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Oklahoma move results in a fresh start for Ethan Telfair

telfair

Nick Koza

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The Marbury and Telfair families have been a fixture on the New York City basketball scene for decades. With that name comes a great deal of responsibility, and that was the case for 2014 point guard Ethan Telfair as he grew up in Coney Island. Following the footsteps of older brother Sebastian, a lottery pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, Ethan had to deal with the frequent comparisons to his older brother while growing up.

And such expectations can become downright suffocating if a young man and his family aren’t careful.

There were bouts with immaturity along the way, and the pressure to be the “next one” didn’t always allow Ethan to be himself. A move to Oklahoma, where he attends United Prep, has allowed Telfair to flourish as both a basketball player and a young man.

“I wanted to do my own thing and spread my wings a little bit,” said Telfair when asked about the move following his game Thursday night. “Leaving New York gave me that opportunity.”

Telfair’s journey began in Las Vegas, but that stay was short-lived as he made the move to Oklahoma after finding out the school he was attending wasn’t approved by the NCAA. That led him to Oklahoma Magic head coach Bryatt Vann and the move, which has been embraced by both of Telfair’s families (basketball and immediate), has resulted in Telfair becoming a more mature person as he writes his own story.

“When he first came to us in Oklahoma his maturity level wasn’t all the way there, and we were able to help him to relax and realize that if you lose a game or turn the ball over it’s not the end of the world,” said Vann. “That’s when he started to grow up and understand that if he makes a mistake on the floor or in the classroom he can make it up.

“He’s a great kid,” Vann added. “I don’t know about his past; all I see is what he’s doing now. I’ve had no problems with Ethan. He’s always a ‘yes, sir’, ‘no, sir’ kind of kid with myself and the coaching staff.”

Telfair’s running the point for the Oklahoma Magic in the adidas Super 64, and his ability to run a team was on display during the Magic’s victory Thursday night. Playing on a team that includes 2014 big man Jacob Hammond, Telfair’s quick with the basketball put played under control, and he’s also improved his perimeter shot. But even with those changes, Telfair’s ultimate goal is to affect the game in all aspects as opposed to just scoring.

“I want to be like a Tony Parker or Chris Paul, someone who [has the ability to] control the floor without even scoring and get my teammates involved, and just have fun,” said Telfair, who also noted that he’s enjoying the game a lot more at this stage in his development.

The progress that’s been made has resulted in increased attention on the recruiting trail, with Telfair mentioning programs such as Baylor, Loyola Marymount, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, St. John’s and Weber State when asked which schools have been the most active.

But none of this would be possible without the changes Telfair’s been able to make off the court. Now in control of his own story, Telfair can chart his own path to success.

(Image from MaxPreps.com)

Raphielle can be followed on Twitter at @raphiellej.