Position: G
Born: 09/30/94
Height: 6-5 / 1.96
Weight:230 lbs. / 104.3 kg.
Salary: $1,312,611
Born: 09/30/94
Height: 6-5 / 1.96
Weight:230 lbs. / 104.3 kg.
Salary: $1,312,611
A knee injury prevented Wayne Selden from making his TD Garden pro debut last Monday, but the Roxbury native still gathered tickets from teammates to distribute to family members. It wasn’t the way Selden wanted Monday’s game to go, although the Memphis Grizzlies guard was able to return Friday night against Denver. This was supposed to be Selden’s breakout season, a chance to play for a team that needs youth, and after two years of toiling in the G-League, Selden was supposed to finally get his chance.
But the visit to Boston was big for the former University of Kansas standout, who played at the Garden as a prep player. “First time really playing in the Garden. It’s a dream come true,” he said. “As a kid I always wanted to play on this floor one day and get here, so it’s really a dream come true.”
Boston’s prep basketball reputation is not as storied as other cities’. Players such as Trail Blazers guard Shabazz Napier, another Roxbury native, and Wayne Selden carry fierce pride in their hometown. Selden not only wants to pump at that tradition but reach out and help kids in his community. “Coming from Roxbury, I always wanted to play here and get on this floor,” he said. “I’ve been here for plenty of games, been here for the high school championships, so I always wanted to come here and play on this floor. I feel like I’m an example, me and Shabazz are examples of being able to achieve and being able to make it out and get to this level . . . motivation for kids coming up in Roxbury, kids coming up in the neighborhood. I feel like we’re a good motivation to see that somebody has done it and somebody can do it and they can do it. That’s a big thing because we were at the Tobin [Community Center] just like them.”
Ronald Tillery: Wayne Selden will not play at Orlando. Bickerstaff says they are being cautious because of back-to-back. Selden is with team and expected to play Monday.
Michael Wallace: Both JaMychal Green (illness) and Andrew Harrison (wrist) will miss tonight’s game against Denver. Wayne Selden (knee) returns to play for first time since All-Star break. Grizz riding an 11-game losing streak.
