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(basketball bouncing)
- It's really not about the NBA.
You know, I know the odds of going to the NBA, so.
That's my dream, but I probably just want to use basketball
to, you know, just get a degree and maybe
start off my career.
I'll just use basketball to get as far as I can.
(soft music)
- [Announcer] Good morning, Chicago.
Local time is 8:30 AM, and it's gonna be a cold one today.
The Bears are on the road tonight at Green Bay.
The Dow is up since yesterday as the market
continues to improve.
This is Sports Radio Chicago.
- [Announcer Two] Welcome back to another season
of Chicago high-school basketball.
- [Male Speaker] There's so much talent.
Every team's got tremendous depth.
- [Male Speaker Two] It's a joy watching
these young players develop.
- [Announcer] Just think about how many legendary players
have come out of the west and south sides of Chicago.
Garrett Rose, Isaiah Thomas, Kevin Garnett.
- [Announcer Two] I mean, some of these young men
will go on to do really incredible things
after they graduate.
- [Announcer Three] Nearly half of young
African-American men in Chicago are neither working
or in school.
That is much higher than the national average of 24...
- [Male Speaker] So over the years all these great kids
have been out playing for colleges
all over the United States.
- [Announcer] That guy right there is pretty good, too.
- [Announcer Two] Uh, we got a ballgame, we have a ballgame.
(soft music)
(rap music)
♪ Flick with disgust with fitted plus ♪
♪ And a butt that's rushing to blush ♪
♪ With a crush your fussing with less ♪
♪ Don't wanna cuss but we're becoming ♪
♪ Lethal and legal ♪
- Right now we're in the South Shore neighborhood.
It's a pretty typical Chicago neighborhood, you know?
There's a lot of people that live in poverty.
The gangs in this neighborhood is mostly Stones.
There's a few GDs, which are Gangster Disciples.
Down the street is some guys in an area called Terror Town.
Now, you've got to be careful when you go
into different areas.
You just got to stay aware of everything and everybody.
I mean, it's serious living out here.
Stop, don't grab my shirt!
- [Lisa] Stop with all that noise!
(kids laughing)
Then I'll do this.
(kids laughing)
Damn!
(kids shouting)
(people chattering)
- This is mostly how it go.
Then in another hour we'll try something else.
These are actually my little cousins,
but I treat them like little brothers and sisters,
and they treat me like a big brother.
I never got to embark on that,
because I grew up as the baby.
So when they came, you know, it was great for me to take
the big brother role.
You know, I'm a role model to them,
and I try to be the best big brother.
- He's been had a basketball in his hands since he was two.
And Keifer, he's the youngest of basically all the players
he's ever played.
He has been the youngest, but his mentality
is what his father instilled in him, that you are a leader.
- [Keifer] I get it from my dad.
My dad was my first coach, still is my coach to this day.
Before all the games, you know, he gets me prepared,
gives me a speech, and tells me what I need
to go out there and do.
- He had the leadership quality, so I had him in there.
- My tattoo, James, is for my father.
You know, for this season I had just made sure
that I got this to be on my shooting hand.
- [James] I try to be at every game I can be in, you know,
just to be there, to be a successful dad.
- I know when he's there.
He makes the most noise.
The whole fanbase loves when he's there.
- Let's go, let's go, let's go!
- I'm a Westside kid, I play for Marshall,
but I'm actually from the South Side.
So, you know, me playing at Marshall really has
gotten me tougher.
- [Announcer] Marshall, they play so hard.
- [Announcer Two] Marshall, total team effort.
10 guys that come at you the entire game.
- Keif and them guys, they got a real tight family.
I mean, they brotherhood.
Alfonzo McKinley, Vincent Garret, Kale's on their team.
You had Leevon Carter, Marty Satterfield
is like our tallest man.
A lot of them guys had looks way before Keifer,
as he wasn't highly recruited.
You know, nobody knew who Keifer Sykes was.
- [Announcer] Sykes unfortunately is not
getting a lot of college looks right now.
- [Henry] At his height he was really under the radar.
- [Announcer] You know, Keifer's only listed at 5' 11.
- He's one of the smaller kids in the program,
but what he lacked in size he always made up for in heart.
- [Announcer] We're coming down and picking up the rebound.
He had it taken it away by Keifer Sykes,
the little man getting creative!
- He's always been a very disciplined kid.
He's always been a true leader, because you definitely
have to be a strong-minded, strong-willed individual
to make it here in Chicago.
- [Announcer] Keifer Sykes, the bucket,
he says count it, count it, count it.
And the fans sing their song.
They're going downstate, the Marshall Commandos
are going back to Peoria and the state finals.
- [Keifer] Come on.
- [Lisa] Oh, you got to say Uno.
You just got to do one thing.
So you get two cards when you know--
- OK, we got to make sure we got all the cards.
You dealing first?
- [Allyne] Move.
- [Keifer] This is a game called Casino.
Come on, one more.
Everyone says he looks just like me, don't you think?
- [Allyne] Seven.
- My style as a father is very helpful.
Oh, I ain't see that.
- I don't got to cheat you.
- All right, come on, then.
I take on the role as the mother and the father.
(Keifer vocalizing)
Game, game, she can't beat me!
When I was picking what college I was going to,
I was trying to ask the coaches which would be
the best situation for us three as a whole.
So they would be going down to Green Bay with me
to attend college.
You holding something.
- I ain't holding nothing.
- You holding something.
- [Allyne] I ain't holding nothing.
- You ain't got it.
- [Allyne] I don't think he ready.
- [Keifer] To be an adult yet.
- What you say?
- I don't think I'm ready to be an adult, yet.
- [Allyne] Yeah, that's what it is.
- [Lisa] Skip you, Uno, out!
(cheering)
Cheaters never win, cheaters never win!
(baby giggling)
(soft music)
(siren wailing)
- No, here it is, put that over there and get me
the dozen eggs out of that refrigerator.
These days I am cooking for at least eight kids a day.
It's like cooking for an army,
but it's a job, and I do it because
that's what was taught to me.
You have your Dora blanket?
- Yes.
- OK.
It's becoming real scary for me as a mother.
You hear on the news about kids getting hurt
because they don't have nothing to do.
Basketball has been, for Keifer, a great outlet.
