The great Dajuan Wagner is giving his NBA dream one more shot – the 31-year old, 6-foot-2 guard has been training hard for another shot at the L.
Juanny last played professionally in November 2006, but retains no bitterness about a rash of injuries and maladies cutting his promising career short.
Wagner says he wants to play in the NBA again for his son.
Per the Philly Inquirer:
Wagner knows all about the pressures of being the son of a famous father. He said he is careful to protect his boy from the weight of high expectations. But he also says that his son’s burgeoning success in sports has been a big part of his motivation to try to make a comeback. He said his son wants to see him play for real, not just on video. […] “He wants to see me do it,” Wagner said. “People tell him all the time about me, just like they used to tell me about my dad.”
Even though NBA training camps have opened, Wagner is not in a hurry. He said he wants to push himself hard for the next month and then gauge his strength and conditioning. “I want to see how I feel,” Wagner said. […] Wagner said his comeback is “not life or death.” He’s fine financially after signing a $10.7 million rookie contract with Cleveland.
“I don’t want to get to be 37 and think back and say, ‘I wonder if I could have still played,’ ” Wagner said. “If I feel strong enough, if my body is right, I know I can do it. The basketball won’t be a problem. I’ve done that my whole life.”
