David Stockton heard his cellphone ring, looked down at it and saw his agent Andrew Morrison calling.
Instantly, he knew something was up.
“He hardly ever calls me,” Stockton said.
The son of John Stockton has made his basketball career as a heady point guard, one with the ability to think ahead in a game. And his intuition off the floor turned out to be on point as well.
He had secured a 10-day contract with the Utah Jazz, the franchise for which his father became one of the best floor generals in NBA history, the franchise young Stockton grew up dreaming of playing for.
To his credit, he played it cool on Saturday, the day he officially put pen to paper. He spoke about how he simply wanted to blend in with his new team. He spoke on doing whatever is asked, whether he’s needed to play minutes or not.
Inside, though, Stockton could hardly contain his excitement. When he entered Utah’s practice facility for shootaround, he saw many of the same faces that have been around since he was a child. David Stockton has previous NBA experience, having had a cup of coffee for the Sacramento Kings.
This is different.
“For me to finally get an opportunity, this is great,” Stockton said. “This is home. This is the place that I’ve spent most of my life. So, for me to have a chance to play here, this is a dream come true.”
Stockton talked about how he and his brother Michael — a former star at Westminster and now a professional in Germany — used to play full-court one-on-one after games when they were children. He spoke of calling home after receiving the news and how happy his father was for him.
He and the Jazz know this is not a case of nepotism. With Raul Neto injured, there’s a need for a third point guard. The Jazz are hoping he can provide a spark, if called upon.
“We’ve known David for a while,” Utah coach Quin Snyder said. “He’s been in the G League, he was one of the best point guards there. He knows how to run a team. He’s a good player.”
Snyder said he anticipates Stockton meshing easily with his new teammates. He participated in Jazz OTAs (optional training) during the offseason. So he already knows the system and knows what the coaching staff expects of him.
Stockton said he didn’t envision an NBA career for himself when he graduated from Gonzaga. But, he’s been able to carve out a role for himself through an ability to shoot the ball and manage a game from the point guard spot.
Playing for Reno in the G League, Stockton is averaging 16 points per game this season. He’s very adept at running the pick and roll and can spot up and make 3’s, and makes himself a pest defensively, despite his lack of size.
“I’m happy to be a part of this,” Stockton said. “This is a great organization. I just want to help wherever I can.”
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