Long before donning a UCLA jersey as the Bruins' backup center, Steven Jamerson II was on his hands and knees at Michigan State's Breslin Center, wielding a squeegee mop to clean up rainwater seeping into the arena during a relentless downpour. This unglamorous task marked the height of his fallback efforts to break into the Spartans' basketball program as a freshman, a series of rejections that unexpectedly steered him toward success in Westwood.
Jamerson initially set his sights on walking on to the Michigan State basketball team. Eager to prove himself on the court, he inquired about tryouts only to learn that none were available, dashing his first hope of joining the program.
Undeterred, Jamerson pivoted to his backup plan: applying for a position as a team manager. He earned shadow days with the staff, giving him a glimpse into the inner workings of the Spartans' operation and culminating in that rainy day cleanup duty at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan.
Despite his persistence, Jamerson fell short once again, failing to secure the manager role and striking out completely—0 for 2—in his attempts to embed himself within the Michigan State basketball world.
“It was disappointing, for sure,” Jamerson told the California Post. “It had me in a state of sadness—maybe depression—but at the same time, I enjoyed being at the actual university.”
These setbacks at Michigan State, rather than derailing Jamerson's basketball dreams, appear to have fueled his determination, ultimately leading him to transfer and slip on the UCLA jersey, where he now embraces the gritty role of backup center, ready to handle the dirty work for his new team.
