The NBA Finals: How Elijah Bryant moved from BYU to the Milwaukee Bucks

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When the Milwaukee Bucks knocked out in Game One of the NBA Finals Tuesday night against the Phoenix Suns, it was the Bucks’ first appearance in the Finals since 1974 and their first Finals appearance since 1993.

Tuesday was also the first time a former BYU player had made an NBA Finals since 93, when Danny Inge starred for The Suns.

This year, Elijah Bryant ended the final drought by representing BYU in the Finals as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks.

For former BYU assistant coach Tim LaComb, it’s a pleasure to see Bryant on the big stage.

“I tell you, knowing Elijah for so long, yes, he’s in the Finals, but this guy who definitely wanted himself out there in the NBA,” he said. “Coming back from a difficult journey to get into the league, it was really amazing. He didn’t leave a stone without his heart. He kept grinding it and he never lost his faith. It’s the most amazing thing ever that he not only made it to the league but he’s also in this position.”

Bryant’s itinerant path to the NBA includes starting his college career at Elon College in North Carolina before transferring to BU to play with coach Dave Rose.

After averaging 18.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists as a rookie in 2017-18 at BYU, Bryant preceded his final year of eligibility to become a professional.

BYU guard Elijah Bryant was fouled by Pacific player Malik Hines at the Marriott Center in Provo on Saturday, January 7, 2017. One of the things that stood out for Bryant that stood out against former assistant coach Tim Lacombe was his ability to work his way into a bucket. Scott J Winterton, The Desert News

Bryant went without drafting in the 2018 NBA Draft before playing for the Philadelphia 76ers summer team. In 2019, he averaged 14.3 points in four games with the Bucks summer team.

The 6-foot-5, Georgia-born player of Gwinnett, Georgia, weighed 210 pounds, played in 36 games with Hapoel Eilat in 2018-19, then with Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel for two seasons, and made 100 appearances.

“I would compare playing with Maccabi Tel Aviv to playing with the Lakers in Los Angeles,” Bryant told Deseret News last year. “That’s kind of the general atmosphere.”

At the time, Bryant was hoping to play in the NBA one day.

“Yes. He said a year ago. I have to be patient and have faith.”

This season, Bryant has averaged 10.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists with Maccabi Tel Aviv, while shooting 47.7% from the field.

Then, in mid-May, the Bucks signed the 26-year-old, and suddenly he was in the NBA.

“It’s a byproduct of hard work and belief that has superseded everything else,” Lacombe said. “You take every player who doesn’t make it to the league and wants to get back there. Very few guys do. All the pieces have to fit. It’s a great story.”

LaComb is no longer in training after leaving BYU in 2019. He now works in the corporate world, is involved in broadcasting, and also “dabbles” in rock and roll. What does he think the Bucks saw in Bryant to sign him late in the season?

“What they saw in Eli was a guy who could get his hands on a bucket in solitude. That’s an important thing in the NBA now. The teams are dwindling,” Lacombe said. “They encourage switching and you really want to have a couple of guys who can get past one of them and get to the edge. That’s one thing.”

“I think his IQ, his feeling about the game, what he did there (in Israel), his numbers were phenomenal, and he was getting better every year. He had more body that could take a hit. He’s big and strong. Don’t just take a hit but get one. All of these things together. “.

Lacombe said another BYU-Milwaukee contact may, or may not, have influenced Bucks’ decision to sign Bryant.

“He just kept crushing on her and never lost his faith. It’s the coolest thing ever that he has not only made it to the league but is also in this position.” Tim Lacombe on Elijah Bryant

Dr. Craig Manning is Assistant Professor of Performance Psychology at Brigham Young University and is also a mental strength coach for Brigham Young University’s Department of Sports. Manning’s clients include the Bucks, US Ski and Snowboarding teams, Red Bull High Performance and a variety of corporate organizations around the world. Manning is also the bestselling author of The Brave Mind: Five Key Steps to Higher Performance.

