It’s been just over a year since Larry Nance Jr. was traded across a couple time zones from Portland to New Orleans, but alongside CJ McCollum, the veteran reserve center/forward has already made a vital impact for the Pelicans. The son of a former NBA player who was a force for two different franchises (Phoenix and Cleveland), as well as one of the greatest dunkers of all time, the 30-year-old is this week’s guest for Pelicans.com’s “24 Seconds” Q&A article.
Pelicans.com: What was your best moment as an athlete?
Nance: When I got to wear (uniform number) 22 in Cleveland for the first time was very cool for me, just because of my dad (Larry Nance Sr.’s jersey is retired for the Cavaliers, but the younger Nance wore it during his tenure in Ohio as a tribute to his father). And getting drafted. Those are probably my top two.
Pelicans.com: What’s your favorite thing about New Orleans?
Nance: The food.
Pelicans.com: What was your first job?
Nance: Stacking shelves at a liquor store.
Pelicans.com: What would you be doing if you weren’t an NBA player?
Nance: I have my degree in criminal justice, so I was probably going to be a forensics lab technician.
Pelicans.com: Who was your favorite athlete as a kid?
Nance: To avoid the corniness of saying my dad, I’ll say Vince Carter. I loved VC.
Pelicans.com: Who are your closest friends playing on other NBA teams or in other pro sports?
Nance: Kevin Love and Josh Hart are probably one and two.