The scenario has changed from Indiana to Spain to Texas and back to Indiana, but the dream remains the same.
And although professional basketball, like much of the world of sports, remains closed except for small, uncertain steps, Dakota Mathias continues to pursue his dream of playing in the NBA.
Mathias, co-player of the Division II boys’ basketball year at Elida High School in 2014, was having a good time with the Texas Legends, the NBA G League affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks, when the Legends season hit an abrupt halt in early March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The 6-foot and 4-inch guard averaged 18.1 points in one game and fired 39.5 percent on 3 pointers and was nominated for the G League All-Midseason team.
Twenty-two of the 30 NBA teams are scheduled to resume their seasons on July 30 at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, but the G League has ended for this year.
Once the Texas Legends closed for the season, Mathias and his wife Gabby moved to Zionsville, Indiana, a city of about 27,000 inhabitants located 50 miles south of West Lafayette where he has been twice. mentioned in honor of the All-Big Ten player in Purdue.
After graduating from Purdue, where he is the second of all time in 3 points, he played in the NBA Summer League in 2018 and 2019 and was invited to the Dallas Mavericks preseason camp in 2019. He also played 14 games in the best professional league in Spain in the 2018-19 season before suffering an ankle injury.
Zionsville became the final stop on his basketball journey because he wanted to continue working on his game with Joey Burton, a former college coach sometimes known as The Shot Doctor, who has a gym there and has trained several college players and High level NBA.
NBA rosters are reported to be extended to 17 out of 15 players for the remainder of this season. Some players have expressed reluctance to go to Florida, a hot spot of the coronavirus, and others have undergone end-of-season surgeries or are still recovering from injuries.
So, Mathias thinks that this season’s uncertainty could open up the NBA a little more for him.
“There are definitely opportunities if the kids decide not to play. And many of the rules (roster) are changing because of what’s going on, so there may be opportunities that open up depending on what the teams decide to do, “he said.
“That’s why we decided to move here, getting closer to my coach, training here and staying ready. You never know when that phone will ring. This is the same mentality that I had during the season. You must always continue working regardless of the situation. My agent spoke to some teams. You never know what could happen. “
Looking back on his season in the G League, Mathias said: “I thought I had a pretty good year overall. I showed what I could have done at that level. The G-League is a much better league than many attribute. There is a talent not to be missed in that league. To play at the level I did, I was happy.
“Of course, you always want that call. You have to stick to it, you never know what could happen in these next two months. I felt very close. But you just have to keep working and everything will take care of itself, “he said.
Mathias, whose dream of reaching the NBA dates back to when he was eight or nine, says he is present for the long haul, regardless of whether he receives a phone call this season or not.
“It’s still my dream and a big goal for me,” he said. “It’s the greatest thing, giving everything you need. I go all in. It’s my ultimate goal and I will do whatever it takes to get there. We will see what happens. “
Mathias organized a basketball court for boys and girls from kindergarten to the eighth year from 23 to 24 July in Elida. Information and registration forms are available on the website www.dakotamathias.com.
“Initially I was quite hesitant to do it, but the biggest thing that made me swing is that all the people, the parents and some children came up and asked. I didn’t know if they would feel comfortable with it, “he said.
“First of all, I want health and safety. But there were so many children who were reaching out and they were interested that I felt like many people wanted to leave the house, play again and become active. “
After graduating from Purdue, Elida Dakota Mathias’ alum continued to play professional basketball abroad and for the G League Texas Legends, where he averaged 18.1 points in one game and fired 39.5. percent on 3 pointers before the season ended early due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Reach Jim Naveau on 567-242-0414.
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