Marshon, Brandon, Brian, Kalice, Bria?
He's always playing basketball to keep himself motivated.
(players shouting and chattering)
- I think it's real important for kids like Keifer
to find another place, somewhere to go
outside their school's sports.
So in a place like this, you could work out five,
six days a week.
They keep them from the streets.
(players chattering)
We've been blessed we haven't had one of our players
get shot, thank God for that.
I do worry about all the guys.
When Keifer leaves this gym, Keifer goes from A to B.
If Keifer leaves this gym, he's going home.
But even with him going to get home, you know,
I tell him to be careful.
I tell him don't ride in a car with more than two people,
because you're drawing attention not only to the police
but to guys that's hanging out on the corner.
You know, you hate to be so cautious like that,
but it's Chicago.
We got to be careful of the little things.
- [Keifer] In Chicago, you can get in trouble no matter
what you're doing.
A group of guys, people think that you are a gang.
And you really can't walk through
other people's neighborhoods or, you know,
you can't walk to the store.
You're always exposed to it.
You just want to reduce the chances, but I mean,
it's never enough.
- [Dispatcher] We have a report of a person shot
at 79th and Klein.
- [Announcer] There are 625 gangs in Chicago.
- [Announcer Two] At least 419 people were killed this year.
That is more than all the US troops killed
in Afghanistan this year.
- [Female Speaker] These kids are getting killed in normal,
routine activities, standing in front of your school,
in the playground.
- [Announcer] The situation is worse
on Chicago's South and West Side.
- [Announcer Two] Six people were shot.
- [Announcer Three] Four teens were standing
in the street when they were shot and injured.
- [Announcer Four] A pregnant 17-year-old was killed
by a stray bullet.
Using a high-powered assault rifle.
13 were hit.
- [Announcer] Including a one-year-old girl.
- [Male Speaker] There's a fear, there's a hopelessness.
There's a despair in the community,
and people don't see a light at the end of the tunnel.
- I need LeBron.
I need this.
Can't go nowhere without LeBron.
- Can I have that poster?
- [Keifer] No, I'm taking this with me.
Freshman year.
- [James] Freshman year, boy.
- [Lisa] This is freshman year, yep.
- [Keifer] That was my sophomore year right here.
- [Lisa] Was it?
- Aw, you said you weren't going to cry.
- Yeah, then she said I was going to cry first.
(Lisa sobbing)
- Said I ain't going to cry, I ain't going to cry.
- [Lisa] I'm happy.
- [James] I'm happy for you.
- I'm just gonna miss you.
- Today I'll be leaving for my college,
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
I'm kind of nervous, and I'm excited.
It's like I want to leave, but I don't.
The neighborhood is kind of tough, you know?
Like, right now it's not a safe place to be,
but I don't want to leave because my mom, my family...
- Got to get up every morning, I don't care how late it be.
You got to go to class.
- [Keifer] Call me every morning, Dad.
- [James] I'll call you, it ain't no thing.
- Time to grow up and be a man, away from my mom and dad.
I lost a friend this week.
In the neighborhood where I hang out with my friends,
you know, it's real tough over there.
You never know what's going to happen.
Anybody could just start shooting, fighting.
There's gangs every block.
We try to stay in the house, but we got friends
that be outside, so...
The police said that they seen he had a gun.
So he started running, and the police shot him.
We're not even sure if he had a gun.
You never know with those situations.
You know it just hurts to lose somebody.
I never lost anybody, so,
it's great that I get away, so I can really relax, be calm,
be safe, and just not have to worry about all the nonsense
that I have to worry about in Chicago, you know?
Another one.
Practice every day, all right, every day.
Go out there and shoot a round, every day.
- Good luck, boy.
Do what you got to do.
- All right.
(soft music)
- College is gonna be real tough probably
for the first year, but as you go along,
it should get easier.
New teammates.
You know, new people to be around.
(students chattering)
I'm just excited to, you know, try something new.
(students shouting and cheering)
- [Announcer] Who's for the dunk contest?
(audience cheering)
- [Male Speaker] So Keifer, what's going on, man?
What you got to say for the brothers back in Chi-Town?
- I just got to tell them to keep working.
Get them free scholarships, you know?
Get them free educations.
- [Male Speaker] There you go, there you go.
That's what it's all about.
- [Announcer] Keifer Sykes, this freshman point guard
out of Chicago, let's see what he can do.
Here comes Sykes with a great spinning move!
- [Announcer Two] Great awareness by Sykes,
the smallest guy on the floor.
- [Announcer] Keifer Sykes, just 5' 10", but he can elevate.
Keifer was actually one of the youngest players
in all of college basketball.
He played the first 10 games of his year as a 17-year-old.
- As a young freshman, you can tell Keifer
is one of the biggest leaders in the locker room already.
So the guys do look to him.
When he's on the floor, we're a better team.
There's no doubt about that.
- [Announcer] Butler gets the offensive rebound,
and it looks like we've got blood
on the head of Keifer Sykes.
And the blood is now, it's pretty much gushing.
Aldrich lost a tooth.
- [Announcer Two] Aldrich's teeth went into Sykes's head.
- [Announcer] We're gonna to have a delay here.
There's a lot of blood on the floor.
Keifer Sykes was taken to the locker room to get
that head checked out.
Keifer Sykes is back out on the floor.
Sykes sacks a two, done.
Tooth in the head, who cares?
Another mistake and Sykes has blood gushing
from his head again.
- [Announcer Two] It's required that he has
to change jerseys.
- [Announcer] Sykes now wearing jersey number one.
Shot clock down to four, Sykes inside the floor, it's good.
Stitch me up, I'm good to go!
Sykes gets the rebound up from Patrice.
Got it and a foul!
- [Announcer Two] Look at the ability to get in there
and scrap as a little guy, playing strong.
You would never know he has a cut on his head,
and look at the emotion, look at the toughness.
- [Announcer] Here Sykes gets a standing ovation.
A remarkable performance by the freshman.
(audience cheering)
(soft music)
(children chattering)
- You ready to get up?
Yes.
Yes,
I got a call early in the morning from my brother
that my dad, he,
that he passed away to a massive heart attack.
So I mean, I ain't ever even, I haven't even seen him
since like, a week or two before that.
So, I mean,
that's all that I knew.