“I wonder what role Craig Manning played in the deal,” Lacombe said. “Who knows if someone in the Bucks Department was saying, ‘We need a mature and strong-willed man,’ or if it was just a coincidence or coincidence. I know Craig worked closely with Elijah at Brigham Young University. I must give credit to Craig. So much in the faith factor you talked about. Craig has a really special ability there.”

There is another Beehive State connection with Milwaukee – and another Bucks seat member – former Utah State star Sam Merrill.

LaComb would love to see the Utah story that includes Bryant and Merrill in the NBA Finals.

“It’s really cool. By connecting here locally and being there to share the culture, they might end up in the same meetings and things like that.” It’s great that they have that bond. Sam Merrill is one of the biggest winners I’ve ever seen. I love that kid. We recruited him hard from a young age but he was bent on Utah. He was kind of like a duke. Nothing but great things to say about Sam.

He continued, “When you know how many people are trying to do what they do, it was a very strange year that Elijah was arrested.” “You can take in the huge number of people who play basketball competitively and the number of players in the finals, these guys make memories and will be etched in history.

“These guys will be remembered for their roles. I remember being a kid watching (ex-Cougars) Fred Roberts, Greg Kate and Danny Inge in the Finals. I absolutely loved it.”

LaComb wasn’t sure if Bryant would end up in the NBA, but he certainly saw unfamiliar qualities in him at BYU. During his red shirt season with the Cougars in 2015-16, Bryant was the scouting team goalkeeper.

“Elie was tearing up our guys in practice every single day,” Lacombe recalls. “He had a Donovan Mitchell Type 30 in the melee. I knew he had other gear, but it wasn’t like he stood out from the other guys from an NBA standpoint.

“I always thought he was a solid scorer. He could work his way up to make a bucket. We didn’t have a lot of these guys during my time at BYU. It was more the system that got guys free. It wasn’t someone who came that was a ready-made player of the kind NBA, but I definitely saw little glimpses of special things.”

After the 2016-2017 season, BYU forward Eric Mika opted to forfeit the remainder of his eligibility. A year later, Bryant followed the same path. This led to some anxiety, disappointment, and anxiety within the show and among the fan base.

Looking back at the time, Lacombe said he wasn’t surprised when Bryant announced the draft.

“One of the things he has done throughout the year is he has been open about what he wants to accomplish. The NBA has always been something he felt was in the cards for him. It wasn’t an unusual surprise,” Lacombe said. “Elijah was a little bit older. His knee started to move. There is a lot that got into it. He felt that his situation was fine for him. He was married.

“It was a tough day figuring out what that means on the road, but it was also a great day because these kids come to you with the hope of getting into the situation they are in today. You have to have a long memory and look into the future and understand that not every decision he makes will coalesce. Others agree with your decision but the most important thing is to maintain relationships.”

What distinguishes Lacombe most from Bryant’s story is his indomitable belief in his ability to play in the NBA.

“You can sum up his time at BYU by this idea of ​​faith. Kyle Collinsworth was like that—he was really driven and stubborn. His faith was second to none. His work ethic supported his belief. He had a real belief in taking care of his body,” Lacombe said. He changed his diet.

“This is a huge piece. More than anything, Eli was a man who was always adaptable. He was always really respectful. That’s the difference. If you can look him in the eye of a coach and forget the way he says and listen to what he has to say, you might not agree but You listen to him and go play. That’s all you could ask for. Ellie was great in that regard.”

Bryant played frugally during the NBA playoffs but can be seen on the bench supporting teammates such as Giannis Antetokounmue, Chris Middleton, Puppy Holidays and Brooke Lopez, preparing to step onto the field if needed.

As for the basketball cougar, this is the first time in 28 years that a BYU player has been on the NBA Finals list.

As Lacombe can attest, Bryant’s journey to the NBA – not to mention the NBA Finals – from Gwinnett, Georgia, to Elon to Brigham Young University to Israel and now with the Milwaukee Bucks, is the fulfillment of a dream and a remarkable achievement.

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