San Antonio Spurs sensation Jonathon Simmons paid his way to have the showing he did against the Golden State Warriors on opening night. Think I meant paved? No. Paid.
Once an NBA hopeful, Simmons went through two different community college teams before landing at the University of Houston, where he averaged 14.7 points and five rebounds per game.
Eager for his chance at the league, he declared for the 2012 NBA Draft, where he went undrafted. The following year, he played in the American Basketball League to keep in basketball shape.
Michael C. Wright of ESPN noted back in February that Simmons had to dig far into his pockets to pay the $150 fee to try out for the team's D-League affiliate, the Austin Spurs.
After a strong showing, he earned a salary of $20,000 during his time there, only to sign with San Antonio the next season in a two-year, $1.4 million contract.
While it isn't as lucrative as most of the contracts we hear of nowadays, the young swingman will have an opportunity to cash in this upcoming summer, especially if he keeps impressing the way he did on Tuesday night.
Not a bad return for a $150 investment. Not bad at all.
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