I don't even know what happened.
I just know when I came home, he was gone.
And that was it, I mean, I saw him at the funeral.
That was it.
(soft music)
That's the craziest thing in my life,
the hardest thing I've ever dealt with in my life.
Like, my dad was my everything to me,
and he was the person I looked up to and the person that,
you know, I played basketball for.
- It makes me feel wonderful to be right here,
where I can see my son play and some of his friends play
and enjoy this game.
- My dad taught me, you know, to be responsible.
Lead by example.
And it's something that I've got to do.
(soft music)
- [Announcer] Keifer Sykes continues to show his talent
by leading Green Bay in scoring as a sophomore.
- [Announcer Two] The kid that comes up big in the big games
in the big moments.
(soft music)
(children chattering)
- I come home from school all the time.
Come on K, are you ready?
My dad not being here, I feel like I'm the person
who's placed in a position to help my family the most.
Take care of my little cousins, take care of my mom,
take care of my brother and my son as much as possible
and try to keep them safe.
How's it going, yo, what's up?
(people chattering)
New York,
they can't win big.
That's proven.
- LeBron my boy, though.
He make me want to keep moving so I can get to where he at.
- [Barber] When you going back?
- I'll probably go back tomorrow night.
I'm gonna go see Noddy later, too, bro.
- [Barber] Oh yeah?
- Yeah, he's still in there.
He did a robbery like almost a year ago, so...
Yeah?
- Yeah.
You know, he got shot too, that's how they caught him.
So he been out for like a year.
He didn't get sentenced yet, so.
I mean, I knew he was in the streets a lot,
but I was surprised when they told me, you know,
he did the robbery and got in jail.
He got court Thursday, so I'm going to go up there,
see where his mind at.
Come on, K.
Hop in, bro.
(soft music)
We was on a state championship team together.
- [Announcer] And then stealing it for the rebound,
put it in was Levon Carter!
He's unbelievable.
- So if it wasn't for each one of us
having each other's backs, getting those wins that year,
I mean, who knows where I'd be, you know?
I mean, he's like a brother to me,
on the court and off the court.
(phone ringing)
This is him right here.
- [Phone Announcer] An inmate at Cook County Department
of Corrections in Chicago, Illinois.
This call is subject to recording and monitoring.
- [Keifer] What up, bro?
- Right, hey, I'm about to come up there right now.
I'm right here on 25th, me and Kale.
- All right.
They ain't found no gun powder, so he ain't shoot nobody.
And he had a gun, so...
- I think about Noddy more than I think about,
you know, anybody.
Because he's my best friend and is someone I seen
get his life and his dreams taken away for one mistake.
(people chattering)
(players chattering)
- I met Keifer in 2009,
and we became like brothers, like best friends.
We got a relationship that couldn't nobody break.
I think about high school all the time.
When we went downstate,
when we played the city championship.
Those are just memories I'll never forget.
My charges are armed robbery with a firearm.
(people chattering)
I do get stressed, some nights I might wake up
missing my daughter, just imagine hearing her voice.
She always asks me, like, when I'm coming home.
I just be telling her, like, I'm gonna be home.
Just don't worry.
You know, because I know how it feels, like,
my father not being in my life and being incarcerated.
I know how that had an effect on my life.
I have seen other guys that don't handle the stress well.
I've seen people, like, willing to kill themselves
over their charges.
But support means a lot.
To have Keifer by my side right now,
it means the world to me because he could just
be out there enjoying life.
He probably could've been in the same situation I'm in,
but just his father and his mother just kept him in a gym,
just pushing him.
So man, support means everything.
(soft music)
(kids and players shouting)
- Just finished up my sophomore year.
I had a solid season this year.
When I come home from college, it gives me a sense,
you know, a sense of motivation and a sense of drive,
that I haven't made it yet.
I still can't help my family,
which is one of my ultimate dreams.
My family is still struggling, still in the hood.
You know, my mom is still doing it all by herself,
so I'm still trying to push.
Well, what I'm working towards is, like every kid
that plays basketball, is the NBA,
but you never know what to expect.
So right now I just try to focus on what I can control,
and that's working hard.
We're going to Nike Pro-Am and the Chi-League.
This tournament is usually the best place
to get a good summer run in with a lot of
the Chicago talent from around the city.
And it gives you a chance to prove yourself.
It's big, it's a big-time league.
(singing in a foreign language)
(upbeat music)
(audience shouting)
(players shouting)
(audience shouting)
- Green Bay, Green Bay, Green Bay, Green Bay!
(upbeat music)
- Y'all want me to run around?
- [Child] Yeah.
- [Keifer] Psych!
I'm getting old.
My knees, man, I can't be running around this concrete, man.
You know that's rule number one.
- [Allyne] I got y'all some freeze pops.
- [Kids] Yay!
- Freeze pops!
Freeze pop!
- [Keifer] Me and KJ's mom, Allyne,
our relationship is great.
KJ, what'd you say?
- Freeze pop!
- I'm going to school, trying to get my degree.
She understand that, I know she's working.
She's finishing up school, and you know,
she lives here a lot of the time.
- Thank you!
- You ain't buy this one for me?
- [Allyne] I don't know, there's three more in the back.
- Oh, I need one, you heard me say
I've been thirsty all day.
I'll take them back to school with me sometimes for
a week at a time.
This is too big for you, boss.
I try to keep them around as much as possible.
KJ, you see that I play yesterday?
What'd I do?
I dunked, yeah.
- I wish I would've been there now.
I hate that I missed it.
- I told y'all to go.
- [Lisa] You ain't tell me to go.
- Well, I'm not gonna beg, I said I've got a game.
- I got you next one.
- [Keifer] Yeah, it's good, it's good.
(KJ babbling)
- [Lisa] Look at his face.
(Lisa laughing)
Do it again.
- KJ, what'd you say at breakfast, chicken cupcakes?
Say it, KJ.
- This chicken cupcakes?
- [Lisa] This chicken cupcakes?
- Like my dad told me, you have your family growing up,
your brothers and sisters, but when you get older
and when you get a girl, you start having kids.
You know, you branch off to have your own family.
They're my family now.
(soft music)
Coming from Chicago, you know, where I was brought up,
a lot of dreams don't come true.
I mean, you've just got to think more realistic.
