As we all continue to struggle with how to fill our days without the excitement of free agency or summer league (how many times can I hit refresh hoping for updated posts/comments), I decided it was time I take a journey through the past. Driven by a comment that Jonas's current weakness at the 3 is his lack of ball-handling, I began a search for one clip in particular - a clip which I felt would remind us all of JJ's potential at the 3.
In my mind, I see a confident Jonas grabbing a tenacious defensive rebound, and in one fluid motion pushing the ball up the floor. Three defenders stood in his way but no matter - a quick behind-the-back dribble evades the first, and Jonas's sheer willpower overtakes the 2nd and 3rd before finishing with a thunderous dunk.
And so the journey began - but like Odysseus as he left the Cyclops' lair, filled with a cockiness that insulted the Gods, I was forced to wander the web for what felt like years...
I'd be lying if I claimed this post wasn't in some way inspired by Matt Watson's retrospectives and so my journey begins with our introduction and Matt's very own "Jonas Jerebko is a Piston" thread, where Matt had no more than a super slo-mo dunk (clip below) and this to say:
Get a good look, because my guess is he won't get an honest chance to make the roster for a couple of years.
Perhaps the mysterious DBB poster known only as "Swede" knew much more than any of us posting that day could have known when he boldly stated:
He will be an asset in the future he has very high work ethic.
With rare exception, little of us had any interest in discussing JJ that day. The thread took a turn for the worse as we began hashing out a near and dear argument to us all - DeJuan vs. DaJuan.
Now that we've familiarized ourselves with the beginning, the quest for the epic Jonas clip has us fast-forwarding through his rookie year to his time with the Swedish National Team. A look at the clips I had to go through to find "my precious" Jonas clip...
Is it in this one?
nope...what about this one?
not this one either but that's a nice slam dunk shot...moving on...
I still...haven't found...what I'm looking for...
But...oh...oh...OHHHHHHHHHH...sweet Jonas. Finally, the clip has been found. While I can't embed, I strongly recommend each of you make your way to watch the clip for yourself. Not quite what I remembered...but still awesome none-the-less. Instead of a tenacious rebound, it was a timely steal...with not one but two behind-the-back moves.
Looking back, I realize now that it was the journey that made the ending so worth it. Realizing that others' stamina for Jonas highlights may be greater than mine, I wouldn't want to prematurely eject you all from the greatness that is JJ. So without further ado, MORE JONAS HIGHLIGHTS!
Okay...just one more....
now your thoughts