Sometimes the road to the NBA is a two-way street

One of the biggest things fans might not realize about making it to the NBA is how much luck is involved for a lot of guys.

Until last year, there have been 450 spots available for players, most of which are occupied by established veterans and rookies on guaranteed deals. The rest is a dogfight between a bunch of people with equal talent. For many, getting a look can simply be a “right place at the right time” thing.

Now, though, 60 more spots have opened up through the new “two-way contract” system. Here in Las Vegas, a bunch of those two-way guys are finding a lot of success because of the critical time they’ve spent in the NBA because of those deals.

I spoke to a bunch of people in the NBA about this success, including the Boston Celtics own two-way player Jabari Bird, for a story on Boston.com.

“I think it worked out great for me,” he told me. “You see a lot of guys drafted in my position, they just go to the G League the whole year and never get a chance to get called up. To have the opportunity to be a late second-round pick, get NBA experience, get reps in the G League, it was a really fun experience and it really helped my game a lot.”

I also spoke to Golden State Warriors President of Basketball Operations Bob Meyers about how it was a huge help for him on his championship run.

Please check that out and read the full story on Boston.com.