But for now, the way everything is amplifying for me...
- [Announcer] Keifer Sykes leading the way in scoring
for the Phoenix.
For the second year, the player has had a phenomenal season.
This kid is turning out to be the real deal.
- [Keifer] It's just crazy right now.
(people chattering)
We're at Impact out at Las Vegas.
There's a training facility where college students,
NBA players, and guys that play overseas get invited
to work out with some NBA trainers.
- Let's go!
It's an opportunity for a college player to experience
what it really takes to make it at that top level.
Very, very tough days, you know, digging into the finer
details of basketball.
It's helping Keifer out a lot.
Guys like Kevin Garnett, Chauncey Billups, Tayshaun Prince,
Al Harrington, they spend their
summers here, getting better.
- At first, you know, I was surprised that I got invited.
When I got here, I just wanted to work really hard,
because a lot of these guys here see you work out,
see your skill set, and a lot of people talk
to other people, so hopefully connections lead to more.
- [Keifer] Thanks.
- [Keifer] Yeah.
- [Keifer] Junior.
- [Keifer] Yeah.
- Yeah.
- College career, yeah.
- Yeah, thanks.
(soft music)
Noddy, what's up bro?
How you doing, and how are the fam?
You know if they need something, you can let me know.
You know I'm grinding, trying to turn it up
another level and trying to do something special.
Keep your head up and keep praying to God.
I love you, bro.
(audience cheering)
(upbeat music)
- [Announcer] And we are underway.
Keep your eye on Keifer Sykes.
He leads the league in scoring and assists.
As good as he was advertised preseason,
he might be even better right now.
- [Announcer Two] Keifer Sykes!
That is a 45-inch vertical, just in case you didn't know.
Oh my goodness, phenomenal.
- [Announcer Three] For those viewers
that don't really understand, you're watching
one of the best guards in the country.
- [Announcer] Dunk overhead, Keifer Sykes!
where did that come from?
- [Announcer Three] Sykes averaging 20 points, four assists,
four rebounds, and one steal per night.
- [Announcer Four] You can't say enough about Keifer Sykes.
He's a legitimate star.
- [Announcer Two] His resume is getting ridiculous.
NBA scouts are paying attention,
but is he living up to all this hype so far this season?
- [Announcer One] I would have to say he is.
- I think he's an NBA player.
I really like the way Keifer has come on this season.
His athleticism, his strength, his fearlessness
along with his shotmaking is a type of thing
that the NBA looks for.
(soft music)
- [Alfonso] Think you passed that test?
- [Keifer] No.
- [Alfonso] I came, I saw, I conquered.
- What you want, you trying to go to the crib?
Now I'm gonna bring out the heat.
You know, the heat got to stay in the box.
- Them though, bro.
- [Keifer] What you think?
- [Alfonso] For the game?
- [Keifer] Because I be needing that bounce.
- I met Keifer through basketball my sophomore
year of high school.
He wasn't always the Keifer Sykes that everybody knows.
When I first met him, he was this little, short,
skinny, big-foot dude.
- Yeah, see, I got to do it now.
- You got to do them.
Son, you got to do them.
He was always in the gym trying to work out
with the older guys and then getting better.
I mean, he improved his game so much, and he's probably
one of the hardest basketball players that I've seen.
- Good, good, we're attacking, we're attacking.
Four west seven, four west seven into two twirl, you got it?
- [Alfonso] I tell him all the time,
I want to have another point guard.
- They won't guard that, that's a good job.
Go again, you got to be smooth here, we've got to be smooth.
I remember when we first recruited Keifer and we signed him,
I had some scouting services.
And Illinois called me and said,
you know, Keifer Sykes, that's who you're going to build
your program around, Keifer Sykes?
He small, he's not real strong.
He doesn't shoot it outside of 15 feet.
Do it, do it, eyes on sight!
Good, left hand, nice, nice, nice, good!
Now those same guys are saying,
oh, we knew Keifer was gonna be great, Coach.
We knew you had a champ there.
We knew he was going to be, help you turn the program
and get it to where you want it to be.
So I hear that a lot nowadays.
His explosiveness is very unique in any guard.
He's gonna have a great opportunity at the next level
in the NBA because of that ability.
There's no doubt he's on everyone's NBA radar.
One, get down, two, three, four, five.
- If people want me to answer the draft after this year,
yeah, I sat and thought about it a little bit.
- [Trainer] Push the ground away, push the ground away.
Good.
- How hard that decision will be,
it's just crazy.
You've got NBA scouts at the game, and commentators are
asking these questions about the NBA.
Are you going to stay, are you going to go?
- [Brian] Yes sir, well played.
(players chattering)
I never thought of the NBA, I was always happy that
I was just getting a scholarship for my mom and dad
to take the burden off of their shoulders.
- [Brian] Good, good, good, get back!
- I'm one year away from getting my degree.
I feel like if I've been able to maintain this long,
I could stay another year.
- [Brian] Good patience, right there, Sykes!
Good, put it in the pocket.
- [Keifer] But then you think, I mean, I have a son.
He's getting older.
That'd put me in a position financially
to see him more and have him around me more.
- [Brian] Way to be there, way to be there.
Be ready to shoot, good, good, good, good.
- [Keifer] For me right now to be on a level
where I feel like my dreams can come true,
I try to, you know, try to keep it all.
- All right, let's go, let's win it now, let's win.
- I mean, people praise me for playing basketball well,
but I've seen it happen where, because you're doing good,
as soon as you do bad, I mean, no one loves you.
- [Brian] You've got to be strong, got to be strong.
- [Keifer] So I mean, I just try to find my way,
and just hopefully I'll be successful one day.
- [Announcer] The final three seconds, the dream!
Reality for the Green Bay Phoenix!
The 18-year drought is history!
The Green Bay Phoenix men's basketball team,
your Horizon League champions here in 2013-14!
(audience cheering)
(soft music)
- A disturbing mystery in Humboldt Park.
Who would open fire on a stopped car and shoot
a basketball coach from Marshall Metro High School?
- [Reporter] Harrington was struck in the back,
as well as on his left side, police say.
His 14-year-old daughter, who was with him, was unharmed.
- [Keifer] My coach from high school, Coach Shake,
he got shot sitting at a red light in his neighborhood.
