Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

pro basketball:

Birch feels at home in Las Vegas as he continues journey toward NBA dream

NBA Summer League - Roscoe and Khem

Sam Morris / Las Vegas Sun

Washington forward Khem Birch blocks a shot by Atlanta center D.J. Shelton during their NBA Summer League game Saturday, July 12, 2014 at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Khem Birch has spent the first two summers of his professional life in a familiar place trying to prove he belongs in the NBA. Whenever his career ends, or maybe even before, he’s going to be a familiar face around more than just the local basketball courts.

“I love Vegas, it’s like my second home,” Birch said. “I’m going to live out here in the future.”

That’s big picture stuff down the road, though. Right now the former Rebel and two-time Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year is focused on the day-to-day details that he hopes will land him on an NBA roster.

Birch, a 6-foot-9 forward who started his career at Pitt, left UNLV with one year of eligibility remaining. After going undrafted, he played in last year’s NBA Summer League for the Washington Wizards before signing a partially guaranteed contract to join the Miami Heat’s training camp.

Birch was the last man cut from the Heat’s regular season roster, and instead of chasing more money overseas he packed his bags for the Miami Developmental League affiliate in Sioux Falls, S.D. He put up numbers for the Skyforce — 11.2 points on 70.3 percent shooting, 9.7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game — but really Birch’s season was spent waiting for a call that never came.

This time around Birch feels his body and skills are vastly improved, something he showed Thursday night for the New Orleans Pelicans in a 97-81 victory against the Washington Wizards. Birch scored 12 points in a few different ways, including showing off a jumper he didn’t possess as a Rebel, and tallied eight rebounds and six blocks while also helping gain extra possessions by creating other turnovers.

It was game film he’d be happy to show to NBA suitors. Only this time if they don’t bite he might not wait around for a call.

“If I don’t get a certain amount of money I’ll just go overseas rather than stay in the D-League,” Birch said.

The Sun caught up with Birch after Thursday’s game to talk about the past year and his advice to fellow undrafted Rebel Christian Wood, whom Birch texts with almost every day:

This looked like one of your best performances. How do you think it went?

I think I did pretty good rebounding, especially on defense. And also scoring, too. I had a good all-around game. I probably could have gone a little harder at the end.

How does year two of the Summer League compare to your first one?

It’s way different. I’m more comfortable. Last year I had a couple of zero point games and less than five rebound games, but now I’m comfortable and trying to prove myself.

What are some of the key differences for you?

I gained 20 pounds, I have more confidence dribbling the ball and also I’m more in shape. Last year I wasn’t in shape — it was kind of overwhelming.

You played with Brooklyn in the Orlando Summer League. Is your role here the same or different?

I’m doing some same things but it’s also different. Here I’m actually pushing the ball a little bit, setting more screens and getting the ball in pick and rolls so I’m kind of an option on offense a little bit more than I was in Brooklyn. I’m playing more too.

In about a year you’ve been affiliated with four different NBA organizations. What have you learned during this stretch?

You’ve got to be positive. A lot of guys after this would just break down, but I’m positive. At the end of the day I’m still playing basketball, I’m doing a job that I love. A lot of people don’t do a job that they love.

Are you happy with where your journey has taken you so far since leaving UNLV?

I’m happy but I’m not satisfied. Obviously I want to be in the NBA, but like I said I’m making money playing the game I love so I can’t complain.

If you could redo the last year, would you have rather gone overseas?

If I wanted money I probably would have done that but I wanted to learn the game more. Also, I was the last cut on the Heat, so anything could have happened last season.

So being one phone call was a big factor?

Yes, exactly. But now I’m playing for myself more so next year I might go overseas, you never know.

What was your advice to Chris after he went undrafted?

I told him to stay in the gym and to always be in the gym. When I didn’t get drafted it was kind of hard just to get back in the gym, so I told him to stay in there and be positive through the whole situation.

Taylor Bern can be reached at 948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Taylor on Twitter at twitter.com/taylorbern.

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