Brock Motum shares how he was so close to reaching his NBA dream

PODCAST: His NBA dream was in his hands, literally, before disaster struck. Olympian Brock Motum talks about one of the biggest moments in his career. Listen to the full podcast here.

THE dream of playing on the world’s biggest stage was something Brock Motum had visualised since he picked up a basketball.

He had gone through the years of putting his blood, sweat and tears into the game to make his dream come true.

And finally, in February, 2015 – that dream was in his hands.

After an impressive second stint in the NBA Summer League in 2014, this time with the Utah Jazz, the Brisbane product received an invite to the franchise’s training camp.

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“During training camp they offered my a three-year non-guaranteed deal,” Motum said.

“A lot of players at training camp sign that but in the small print was that if you don’t make the 15 they (Utah Jazz) have your rights and they put you in the D-League.

“I wasn’t big on going to the D-League, I was strongly against it.

Brock Motum was a star at Washington State University. Picture: Ashley Davis photography

“The other option was to sign a one-year non-guaranteed but if they don’t sign you for the top 15, you don’t have to go to the D-League, you’re free to leave and your contract becomes void.

“All the other guys at training camp signed that three-year non-guaranteed and I went the other route and signed the one year.

“It went on, they made the cuts and made more cuts, somehow, I was playing well and thought I fit in pretty well with the guys.

“There was only 15 guys left and I hadn’t been cut yet, it was pretty crazy.

“We had just played the last preseason game and the following day they were leaving for the first regular season game against the Mavericks in Dallas.

“I was packing up my locker after one training session and one of the physios came down and said ‘Brock the GM wants to see you upstairs to talk to you’, so I went upstairs and I had a feeling it was coming.”

Brock Motum with the Adelaide 36ers. Picture Dylan Coker

The Jazz had a logjam at the power forward position with players like Derrick Favors, Jeremy Evans and Steve Novak and Motum was released.

But while he was packing up his locker, a talk from first-time head coach Quin Snyder made the former Brisbane State High School student realise his NBA dream was far from over.

“He said go somewhere that we can bring you back and don’t go somewhere where you’re locked in for 10 months,” Motum said.

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“So I went back to the hotel and thought I could go to the D-League, where I’d have to be until at least February when they can bring me up, which is really hit or miss, a lot of terrible basketball. for me low quality basketball.

“My other option is to go to the NBL, where the season finishes in February, I’ll be able to play at home, have a good chance to play, show my potential and improve and be available if they (Jazz) decide to do that come February.”

Brendan Teys and Brock Motum. Picture: Sarah Reed

That decision led the current Valencia Basket EuroLeague star forward to return home to Australia and sign with the 36ers, who featured one of his best mates in Brendan Teys and the team was cached by Joey Wright, who Motum had a previous relationship with from Brisbane.

Motum enjoyed his time playing in Adelaide alongside Teys as well as NBL veterans in Adam Gibson, Anthony Petrie and more, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing.

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The 36ers went on a losing streak after Motum arrived before righting the ship to go on an even bigger winning streak later in the season and make the playoffs.

But in last minute of the second last game of the season against the Perth Wildcats disaster struck when Motum went down with a leg injury.

He sat out the final regular season game in Illawarra and thought all was going to be fine, but the pain kept growing.

Brock Motum after injuring his leg while with the 36ers. Picture: Sarah Reed.

Wanting to be out fighting alongside his teammates, Motum fought threw the pain and suited up for their semi-final clash with the New Zealand Breakers.

“Looking back on it I probably shouldn’t have played, I should’ve let someone else go because I wasn't 100 per cent but I thought it was the playoffs, we have worked all year, I didn’t want to sit out.”

Adelaide lost to the Breakers and their season was over but the year was far from done for Motum – well so, he thought.

While waiting for MRI results on hid injured leg, Motum received a call from his agent with good news that the Jazz wanted to sign him to two 10-day contracts and possibly for the rest of the season.

“That contract came in the mail and it’s still in my room right now,” Motum said.

Australia's power forward Brock Motum dunks on Pau Gasol at the 2016 Olympics. Picture: AFP PHOTO/Mark RALSTON

“Then I got the results from the MRI on my leg and they said there was a fracture in my leg and it was going to be eight to 10 weeks that I had to be out and that was the rest of that NBA season.

“That was probably one of the biggest disappointments, that feeling when the doctor called me.

“he said the only thing that could heal it was time and that’s the only thing I didn’t have.

“I toyed with the idea of just going over there and risking it but I thought the longevity of my career wasn’t worth reinjuring it.

“So I kept that envelope in my room and left it there.”

Motum still had the chance to play with Utah in the following Summer League in 2015 but was rusty after spending several months out with the injury.

He has now gone on to have a stellar professional basketball career, winning titles with Lithuanian club Zalgiris as well as Turkish club Anadolu Efes, where his team also made the final four in the EuroLeague.

Brock Motum. Picture: Chris McCormack.

Motum has also gone on to represent Australia at the Olympic Games in 2016, World Championships in 2014 and was in his first season with Spanish club Valencia Basket before the coronavirus pandemic.

Looking back, Motum said his career could have been different if he could have taken that chance in the NBA.

“But I can’t complain, I’ve had a great career since then, so I can’t cry about it and look back and say what if,” he said.

Despite missing out on last year’s World Cup campaign with the Boomers, Motum, who grew up in Runcorn and played at Brisbane clubs the South West Metro Pirates and Brisbane Capitals, said playing at another Olympics was one of his main goals.

He and his partner Martyna are also expecting their first son.