Ramon Sessions, perhaps this name is a bit vague to young fans. He is not a star player on a certain team, nor has he been an important piece of the puzzle for that playoff team. His career is not short, exceeding the average lifespan of an NBA player; his career is not really long either, as he can only start receiving a 10-day contract after 10 years.
He once set amazing statistics in team history, but he never stayed with any team for more than two seasons. Although he seems to be replaceable, three teams have come back to purchase his services. He's not the kind of player whose name you're going to remember 10 years from now, but he's also the kind of player who hears those five words from Ramon Sessions and goes, "Oh! I know him. He's..." kind of a little bit. A name that awakens memories.
During this season, Sessions was waived by the Knicks after playing 13 games. A month later, he signed two 10-day contracts with the Wizards, who were short of point guard talent due to the injury of point guard John Wall, and played in 3 games. He has played in a total of 14 games this season, possibly setting a career low of 17 games since his rookie year.
After Washington became his third two-in-two out of the city, let us take advantage of the Washington Post’s Candace Buckner’s article “In his 11th year, on a 10-day deal, Ramon Sessions remains the consummate pro》Look at Sessions’ 10-year career.
After completing the pre-game routine, Ramon Sessions was the last Wizards player to leave the court. There were still some fans waiting for him behind the fence with markers and jerseys. Glancing at the waiting fans, Sessions stopped and complied with all the fans' requests, glancing at the scoreboard before walking toward the fans. Time is running out.
There are 47 minutes left in the Wizards' game against the Raptors on Friday night, and only seven minutes left in the team's pregame meeting. "This is my Achilles' heel." Sessions hates being late. When he finished signing autographs and taking photos, he checked the time again.
Sunday is the end of another countdown.
During the 2015 season, Sessions was traded to the Wizards from the Kings, and he played the remaining 28 games of the season in Washington and played all of the next season. After becoming a free agent, he "returned" to the Hornets, and this year he returned to Washington after being waived by the Knicks. The first 10-day contract he signed with the Wizards expired at midnight on Sunday. Sessions hadn't taken off his jersey in five games before that, and he didn't know if he'd have a chance to play against the Pacers on the night his contract expired.
"He's a hard-working professional player, but he hasn't gotten a chance yet. Maybe there will be an opportunity for him to appear tonight." Although coach Scott Brooks said this, he still sat on the bench that night.
"Which NBA point guard has played for 8 different teams and had two-in and two-out experience on three teams?" Sessions' jagged career will one day make him enter the "Sports Trivia" question bank .
In the second year of his career, he set a record for the Bucks by setting a staggering 24 assists in a single game, and he also experienced a situation where he could only survive in the league on a 10-day contract. The 10-day contract with the Wizards is the first of his career, but Sessions still plans to continue his basketball journey and enjoy the transitions and changes.
"I'm telling you. Every moment I grew up in South Carolina, it was always my dream to play in the NBA." Sessions looked back on his career: "I've been in the league for 11 years, but every day I wake up and think about the past. , I will still be grateful that I am still playing here. To be selected in the 2007 draft and now be a part of the NBA, every day is a dream come true for me and a joy."
"Whether it's 10 days or just one day, the name on the back of my jersey means a lot to me and my family."
When he signed the contract with the Wizards, Sessions knew he would be the third point guard on the roster as insurance while waiting for point guard Wall to return. Make sure that when a player originally in the rotation gets into foul trouble or an injury is expected again, someone can fill the minutes. However, his familiarity with Washington made him still willing to return to the team on a short-term contract, and his understanding of the uniform staff and team staff allowed him to survive the whirlwind first day safely.
At 8 a.m. on February 23, Sessions went for a five-hour physical examination before he could even pack his bags. After completing the physical examination, he met with Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld and senior vice president Tommy Sheppard and signed a contract. There’s not much time to celebrate. Because even if there is a high probability that he will not appear in the game right away, he still hopes to report to the Capital One Arena, the home of the Wizards, before 2:30 p.m., and strive to prepare as many tactics as possible before facing his former team, the Charlotte Hornets, that night. Remember.
Work hard and be prepared. This is a lesson he learned during his rookie season.
"You never know when your name is going to be called, so be prepared." Sessions said that this was the most important thing that veteran Mo Williams told him at the time.
After 10 years, it's now Sessions' turn to provide veteran players with lounge value.
"He always stayed humble. He has always been a true professional player." Future star Bradley Beal, who was selected to the All-Star Game for the first time this year, gave full praise to his big brother: "He is the kind of person who when you think back, you will face because of him A player who respects the way he works. He respects the game and the team. He will try his best to take care of his body, work hard and respect all his teammates."
Beal has few similarities with Sessions. The former received a verbal commitment from the University of Florida when he was a sophomore in high school, while the latter did not reach an agreement with the University of Nevada until 17 days before the start of school. Beal was the pick of the draft, and he has been here since shaking hands with Grunfeld in the draft. Sessions was the fourth to last player among the 60 players selected in the 2007 draft. Unsurprisingly, he spent a lot of money that season. Time for players to survive in the G-League. .
"It's very difficult. Just thinking about switching from team to team is very difficult." Although Beal has never experienced the life of a Ronin, he respects the way Sessions treats his career just by thinking about it: "It's This is his second time on this team, which is proof of his true professionalism. A professional player who continues to find a way to survive in the league and compete desperately."
"Talent alone is not enough to keep you in the league for more than 11 years."
Sessions was once again the last player to leave the field on Saturday afternoon. At that time, the Wizards had not practiced officially for nine days, and chose light exercise to prepare for the game against the Pacers. Many players have left for the parking lot, but Sessions is still sweating in the training facility for a two-on-two confrontation with the coaching staff. The sound of the basketball symbolizes that he wants to do more. In the end, he practiced for an extra hour before leaving. At this stage of his career, he has nothing but time.
"I'm the kind of player where you can't tell by how active I am in practice whether I'm an 11-year veteran or a rookie coming into the league. I think that's why I'm here today. Maybe there are a lot of players who are more talented than me. But I just keep training every day.”
"You can't tell if I have a contract or if I'm trying to get the next one. I'm always humble when it comes to basketball."
Sessions ended his first 10-day contract without getting any minutes of playing time. However, the Wizards still offered a second 10-day contract after consideration. "If I have to sit out another 10 days, I won't complain, but if they call my name, I'll be ready to play."
After signing the second 10-day contract of his career, Sessions began to replace Tim Frazier's bench ball-handling position in the rotation. He played 15-20 minutes steadily in 6 games, averaging 7 points and 3.5 assists per game. The data is not eye-catching, but the signature cutting and buying of fouls provide the Wizards with another offensive method, while also minimizing the excessive consumption of Bradley Beal before the playoffs.
"We need guys who can give it their all when they play, and that's what it is," head coach Scott Brooks said after a hard-fought overtime victory over the injured Celtics. "The thing is, right now it's a bench player. It’s time to perform better.”
Sessions' second 10-day contract in his career expired on March 16, and the Wizards decided to sign him until the end of the season, thus completing the senior version of the Cinderella story. Maybe he will have to hide deep in the player rotation list again after John Wall returns. Maybe he will return to another team. Maybe next year he will have to rely on a 10-day contract to continue his career like this year. The fans will not remember the existence of this player, but no matter where the opportunity is, Ramon Sessions will still bring his professional attitude and continue his "sports knowledge" career.
