Although this latest wave of COVID outbreaks have disrupted many team’s normal operations, one of the bright sides of all of this is that players around league are getting great opportunities that they may not have gotten under normal circumstances.
Nine-year veteran guard Brandon Knight, who has now played three games for the Dallas Mavericks on a 10-day hardship allowance contract, is a prime example of this.
Mainly due to knee injuries, Knight hasn’t been able to stick on a roster since 2018, and his recent three-game stint with the Mavs is the first time he’s played in the NBA since the 2019-2020 with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons for a total of 16 games.
“The emotions were high to have gone through this journey,” Knight told HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.
“I don’t care how it happened. The fact that I was able to put on an NBA jersey was more humbling than anything. Some tears came out of my eyes.”
In his third game with the Mavs, Knight did a lot more than just put on an NBA jersey, as he scored 18 points and dished out five assists in 24 minutes as Dallas took down the Portland Trail Blazers, 132-117. It was his highest-scoring game since March 2020.
And according to head coach Jason Kidd, who also coached Knight in the 2014-2015 season with the Milwaukee Bucks, Knight has made his presence felt in the locker room as well by being vocal.
“When you get caught in the NBA mix, you miss a lot of the moments because you’re so focused on wanting to do well, wanting to get paid, wanting to win,” Knight told HoopsHype.
“You miss a lot of the moments of just being with your teammates and having relationships.”
Knight’s way back into the league is an unorthodox one, and there’s no guarantee that he’ll stick with the Mavs or any other team past this current 10-day contract. Regardless, though, Knight is extremely grateful for the opportunity and is savoring the moment, happy tears and all.
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