Brooklyn Nets: Justin Hamilton's Career Represents Perseverance

Justin Hamilton has had quite a journey in the realm of professional basketball. Now, with the Brooklyn Nets, he is looking for a fresh start and finally gets his chance for a breakthrough.

In an interview with Brooklynnets.com, Brooklyn Nets center Justin Hamilton spoke about all the obstacles he overcame to get to this point. Just looking at Hamilton’s career, it reeks of the center desperately trying to find a place both in the NBA and overseas.

"I’ve been cut, I’ve been hurt and traded. You just have to be willing to stick it out and persevere.”"

The 26-year-old center was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 45th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, then was subsequently traded to the Miami Heat. Since then, Hamilton has been on three NBA teams, spent time in the D-League, and even played overseas in Croatia, Latvia, and Valencia. What a ride.

Add the Brooklyn Nets to Hamilton’s long history of teams he has been on. This summer, Hamilton penned a two-year contract with the Nets, which is the first sense of stability he had in a while. He is also one of the few big men Brooklyn has on their roster, which may help him in terms of seeing playing time behind Brook Lopez.

Ironically, Hamilton broke his nose during a 2013 preseason game against the Nets, after Shaun Livingston‘s elbow collided with Hamilton’s face. This “welcome to New York” moment is not what Hamilton will remember in the long-run though.

"““Everything happens for a reason. I wouldn’t change that. I’m fine if that was my Welcome to New York, but since I’m living in New York, my welcome to New York is being on the team here.”"

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Despite Hamilton’s inability to stay with a team, there were a few moments when he showed signs of a breakthrough. While with the Heat’s D-League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Hamilton posted All-Star numbers, averaging 19.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. His performance in the D-League landed him a partially guaranteed, two-year deal with the Heat. It appeared his career would only go up from there, but a concussion set him back, and this was only the beginning of Hamilton’s stamp as a journeyman.

After a brief, failed stint with the Timberwolves, Hamilton flew to Valencia, Spain. He made the most of his time there. His three-point shooting rose to an all-time high (40.1 percent), and he tallied 13.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game on 21.9 minutes per game. This certainly caught the attention of the Nets, and Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson took note of Hamilton’s time in Valencia when discussing his plans for the center.

"“Justin had a fantastic season in Valencia. I think he’ll be a great complement to Brook [Lopez], he’s a stretch five and can extend the floor from 3-point range. He’s more than a stretch five because he’s a tough guy, he knows how to play inside and finish.”"

Next: Four Takeaways From Nets Open Practice

All this time on multiple teams has given Hamilton more perspective and appreciation to the game. His journey has been a rocky road, and he’ll be looking to make Brooklyn his new home.

Brooklyn Nets: Justin Hamilton’s Career Represents Perseverance

By Sandy Mui | Oct 4, 2016

Justin Hamilton has had quite a journey in the realm of professional basketball. Now, with the Brooklyn Nets, he is looking for a fresh start and finally gets his chance for a breakthrough.

More from Nothin' But Nets