8:00 AM ETTim BontempsTim MacMahonCloseESPN Staff WriterJoined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas MavericksAppears frequently on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FMP.J. Tucker wasnt interested in consuming the goulash.It was during the 2008-09 season, and Tucker was someplace in the Ukraine, playing for BC Donetsk of the Ukrainian SuperLeague. Tucker, when presented with the central European staple, chose he d rather have something else throughout the group meal.” In Europe for group dinners, everybody eats the same,” stated Chris Owens, Tuckers colleague with BC Donetsk and fellow University of Texas product. “Theres no special orders. There may be [the choice of] chicken or steak, however youre not getting custom-made meals.” Tucker figured there needed to be a McDonalds close-by, however none close enough were open. Owens stated Tucker resorted to all he might discover for dinner, a couple of Snickers bars.” The next day,” Owens said with a laugh, “we were on the bus, and he said, Man, I would offer $100 for a Chick-fil-A sandwich.” When he wasnt looking for options to group meals, he d be searching for high-end fashion.11 dNick DePaula2y38m2 Related” He would always go to the Gucci shop when we went to [Kiev, Ukraines capital city],” Owens said. “He was always in the Louis Vuitton store.” He would go to any sort of fashion shop that was around, [however] he didnt shop. He would study it. , if there were some [ fashionable] clothing, he was going to [go see] them.” Tuckers taste in clothes and sneakers– the flashier, the much better– couldnt be even more from the working-class values he embodies on the court. Tucker has established himself as one of the NBAs supreme competitors and glue people during stints with the Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors, Houston Rockets and now the Milwaukee Bucks, who obtained him before the March 25 trade deadline.Tuckers professional career has spanned 11 teams throughout 3 continents– each stop with a story to tell about the 36-year-old journeyman forward whos playing on the NBAs biggest stage for the first time.But for every tale of Tuckers elite-level style sense or fond memory of locker-room antics, there are twice as lots of about a near-legendary competitive streak that has actually allowed a small power forward to create a decade-long NBA run.Journeyman forward P.J. Tucker is lastly playing in the NBA Finals. David Dow/NBAE via Getty ImagesThe connectorAfter getting drafted in the second round by the Raptors in 2006, Tucker invested one season in the NBA– he played 83 total minutes for Toronto– prior to heading overseas. He then invested the next four years bouncing around different leagues in Europe, playing in Israel, the Ukraine, Greece and Italy with differing degrees of success.Following a disappointing 2010-11 season that saw him split time in between Greece and Italy, he came upon the radar of Brose Bamberg, a team in the German Bundesliga.Tuckers capability to element into small-ball lineups– something that has translated to his NBA profession– at first made him stand apart to then-Bamberg head coach Chris Fleming and the groups scouting staff.ABC is your house for the 2021 NBA Finals, where the Phoenix Suns lead the Milwaukee Bucks 2-1. Video game 4: Wednesday, 9 p.m. ETGame 5: Saturday, 9 p.m. ETGame 6 *: July 20, 9 p.m. ETGame 7 *: July 22, 9 p.m. ET * If necessary
As soon as he brought in Tucker, Fleming stated what impressed him the most was the way Tucker brought the locker room together. During Tuckers freshman season in 2003, some players chose to go to the yearly Texas-Oklahoma football video game at the Texas State Fairgrounds in Dallas.Not just did they show up, they also chose to make their presence felt at the Red River Rivalry game.” We chose to wear F– you, Im from Texas t-shirts to the Texas-OU video game,” stated Royal Ivey, an assistant with the Brooklyn Nets who played with Tucker at Texas.

Tucker wasnt interested in consuming the goulash.It was throughout the 2008-09 season, and Tucker was somewhere in the Ukraine, playing for BC Donetsk of the Ukrainian SuperLeague. David Dow/NBAE through Getty ImagesThe connectorAfter getting prepared in the second round by the Raptors in 2006, Tucker invested one season in the NBA– he played 83 total minutes for Toronto– before heading overseas. When he brought in Tucker, Fleming said what impressed him the most was the way Tucker brought the locker room together.” Tuckers competitive streak stood out to former Suns basic manager Ryan McDonough.Tucker lastly made it back to the NBA in the 2012-13 season after winning the German league title with Bamberg the year prior to as well as being called an All-Star and winning MVP of the championship round.But after he played in 79 video games– and starting 45 of them– for the Suns that season, McDonough asked a then-28-year-old-Tucker to be part of Phoenixs summer league team.Compete for $30,000 throughout the NBA postseason!” But Tuckers longest-lasting impact on the Suns might have been mentoring the budding superstar who has them 2 wins from their first title: Devin Booker, who arrived prior to Tuckers 4th season in Phoenix as an 18-year-old lottery game pick.