Just a mistaken identity.
Right now I'm going to see him in a hospital,
in a rehab center, because he's working
to get back 100 percent, because they say he's paralyzed.
(people chattering)
- Shake?
- [Shawn] Special K!
What's up, Kid?
What's going on?
- Nothing, man, I brought you a shirt,
- Yes sir.
- Because we won it.
- Yes sir, congratulations.
Yes, sir.
- Yeah, we definitely got that.
How long they got you here, though, until you get fully...
- They say about another four to five weeks.
They're basically trying to prepare me
so when I get back home, I'll be a little bit more
independent and being able to do a lot of stuff on my home,
but it could anywhere from six months to a year.
But they do say, they do.
I've got another, they do say I've got
a real good chance of walking.
- So like, how did, some dude was just standing
across the street, like, how did--
- Man this is about 7:45 in the morning when this happened.
I'm on my way to drop my daughter off at school,
on my way up to work, on my way up to Marshall,
and me and my daughter, we travel that same route, Keifer,
every day for two years.
Only difference was this day,
I was in a white rental car because my blue truck
was in the shop.
And they mistake my car for somebody else's car.
- That's crazy with that.
- He pointed at the car, and they just,
the shots just started coming out of nowhere.
So I push my daughter down, covered her body with mine.
They got to shooting, I felt it when I got hit.
And it went through my shoulder, went through,
struck one of my vertebrate and come out on this side.
And once they hit me and the bullet hit my spine,
that's when I lost the feeling.
I instantly lost the feeling in my legs.
That sun is gonna shine real bright again one day.
So man, thanks for this big time here, baby.
This is big time right here.
Yes, sir.
You boy, you helped me get through the rest
of my therapy through the day with a smile on my face
big old cheese.
Yes, sir.
So man, go on back and do what y'all got to do
so y'all can go take that dance, baby.
Get that dance.
- I'll be thinking about you, man.
- Yes, sir.
OK, kid, love you and trust you, OK?
Thanks for coming by, man.
(soft music)
- [Keifer] A lot of people don't understand
that I still have to come back and face this all the time.
The randomness of shootings or, I mean, it could affect me.
It could affect anybody.
Every day you step outside your house,
and when you're in your house, you're scared.
You just have that fear that something may go wrong,
and you have no control over it.
(audience cheering and applauding)
(teammates chanting)
- Go daddy, go daddy, go daddy!
(audience cheering)
- [Keifer] After a lot of phone calls and a lot of talking
to the coaches and my teammates, they kind of swayed me
both ways on if I was going to enter the draft
or if I was going to stay in school.
It was a loaded draft, it was a lot of good guys, so--
- [Team Member] One, two, three.
- [Team] Squad!
- I decided to come back to school.
A very tough game with Green Bay.
I've been there four years, and it comes down
to the wire every time.
- [Fan] You played an awesome game, man.
- Man, that was a tough game.
- You were good tonight, really good.
- Thank you.
- I prayed for you. - Thank you.
At the end of the day, I came down, and I wanted to get
the degree for my family.
Thanks for coming, thanks for helping us.
- Yah!
- Yeah, I mean, I don't even know what it is, yet.
That's what I'm saying.
Yeah, you definitely got to be careful
when you're picking an agent.
Once I look into it more, I'll know exactly what
I want to do, but I know on the forefront the people
that I want, so I mean...
That's been in the field, that they know what they're doing.
So yeah, if they don't, I'm going with somebody else.
- [KJ] Tacos!
- [Keifer] You eating up here with the big boys?
- Big dogs.
- [Keifer] You think you're a big boy, don't you?
- I am a big boy.
I'm already four.
- [Keifer] Is it good?
- [KJ] Mm-hmm.
- [Keifer] I made it.
- [KJ] You see all the way in there.
- That's cologne in there.
- [KJ] Wait, what is cologne?
- [Keifer's Friend] Yeah, that make you smell good.
You spread it all over your body,
and girls are gonna want you when you got that on.
- [Keifer's Second Friend] Yeah, here KJ,
go put this on, buddy.
- [KJ] No.
- Why not, you get all the ladies.
- We trying to get him ladies.
- Start him early.
Yeah, KJ.
- Smell it.
- [KJ] No.
- Nah, girls still got cooties to KJ.
- [Keifer] You don't want me to spray it on you?
Smell it.
- [KJ] I said no.
- [Keifer] Mmm.
- [Allyne] Hey.
- Say hey.
- Hey, hey, hey.
- [Allyne] You ready to come home?
- No.
- [Allyne] Don't tell him to say no, I saw you.
- I didn't tell him to say nothing.
- [Allyne] Yes, you did, when you coming home, baby?
- [KJ] Not today, I'm not coming home.
- [Keifer] He is at home.
- [Allyne] No, he's not, he don't live there.
- I only like his house, not my house.
- You want me to give your room away?
- Whatever, you can give it away.
(Keifer laughing)
- [Allyne] I'm going to buy another baby from the store.
- Tell her who gonna be the daddy for this baby
that she's buying?
- [KJ] Who gonna be the daddy for that baby?
- [Keifer] Just ask why she jealous.
- [KJ] Why you jealous?
- [Allyne] I ain't jealous.
- [KJ] Yes, you is, yes, you is.
- You miss me?
- [KJ] Nah.
(Allyne laughing)
- [Allyne] I miss you.
- Nah.
- I love you.
- [KJ] I love you, too.
You hang up on your own self.
- You hang up.
- [Allyne] You hang up.
- You hang up!
(soft music)
- Let me know when you start feeling that right hip.
Excellent, now press both heels down into the mat.
- [Keifer] Green Bay is super calm, super safe.
- [Instructor] Now stretch, take an inhale.
- Loving, friendly, everybody's just caring
about each other.
- [Instructor] Exhale.
Child's pose.
- This town, it definitely embraced our basketball team.
And players like me, when they come from Chicago,
when they know how different it is growing up
in an inner city, where there's a lot of violence
and a lot of trouble for people to get into.
- [Instructor] Soften, surrender, and just enjoy this time
right now for yourself.
- The most recent thing that happened in Chicago,
I just got a call from one of our high-school teammates
that one of our teammates was shot.
