Cruising south on I-79, Yogi Ferrell scribbled a note while sitting in the backseat of an Uber, trying to find the words while inching along the western Pennsylvania border towards his dream. A young boy needed guidance from a young man navigating the ride of his life.
Ferrell needed to reach Philadelphia, where, two days after the 23-year-old point guard posted 20 points and seven assists against the Erie Bayhawks, a 76ers group workout offered an elusive spot on an NBA roster. Ferrell’s chance required a two-hour ride to Pittsburgh for an afternoon flight east, and as his driver shuttled the former Indiana star, his story seemed pertinent to her boyfriend’s hoop-head son’s current bout with depression.