Four years ago, Jonathon Simmons was taking one more shot at playing professional basketball through an open tryout with the D-League’s Austin Spurs.
On Tuesday, he was matched up against James Harden in overtime of an NBA playoff game.
After Simmons helped the Spurs win 110-107 and take a 3-2 series lead over Houston, he was asked if he had been waiting for this moment all season.
“I’ve been waiting for this my whole life,” he said. “Not just the season. It’s crazy, watching it for years and actually being in the intensity.”
The game was tied in the final seconds of regulation when Harden stood 30 feet from the rim and stared Simmons down.