Former PistonPowered writer living out unlikely dream in the NBA

It’s not often I get to say a former colleague just scored his first points in the NBA, but that’s what happened last night when former PistonPowered writer Jason Preston got his first bucket for the Clippers.

It’s been an unlikely journey for Preston, who was once writing about the Detroit Pistons on this very site. You can see some of his work here. Preston and I were never technically colleagues in full disclosure, as I started just after he left to dedicate himself to his dream: Making the NBA.

He got his first scratch last night, hitting a 3-point shot just after entering the game for the Clippers:

Preston’s journey to that first bucket was an unlikely one and ended with him becoming the first basketball blogger to ever score in the NBA.

Jason Preston: From PistonPowered, to YouTube to the NBA

Jason Preston was a late bloomer in high school who shot up four inches and went from a guy who averaged two points per game to one who eventually got a scholarship offer from Ohio University after they saw some of his highlight clips on YouTube. (I must remember to update my highlight reel).

Preston put up impressive all-around numbers at Ohio as a point guard who can rebound, score and shoot the 3-ball, eventually leading them to an NCAA Tournament win as a 13th seed.

Preston impressed the scouts enough to get drafted in the second round, eventually landing on the Clippers, who gave him a 3-year deal. He didn’t get much of a chance to enjoy it, as he promptly injured his foot and had to have surgery that cost him his entire rookie season.

So it’s been a tough and weird journey for Jason Preston to get where he is right now, which is trying to fight for rotation minutes on a loaded Clippers team. Preston may not get a lot of run this season, but he does have a chance to crack the rotation next year depending on what LA decides to do with Reggie Jackson, who will be an unrestricted free agent after this season.

But Preston is a Pistons fan at heart, so let’s hope he ends up in Detroit at some point, and I even came up with one trade that could get him there.

Preston bet on himself as a hooper and it paid off, which you love to see, so we’ll be cheering for him this season and beyond.