when he’s out of the game, you see him talking to Ayo [Dosunmu] on who he’s guarding, what he needs to be ready for.’’

Story continues

Beverley always will hold special affinity for the Rockets and Houston,…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/patrick-beverleys-belief-fuels-11-223037889.html?src=rss

Author : NBC Sports Chicago

Publish date : 2023-03-10 22:30:37

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