The seeds of Landry Shamet's NBA education can be found in an unlikely place, with unlikely sources of nutrition. For a prospect hoping to hear his name called in the first round of the NBA Draft, it's the opportunity of a lifetime and the lifeline to a dream.
Go to the second floor of Student Activities Center on the UCLA campus and you'll find some of the best pickup basketball games in the country. The building was constructed in 1932 and was home for John Wooden's teams until Pauley Pavilion opened in 1965. The gym itself sat about 2,000 fans, although a fire marshal once ruled only 1,300 could safely gather there. It was unaffectionally dubbed the B.O. Center because of the odor emanating from warm humans packed so closely together.
These days, past, present and future NBA players gather there to play in near-solitude in the summers. Shamet, who is training in Thousand Oaks, CA, occasionally makes the 30-mile trip to campus to participate in games with the likes of former Pacers Stephen Jackson and Chris Copeland and other former NBA players such as Glen "Big Baby" Davis and Baron Davis.
"People you're going to want to listen to," Shamet says.
Shamet was among the first group of players working out for the Pacers on Thursday at St. Vincent Center. A combo guard from Wichita State, he's widely predicted as a first-round pick in the June 21 draft. He's been listed as high as 16th in mock drafts, and SB Nation has him going to the Pacers with the 23rd overall pick. That means virtually nothing at this early stage, but at least gives some indication of the general regard for his potential.
Shamet is getting a better handle on his standing in the pickup games, along with some elite mentoring from those who have already been there, done that and learned from all of it. The former NBA players have no vested interest in the young hopefuls among them other than to pass along their wisdom, and have willingly done so.
"You play pickup, but also out of NBA sets," he said. "They'll correct you and say, "Hey, when you get on a team they're going to want you to do this and that.
"The fact they take ownership and try to teach you is really cool."
Shamet knows he has a lot to learn. He essentially played two seasons at Wichita State after an injury early in his freshman season forced him to redshirt. After earning first-team all-conference honors the next two seasons — and averaging 14.9 points and 5.2 assists in the most recent one — he entered the draft, ready to take the next step that amounts to a giant leap.
"I just felt like I was ready for this new challenge," Shamet said. "I had never stepped out of my comfort zone. It would have been really easy to come back to school and have a guaranteed couple of years, and know exactly what's in front of me, but now I'm in a situation where I don't know where I'm going to be living.
"I feel confident in myself. That's the root of it. I know what I'm capable of. I know when I'm put in a good locker room and put on the floor in a good system and I know what's going on, I feel confident in myself to be successful."
Shamet, at 6-5, is regarded as a combo guard. He was mostly a point guard at Wichita State, but believes he's equally capable of playing off the ball in the NBA. He studies the likes of Golden State's Klay Thompson and Portland's C.J. McCollum as role models for what he wants to become. He hit 44 percent of his 3-pointers last season, has NBA range, and handles and passes the ball well.
He's also mature beyond his 21 years.
"I feel I've been a pro longer because of my approach in college," he said. "I don't take days for granted. Every time I'm in the gym I'm going to work hard. I know I'm not going to have the answers when I come into the league. Having an open mind and being willing to learn is going to be really important for a rookie. That's going to be me to a T."
Shamet (pronounced SHAM-et) believes his birth as an NBA prospect began a year ago in Indianapolis, when Wichita State played Kentucky in the NCAA tournament. He finished with 20 points in a 65-62 loss, but caught the attention of scouts in a pressure-packed environment against a high-level opponent.
"That's when the reality of it happening started for me," he said.
He's only improved his image since then, both during his final college season and in pre-draft workouts. He visited Golden State, the Lakers, Phoenix, Atlanta, and Orlando before Thursday's session with the Pacers.
He caught a break in Indianapolis, arriving on Tuesday and having Wednesday off. He spent part of it at St. Vincent Center, working out on his own.
"It's been fun," he said. "The travel hasn't taken it out of me as much as I thought it would. The time zones are different, but my energy has been pretty consistent. It's been surprisingly a little easier than I anticipated."
He has a long way to go, geographically and as a player. He still has trips scheduled to Dallas, Brooklyn, Portland, and Utah before the draft. He plans to be in New York for the draft, and expects to hear his name called in the first round.
"I feel like I'm a first-round pick," he said. "I know what I can bring to a team. I feel in my heart I'm a first-round pick. Whether a team makes that happen, that's on them."
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