Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
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SALT LAKE CITY — On Monday, the SLC Stars signed Sundiata Gaines, the player most responsible for the most fun I've ever had watching a basketball game.
Is Sundiata Gaines good? It's not especially important. I mean, he was just named an Israeli League All-Star, so that's exciting for him. He hasn't played in the NBA since 2012, when he played 57 games for the New Jersey Nets and shot 37 percent from the field. And he's now 30, so in terms of potential, well... what you see is what you get.
But the Stars need guards, as evidenced by them playing a sub-100 percent Marcus Paige 44 minutes on Friday, and giving J.J. O'Brien ball-handling duties for the other four minutes Friday. Evrik Gary wasn't great, and he was waived so that the Stars could have room for Gaines.
And why not Gaines, who already has one of the best rags-to-riches story of any D-Leaguer ever. After making the D-League All-Star team as a member of the Idaho Stampede, the Jazz called him up to a 10-day contract. Then, when the Jazz played LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Gaines did this:
A brief outline: new D-League call up and third-string point guard Sundiata Gaines is forced into action after Deron Williams goes down with a fourth quarter injury. Gaines leads a ridiculous 23-3 run against the James' Cavaliers, giving the Jazz a 13 point lead with 4 minutes left. Game over, right? Wrong. Then, LeBron goes on a rampage. He scores 16 points in three minutes, leading the Cavs on a 20-2 run that he was nearly 100 percent responsible for. It was an incredible example of the best player in the world establishing his dominance. The Cavs had a 6-point lead with 30 seconds left. Game over, right? Nope. Ronnie Price hits a three. Jazz foul. Jazz and Cavs trade free throws, leading to a 3 point Cavs lead with 9 seconds left. Kyle Korver makes this ridiculous fadeaway from behind the backboard that should not have gone in, except for that it's Kyle Korver. Jazz foul. Zydrunas Ilgauskas only makes one of two FTs, meaning it's just a 2-point Cavs lead with 5 seconds left. Jerry Sloan, after being seemingly defeated by the best player in the NBA, reinserted one of its newest. Somehow, the ball ended up in Gaines' hands, and he jacked a contested three-point game winning shot that sent the entire stadium in raptures.
Please watch that video. It's a pretty awesome mix of storytelling and basketball highlights.
I was in attendance for that game as a fan, and it really is the best basketball game I've ever watched in person. Bringing Gaines back to Utah is a masterstroke of a diversion from the Jazz's four game losing streak and Stars' 0-4 start, and just made the D-League season a lot more fun.