It's just crazy, because, I mean, his situation,
he was just standing outside, hanging where he'd
been hanging for all his life in his neighborhood,
and somebody came around, took too many drugs,
and just was out of it.
And just that being that simple led to him to being shot,
and he's paralyzed just like my coach.
He was shot three times in the stomach at point-blank range.
Once he realized, he tried to get away and was shot
in the back.
And then the guy came, stood over him,
and shot him in the face.
He's lucky to be alive.
It was my teammate, Marty Satterfield.
I mean, I had a really close relationship with him.
Every time I pick up the phone, I always brace myself just
because you never know what type of news you're gonna get
when you have your family and friends residing in Chicago.
(soft music)
(people cheering)
- Hey, Chicago!
(people cheering)
Hello, Chicago!
(people cheering)
Hello, everybody, it is good to be home!
It is good to be back home.
I'm here to make sure that we talk about--
- Give them hell, Keifer.
- [Barack] And then work towards giving every child
every chance in life.
Building stronger communities, and most importantly,
keeping them safe from harm.
♪ Whose broad stripes and bright stars ♪
- [Brian] Let's go, guys, let's go.
Let's go, squad, on three.
One, two, three, squad!
- [Team] Squad!
(audience cheering)
That's it!
Put them in the basket.
(people chattering)
- Yo!
- What's up, man?
- What's up, baby?
Get over here and get some love.
Let me get a little closer to this guy here, man.
- I have to start getting out, because at first
I didn't like to come outside.
- Yeah.
- Right now, I feel a whole lot better now.
- Kayrone, what up, boy?
Let's go, here we go.
He's going straight to the rack!
He ain't passing this one, he gone, there it is!
Yeah!
- Yeah!
Yes!
- [Shawn] Yeah!
(people chattering)
- [Fan] Good game.
- Keifer, congrats on 2000, points.
Give him a round of applause.
(crowd applauding)
It's an unbelievable accomplishment, man.
And I don't, in college basketball,
you're not gonna to see it very often.
- Y'all gonna see, man.
Y'all are welcome to come back to the C.
Y'all are going to get a lot of love, man.
- [Woman] How you doing today?
- Hey!
- [Keifer] That's for coming.
(people chattering)
- [Lisa] Hey!
(Lisa laughing)
- [Male Speaker] Congratulations!
- Coach Shake, to see him courtside,
Marty, to see him able to come out to see me play,
you just can't let people like that down.
What up, did I put on that show for you, shorty?
You already know how it goes, son.
Chilling, shorty, what you on?
- Hey shorty, I got it.
Damn shorty, I ain't see you in a minute, boy.
- I know, man.
- We got to definitely make it when I come back, yo.
Those people are very close to me, and to see them show,
it hits home.
We got pictures, we need pictures, yo,
because this ain't about to last long, shorty.
Times ain't lasting long.
It definitely puts things in perspective.
- [Lisa] Tiffany, are you in there?
- Yes, I'm back here.
- Take your elbows out, we in here?
Family!
- KJ, look at the camera.
(soft music)
- The doctors took me through surgery.
They took the bullet out my back.
So now I have no bullets in me.
Now it's just a process of me getting my feeling back
in my leg.
I keep in touch with Keifer, you know?
He was just like a little brother to us.
When we was in high school, we was all for each other.
Us was just being brothers.
But as we got older, and, you know,
we went our separate ways, life hit us.
Life hit us.
Keifer is carrying a lot of our dreams,
because a lot of us ain't get a chance to do
what we wanted to do after high school.
A lot of us had went to a road of destruction
and were forced to do bad stuff, and,
it's just a lot of bad things happened.
But he stayed focused,
and he kept in touch with us
and made sure we was always all right.
And that's why we got to love him.
- [Announcer] Great crowd on hand on the Saturday afternoon
to wrap up the 2014/15 regular season and say thank you
to the four seniors playing their final game.
Here there's Keifer Sykes at six-foot one,
a senior out of Chicago.
- [Game Announcer] Number 24, Keifer Sykes!
(audience cheering and applauding)
- Keifer Sykes, limited edition.
- [Announcer] Keifer Sykes, the reigning Horizon League
player of the year, he drives down the lane.
Gets about three or four defenders and puts it
off the glass with his right hand.
(audience applauding)
Sykes's a top player with a three, bang!
21 for Keifer Sykes!
My goodness, this kid is unbelievable!
The final time with the Green Bay Phoenix,
leaving with 2096 career points and his name all over
the record book, what a heck of a career.
There aren't many like him.
- [Fan] Keifer!
- [Fan Two] Hey, Keifer.
- Thanks for coming.
- [Photographer] I'm gonna cry, I'm going to cry.
- I got to embrace this, because I'm about to go back
to the bottom in a minute.
- [Male Speaker] Exactly.
- Ain't nobody going to want my autograph in a minute.
They're gonna run, shorty.
(soft music)
- [Al] I got them, get ready.
- He don't look like Al today.
You look like Albo today, shorty.
(Keifer laughing)
(soft music)
There's a ton going on in my life right now.
- I got one.
- KJ, I think you're about to have a little sister, huh?
- My little sister is in my mom's stomach.
- I'm expecting baby number two, coming September this year.
- It's a girl, and she's happy, and I'm happy it's a girl,
because I'm still with KJ.
So we're going to split, and I'm gonna take this one,
and she's gonna to take that one.
(soft music)
My dad's on my mind a ton today.
Today's going to be crazy, even to walk across that stage
and him not being there.
(audience applauding)
I mean, he'll be very proud of me.
To be the first of my family to graduate,
it just means a lot.
- Daddy.
(people chattering)
(upbeat music)
- Like, tell me what your basketball goals are.
- Well, everybody dreams of just shaking
a commissioner's hand and putting that hat on.
So that's the biggest dream.
The draft is a ways away, but right now there's a lot
of opportunities for me to show myself,
especially because I've been playing on a major level
and haven't been on a big stage.
So a lot of people are skeptical.
At the end of the day, I have to put in the work
and sell myself.
- [Male Speaker] Maybe give me a point at me.
- All right.
- [Mother] All in?
Yeah!
- [Announcer] There's our judges on the court,
and we are set now for the Denny's Slam Dunk Championship.
- We were just talking about this.
Keifer, as you can see, is not that much taller than me.
I am not a tall human being to begin with.
