NCDS: Larry DeSimpelare, Asst. Coach - Cleveland State ("Kid Makes Good")

By: Larry DeSimpelare, Asst. Coach - Cleveland State

Cedric Jackson signs consecutive 10-day contracts with the Cleveland Cavaliers! 

One of the best parts of coaching is seeing your players' graduate and move on to successful careers after college.  For some it is jobs, marriage and eventually kids (hopefully in that order!), and for others, it is the opportunity to continue their playing career professionally...most of which continue playing by playing abroad.  It is an opportunity to see the world, get paid for playing a sport we love, and gain valuable experience and maturity.  If you find the right situation, it can prove to be very lucrative.  If you are a successful D1 player, you have a chance to make (and save) a lot of money by playing overseas.  Even a reasonable monthly salary can become very rewarding if you are smart with your funds, since you don't pay taxes, and most contracts include housing, travel and meals.  You can live for virtually nothing, and save a bunch.  If you can do this for five to eight years, you can build a nice little nest egg to start your "non-playing" future with. 

In the case of Cedric, he opted to stay in the US, and played this season with the Lake Erie Bay Hawks of the NBDL.  This is not a lucrative situation, but it does provide the opportunity to make the NBA.  Cedric has played very well over the course of the first three months of the season, and when the Cavs lost two point guards in a week span, Cedric found himself leaving the snowy boarders of Lake Erie, and into the warm confines of the Quicken Loans Arena, and into the arms of his new teammates of Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James.  Although playing time has been sparse, Cedric is making the most of this opportunity and has a chance to stay on the roster for the remainder of the season. 

What pleases you the most as a coach is knowing that this young man has achieved his goals through hard work, sacrifice, faith and a commitment that most aren't willing absorb.  Cedric has endured through a lot of challenges, but his ability to stay focused on his goals, his willing to make tremendous sacrifices, and his enduring faith are all factors in the success of the past 20 days.   At Cleveland State, we are proud of our former Viking, who is now a part of one of the best teams in the NBA, and has been rewarded for his faithfulness!  Not to mention he will get a little extra in his bank account!

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