In 2018, Damian Jones started at center for the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals against the Portland Trail Blazers. The 24-year-old’s future in Golden State appeared promising at that point, even after he missed most of the regular season with a torn pectoral and had struggled with injuries and competition level in his first two years in the NBA.
Since appearing against Portland that night — which resulted in his being benched by coach Steve Kerr less than three minutes into the game with three fouls — Jones has undergone a career upheaval similar to what many young athletes on the edge of major league relevance experience.