You're the shortest person in this competition.
Does that give you an advantage?
- I think it gives me actually a 10-point increase.
(audience cheering)
Every decision I make is different,
now with being done with college basketball.
Now everything that I do affects my brand.
(soft dramatic theme)
- The NBA Combine brings together some of the draft's
top prospects, players from all conferences and levels,
using the two days to interview with scouts and coaches.
For Chicago native Keifer Sykes, it was an opportunity
to chase his dream of playing in the NBA.
- Are there any teams that you really want to work out for?
- [Keifer] The Bulls.
- [Henry] Yeah, and I've talked to them.
Obviously they're done now.
- The Clippers, the Clippers.
- [Henry] You got the Clippers, all right.
- Oh, OK.
This process is so tiring with basketball
being on another level.
How detailed they are about taking care of your body
or the types of lifts you do and the types of workouts
you do is definitely intense.
- [Instructor] Stay connected with the breath.
Sweep arms to heart and get it high.
- I want you to get as many workouts,
and primarily against these points guards
that they may think are better than you right now.
Go at them.
- [Keifer] I will.
- Go at them, I know you will, I know you will, man.
- Yeah, right now I'm in a pre-draft process.
I've been to 13 different NBA workouts
in 12 different cities.
- [Interviewer] Do you still feel like your size
comes into question a lot during this type of process?
- [Keifer] It's a whirlwind, you know?
You just hop on a plane.
The bag gets heavier every time.
And I've just been on the road for three straight weeks.
It's a crazy process, so hopefully it pays off
on the NBA draft, November 25th.
(soft music)
- [Reporter] Former star player at Marshall High School
Tim Triplett, 20 age, was shot and killed over the weekend.
- [Reporter Two] Today friends and family
are mourning his death and asking why it happened.
(soft music)
- [Keifer] One of the players from Marshall that played
a couple years after I left.
I went to go watch him a few times.
He lost his life just standing outside.
I mean, he got killed at 12:40 PM.
I mean, it was broad daylight.
(soft dramatic theme)
People riding around with guns, it's just scary.
It's just so random here, anything can happen at anytime.
(sirens wailing)
- Start on your right hand, one, two, snap.
One snap, J.
All right, combos, let's go.
Good, good, good shit, good shit.
Good.
- [Keifer] Score!
- Make shots, make shots, make shots.
Come on.
- Hey!
- Good.
Make those shots.
Look at it, survey, got to look over your shoulder.
Keep your eyes open.
Clean that shit up.
You got to make that shit.
Show them, get that.
Like that, good, that's better.
You got to get that.
Remember, Dwight gonna be closing that up.
Deandre and them gonna be closing on the other side.
Try to get there, bam, get there.
Good, finish
- [Keifer] Fuck!
- Let's go, stay low.
Keep your hits down.
Stay low, you got to stay low, don't come high.
You get a little fatigued, stay high.
That's why we do these workouts while it's high intensity,
bang, bang, bang, so you can get used to playing
at a high level all the time, all right?
Ain't no breaks.
You don't need no fucking breaks, let's go.
Bang, get that!
Good, that's it.
One more, one more, get in, get in.
Good.
- [KJ] Daddy, is this one yours?
- Yep.
Look, you can bend down and see my name.
They got Leonte on there, and JJ on there.
- They got Don.
- Yep.
- They got JJ.
- They put everybody on it.
- [KJ] And grandma?
- [Keifer] No, she don't...
(Keifer laughing)
She ain't play!
(soft music)
Man, if I look back right now at, you know,
just how grateful I am.
I've been blessed with a lot of things to go my way,
because I mean, I had some of my teammates
from high school shot.
All the basketball talk of me being drafted
and me being on my drafts,
it just seems unreal because, I mean, I know
where I came from.
(soft music)
(upbeat music)
- Kid, you ready, you don't look ready, kid.
You don't look ready, kid.
- Yes, I do.
(phone ringing)
- Hold on, we gotta put this bitch's down.
Hello?
Chilling, what's good, where you at?
Yeah man, trying to make it official tonight.
They said what?
No, they tripping.
The niggas out here on the street don't know
nothing about the NBA, that's the first thing I learned.
Like, they be mad if you can't play in a league.
You can't play in a league, everybody just think
they're geniuses out here.
Shit, I don't know, We gonna figure out tonight.
He said what team I play for, I said we gonna
figure out tonight, shit!
Oh, today, tonight, all day.
I can't even believe it's here.
Really, man, it's like my dream all balled up into one.
You know, It's just you've kind of been thinking about it
your whole life, but you just visualize this day
but you know, it's just so far away.
But now, like, today is here, so it feels, like, super weird.
Crazy, it's draft day.
You know, man, trying to knock this out,
calm before the storm.
Before the storm come up.
It's crazy, I don't know what's about to happen.
(both laughing)
Put these two in the middle.
- I don't know what they're doing.
Whatever they doing, the lamp got to go upstairs
in the boys' room for now.
For Keifer, it's a lot of pressure on him.
He says it, he says, Ma, it's a lot of pressure on me.
And I'm like, well, you don't show it.
He's like, I can't show it.
He tells me, Mama, don't worry about it, but I do worry.
- I remember, like no bull, after my junior year,
because you remember how the season ended?
Like, I didn't want to come back.
You know, a couple people were saying if you leave,
it's your best chance.
You ain't gonna have no better year than you had this year.
And I ain't even really been comfortable
through this draft process.
That's why I was like, man, something's got to happen.
Like, something good's got to happen.
- Good evening, and welcome to the 2015 NBA draft.
Which of these young men will be next to alter the destiny
of this franchise?
- Me.
- [Announcer] Which will be the cornerstone?
(everyone laughing)
- If I don't get drafted today, I'll just work on my agent
to get with the right figure with a team,
but I'm projected to be picked around the second round.
So, you know, one team that I hope will call my name
at some point if I'm still on the board,
The Spurs got the 55th pick,
and that's my dad's favorite team.
And people don't know that my dad died at 55.
So I'm like, when I saw that it was kind of weird.
And then they brought me in twice.
So I'm like, I want to keep this on the hush,
but this would be super special if the Spurs call my name,
just to be part of an organization like that.
But I mean, I'll be happy to play anywhere.