There might be no much better example of Tuckers drive than what he did in Game 7 of the 2018 Western Conference finals versus the Golden State Warriors. Tucker– playing hours after having root canals on three teeth he split throughout the Rockets loss in Game 6– went 45 minutes, securing Durant much of the time, and ended up with 14 points, 12 rebounds and 4 takes.” We missed those 27 threes in a row, however he got about 15 of them back with his relentlessness,” then-Rockets coach Mike DAntoni stated, exaggerating a bit on the 8 offending rebounds Tucker pulled down that night.” He was doing everything simply to keep us in the game until we hit some shots– which we never did– however he was solitarily just keeping us in the game.” All that stuff that is important to trying to build a championship group. He was the very best.” Tuckers competitive streak stuck out to previous Suns general manager Ryan McDonough.Tucker lastly made it back to the NBA in the 2012-13 season after winning the German league title with Bamberg the year prior to along with being called an All-Star and winning MVP of the championship round.But after he played in 79 video games– and beginning 45 of them– for the Suns that season, McDonough asked a then-28-year-old-Tucker to be part of Phoenixs summertime league team.Compete for $30,000 throughout the NBA postseason! Make Your Picks
In a setting typically booked for rookies and young players, Tucker was provided what was basically a glorified tryout, provided that his offer for the following season wasnt guaranteed. Tucker signed up with the group without complaint.” He played hard all the way to the champion game,” McDonough said, “where we lost to Golden State and a young man named Draymond Green.” [Tucker] was the exact same man you see in the playoffs now: setting tough screens, diving to the floor, crashing for rebounds.” Tucker earned his lineup area with Phoenix and began 81 games for a 48-win group during the 2013-14 season, the peak of the franchises decade-long playoff drought. He then signed a three-year, $16.5 million offer to stick with the Suns.P.J. Tucker assisted develop Suns star Devin Booker into an elite scorer. Now hes safeguarding him in the NBA Finals. AP Photo/Matt YorkThe mentorTucker was a rare source of reliability for a Phoenix franchise that had 4 head coaches throughout his four-plus-season period and dedicated to a restoring plan midway through his time with the franchise. He refused to take games off, despite the many pains and discomforts he managed or the Suns area in the standings.” I d ask our [trainers] about him, and P.J. would overhear me and state, Of course Im going to f– ing play!” McDonough stated. “We might be a mile from playoff contention and playing a bunch of teenage people and losing a lot of games. Due to the fact that he is the ultimate competitor, P.J. still wanted to play.” But Tuckers longest-lasting effect on the Suns might have been mentoring the budding super star who has them two wins from their first title: Devin Booker, who got here before Tuckers 4th season in Phoenix as an 18-year-old lottery choice.” We all knew that he was going to be actually good,” Tucker said of Booker. “Like, he wasnt just excellent, he was really good. Being his teammate at that time and being the vet on the group, it was my job to make him much better.” As far as the Bucks 2021 title opportunities are concerned, possibly Tucker did too excellent a task.” I saw them lot of times going through fights in the practice facility, talking s– to each other,” previous Suns guard Leandro Barbosa said.” [Tucker is] such a terrific protective player and a physical gamer. He took it to Devin Booker, and Devin Booker took it. I told him each time he went against P.J.: If you can prosper against him, you will prosper against anybody.” That same mindset is how Tucker has actually made himself into such a crucial part of winning during his time in the NBA. Whenever he steps on the court, his opponent knows they are in for a long night.Hes brought that belief to the Bucks, who, after Sundays win, are now three triumphes from the ultimate prize and the ultimate recognition of Tuckers globe-trotting profession. Regardless of how these NBA Finals shake out, it will not alter the method Tucker has actually impacted so numerous throughout his basketball journey.” Thats what he does everywhere he goes. He leaves his finger prints or his sneakerprints– some type of prints– on that company,” Ivey stated.” Hes one of those guys you dont want to play versus, but everyone desires a P.J. Tucker.”

Royal Ivey, on P.J. Tucker

This was prior to the days of smart devices, so nobody captured any images of the gamers roaming around in their vibrant clothes. That didnt stop word from getting back to longtime Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds, who advised them to compose an email apologizing to fans for their actions.” [Tucker] talked me into wearing the shirt. I was like, Man, what am I doing? I listened to him!” Ivey said. “But he has that impact, guy. Due to the fact that of his personality, everyone is attracted to him.” It was likewise a huge part of what attracted the Bucks when they obtained him from Houston at Marchs trade deadline to attempt to help Milwaukee lastly break through and make the NBA Finals this season.And its the exact same reason that numerous players and coaches from his past are rooting so hard for him to overcome the leading and win a championship this year with the Bucks, who are down 2-1 to the Suns heading into Game 4 of the NBA Finals (Wednesday, 9 p.m. ET on ABC).” His laugh is one of those that, if Im in a space and hear his laugh, I know who it is,” stated Rick Barnes, Tuckers head coach at Texas. “Guys enjoy to be around him.” P.J. Tucker went toe-to-toe– and face-to-face– with Nets superstar Kevin Durant in the East finals. Getty ImagesThe competitorTucker went toe-to-toe with Kevin Durant for essentially every 2nd he was on the court throughout Milwaukees seven-game East finals marathon against the Nets.Throughout the series, Tucker discussed the happiness he took from trying to close down among the leagues all-time fantastic scorers.” Its the playoffs, man,” Tucker stated throughout that series. “I do not know what people believe. We dream about this our whole lives. You dream about remaining in the playoffs and protecting the very best player in the world. Like, Ill pass away out there.” Im living my dream. Im not backing down from absolutely nothing. Im defending every inch. I do not comprehend all this little stuff. Me and Kevin battle every year. Ive secured him every year in the playoffs.”