"When I started to take basketball seriously, I was my only supporter..." The basketball story of Jailan Haslem.

Pursuing a passion or dream comes with a baggage of sacrifice and uncertainty of whether it will come true. When it comes to seeking professional sports, almost every athlete had to overcome doubts of whether or not playing sports at the professional level was a realistic option. Making the professional level is no easy task as it requires years of training and patience. For Jailan Haslem, he went through a phase of not knowing if professional basketball was a realistic option. He had many doubts throughout his basketball journey. Eventually, he overcame his various doubts and played basketball at the professional level. However, how did it all begin?

Born in Warner Robins, Georgia, Haslem grew up in a rural environment that encouraged more outdoor activities instead of staying at home. Haslem had an engaging yet average childhood. From playing football and boxing with his friends to wrestling on the trampoline. 

Before picking up a basketball, Haslem was passionate about football and even had dreams of making the professional level one day. Haslem managed to play football for over ten years while winning a state championship at the high school level. Football was Haslem’s first passion before discovering basketball. Even though his cousin, Udonis Haslem, played in the NBA, he felt that he lacked the skills to play basketball. However, one aspect of his life motivated him to prove himself and others wrong about his mindset towards basketball. 

Growing up, one of the key motivators that he had in playing basketball was his family and living situation. Haslem’s life was relatively average when it came to being a kid, but his family dynamic was not so average. 

“My parents were divorced, so I spent stints of time living with them. My family didn’t have much money, so I spent a lot of time moving and dealing with economic hardships, but my parents made sure to keep me fed and safe,” shared Haslem.

“Poverty motivated me to take basketball seriously. I remember coming home to utilities being turned off or evicted from where I lived. I was constantly bullied for my clothes in school, and it lit a fire under me to get very good at something that everyone would respect me for,” continued Haslem.

Early in Haslem’s life, his family lived in poverty and managed to provide the best life possible for their son. While it was tough to move from home to home, Haslem felt motivated to play basketball despite being a late bloomer to the game. 

“I started playing basketball very late. Once I did, I didn’t have much support and was often ridiculed for my lack of talent and understanding towards the game. It motivated me to prove everyone who doubted me wrong,” explained Haslem.

When it comes to pursuing a new goal or passion, external support from friends and family can be a significant source of motivation and confidence. However, when it came to Haslem, he initially never received support or words of encouragement from his peers. Instead, he was “ridiculed” for his lack of understanding of the game. Haslem was a late bloomer and only started taking basketball seriously in his junior year. For most people, they would have quit on their goal but, for Jailan Haslem, he only used other people’s comments as a form of motivation to prove his doubters wrong!

“In my junior year, I had a breakthrough and averaged a double-double at 6’8. I realized then that playing basketball professionally was a realistic and attainable goal,” revealed Haslem.

Haslem had two key motivators to take basketball seriously, his economic situation and his desire to prove his doubters wrong. While Haslem initially lacked an understanding of basketball, he was a talented player and needed to work twice as hard for him to accomplish his professional goal. From his junior year till the end of high school, Haslem had a strict schedule that required persistence and discipline in which he learned on his own. 

“My daily routine when I started playing basketball regularly included me waking up at about 5 am to go to Ferguson park to put up shots before school. Spending the day at school, I would lift weights for football, attend football practice, go back to the park to play pickup, and do running drills at the end. I’d usually come home around 10:30 pm to 11 pm.” revealed Haslem. 

Work ethic came naturally for Haslem as he was dedicated to playing basketball at the professional level. While he felt alone initially, his Godfather, Wayne Rendall, was one of the first individuals to show interest in Haslem. Along the way, Haslem was able to connect with other trainers in the community. By the time he finished high school, he had multiple trainers that fully supported his dream of one day making it to the professional level. 

“My godfather Wayne Randall met me in 10th grade and was the first to show actual interest and support in my basketball career. He trained me and helped build my confidence as a basketball player and a young man. Through him, I met Morris Debrow, who trained me and supported me in my basketball career and helped my family financially from time to time. Lastly, Jeremy Bradshaw was another trainer local to Warner Robins who took time to train me and offer guidance,” said Haslem.

Haslem finally surrounded himself with people who supported him and believed that he could eventually reach the professional level. Despite no one helping him early on in his basketball dream, his persistence and patience eventually led to Haslem building a network of people who showed nothing but support and guidance for him. However, once Haslem graduated high school, his dreams of playing basketball at the professional level started to deplete as his transition from high school to college was not as smooth as he hoped.

“When I graduated from high school, I faced adversity twice. The first time was my freshman year of college. I was benched most of the time and felt that I was being mistreated. I contemplated transferring but felt that I’d be a quitter if I took that route. The following summer, I went to San Antonio to train with NBA veterans and NBA coach Bob Hill. Training with them boosted my confidence. As a result, I averaged a double-double while leading the league in FG% in the following year,” explained Haslem.  

“The second time I faced adversity in my basketball career was my senior year at Charlotte. For the second time in my career, I was iced on the bench and did not receive as much playing time as I had hoped. This caused me to fall into depression and contemplate my career in basketball. However, with the help of my teammates and countless prayers, I continued to train and work on my game. Even though I did not have much playing time, I signed my first pro contract in 2019,” continued Haslem. 

Adversity shapes what a person’s strengths and weaknesses are. For Haslem, he faced various adversities that shaped him into the person he is today. Despite being doubted from the high school level to even the college level, Haslem accomplished his goal by signing a contract with the Island Storm, an affiliate organization of the NBLC (National Basketball League of Canada). 

One of the biggest lessons you can learn from Haslem’s journey to professional basketball is that it is never too late to try something new or pursue a dream. Haslem started to seriously play basketball in high school, and with his persistence, he managed to accomplish his goal. While this is just the beginning for Haslem and his basketball career, it’s essential to understand that all a person needs to fulfill their goal is to have faith in themselves. Haslem, early on in his career, received little to no support. Still, he overcame that struggle and would later pursue his dream of becoming a professional basketball player. 

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