- Lord, we just acknowledge you in all of our ways,
and we know that of ourselves we can do nothing.
You're the one that gives us light.
You're the one that gives us strength.
And Father, you're the one that has given Keifer
these gifts and talents, that he's using them
to the glory of God.
So we thank you, Father God.
Thank you for how you have brought this family this far.
Amen.
- [Crowd] Amen.
- And welcome to the second round.
- I'm projected to go anywhere like 45 to 60 anyway.
- [Announcer] With the 49th pick in the 2015 NBA draft,
the Washington Wizards select Aaron White
from the University of Iowa.
With the 51st pick in the 2015 NBA draft,
Tyler Harvey.
(people chattering)
- These boys are definitely not better than Keifer.
- [Keifer] I'm gonna get there, I'm gonna to get there, kid.
- See you.
- [Male Speaker] Good night.
- [Female Speaker] All right.
- With five more picks after this one before
the draft is concluded...
- With the 55th pick in the 2015 NBA draft,
the San Antonia Spurs select Kaddy Lelane.
- Ugh.
- You got to get picked.
You got to get picked, bro.
We got two more.
- [Announcer] And with the 58th pick in the 2015 NBA draft,
the Philadelphia 76ers select--
- [Keifer] Hello?
- [Announcer] JP Tokoto.
- All right, I will.
- I'd rather do that.
So that's what we're gonna to do, then?
Hey, we can cut that shit off, shorty.
I'm going to Cleveland, shorty.
- [Crowd Member] You swear to God?
- I swear to God.
- What call?
- They only got two point guards, so I'm going
to Cleveland, bro.
- [Male Speaker] For real?
- [Lisa] What they say, Keifer?
- [Keifer] I'm going to their summer league
and training camp, so...
- [Lisa] Al, move them legs, move them legs.
- I'm going to Cleveland.
(crowd cheering and applauding)
And, Charmel and them, what the fuck?
- Yes sir.
(crowd cheering)
- [Lisa] Cleveland!
(Lisa laughing)
- Damn.
- [Lisa] Stop cursing.
You in Cleveland!
- I'm with LeBron.
- You with your boy!
- I'm with LeBron.
- Whoo!
Yes.
(Lisa laughing)
- [Keifer] Shorty, we going to play LeBron!
I'm going to play LeBron!
- [Lisa] Cleveland!
- [Keifer] We going to Cleveland, shorty.
We about to go see LeBron.
(Keifer screaming)
- [Announcer] Keifer Sykes from Wisconsin Green Bay.
Sykes pulls up with a jump shot in motion.
- [Announcer Two] Future NBA stars that are here.
And look who else is here, the king is here.
LeBron James!
(audience cheering)
Oh, Keifer Sykes, did that just happen?
Keifer Sykes is listed at six-foot tall.
- [Announcer] Not when he leaves the ground, people!
(upbeat music)
- [Keifer] After the draft, I went to Vegas
for the summer league with the Cavaliers.
And it actually went well for me.
But with the NBA, it's a business.
They wanted to go in a different direction
and sign two other guards.
So I thought it was best for me, you know,
get with another team.
In August I signed my training camp deal with the Spurs.
(upbeat music)
With the NBA, it's crazy because first of all,
when you put on that logo, people already think you're rich.
But right now I'm not even on the actual Spurs roster.
It's a little bit weird trying to fit in
with these types of guys.
(upbeat music)
You can't be nervous, you know?
You got to be confident.
(upbeat music)
(soft music)
- [Announcer] Good morning, Chicago.
It's gonna be a hot one today in the Windy City.
The Cubs taking on the Mets today
in the first of a three-game series.
It should be a good one.
Don't forget this weekend is Chicago Boat Party Weekend
out on Lake Michigan.
- [Announcer Two] September has been the bloodiest
month of 2015, with at least 250 shootings
resulting in people getting killed.
- [Announcer Three] Retaliation, revenge,
and a cycle of murder with no end in sight.
- We've got the rim low now for KJ.
This KJ's court now.
This whole process of not getting picked
and going through these types of struggles.
I've just got to keep working and keep fighting.
Come on, come outside.
No one's gonna make it out here on their own.
Throughout this whole journey, it's been a number of people,
all of us trying to succeed, trying to help each other,
trying to push each other to do, you know, positive things.
Come on, do a move, come on.
Because everybody can't be a basketball player.
Oh, through the legs!
So we're just trying to be the best people
with the situation that we're in.
Oh, you crossing them over!
It's just hard, man, just thinking about how sometimes
the opportunities just aren't there for everybody.
Oh!
You think you got it, huh?
- [KJ] I do.
- It's definitely bittersweet.
(soft music)
uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh!
(soft music)
Oh!
You think you can make more shots than me, huh?
- [KJ] Yep.
You just made one shot in a row.
(audience cheering)
(announcer speaking in foreign language)
(announcer shouting in foreign language)
- [Announcer] Kiefer Sykes, in your face!
(audience cheering)
(announcer shouting in foreign language)
♪ A ♪
♪ Amen ♪
♪ A ♪
♪ Amen ♪
♪ A amen ♪
♪ Amen amen ♪
♪ Everybody now ♪
♪ A amen ♪
♪ Amen amen ♪
♪ This little light of mine ♪
♪ I'm gonna let it shine ♪
♪ This little light of mine ♪
♪ I'm gonna let it shine yeah yeah ♪
♪ This little light of mine ♪
♪ I'm gonna let it shine ♪
♪ Let it shine let it shine ♪
♪ To show my love ♪
♪ One thing my pappy use to say he say that ♪
♪ Even in my home son ♪
♪ I say what Dad ♪
♪ I'm gonna let it shine ♪
♪ Even in your home son ♪
♪ You got to let your little light shine ♪
♪ Even in your home son ♪
♪ You've got to let it shine ♪
♪ Let it shine just let it shine ♪
♪ To show your love ♪
♪ And then I say Daddy ♪
♪ Help me sing this line one time ♪
♪ A ♪
♪ Amen help me ♪
♪ A amen ♪
♪ With a feeling ♪
♪ A amen ♪
♪ Amen amen ♪
♪ Everybody together now ♪
♪ A amen ♪
♪ Louder now ♪
♪ A amen ♪
♪ Everybody say A amen ♪
♪ Amen amen ♪