What advice an undrafted NBA champion gave Memphis basketball star Jeremiah Martin

Jeremiah Martin didn't want the interview to end, he just needed to put it on pause.

While walking through the University of Memphis campus Monday, the former Tiger basketball star was stopped by a group of giddy fans who just had to have a picture taken with their favorite player.

Twenty seconds of silence from the phone call ensued, some smiling, then he returned.

"Sorry, I don't come on campus very much anymore," Martin said politely.

The senior can't go anywhere in the city without being recognized these days. But when he's asked to take a photo, Martin doesn't like to say no.

He knows pretty soon his basketball and celebrity status will change drastically. 

'I have no idea who that is'

It's a forthcoming adjustment that can almost perfectly be conveyed by an interaction inside FedExForum almost one month ago, when the Golden State Warriors defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 118-103 on a Wednesday night. 

Afterward, Warriors teammates Quinn Cook and Alfonzo McKinnie sat side-by-side in their lockers, tossing stories back and forth about the struggles of an undrafted player finding a place on the NBA's powerhouse franchise. 

"I was on a national championship team and didn't get drafted," said Cook, who played on the 2015 Duke title squad.

"When I was coming out of college, I didn't even get one workout," McKinnie returned.

The thought of Martin as a potential NBA player is what sparked the conversation, until all-star center Demarcus Cousins ended it. 

"Who are you guys talking about?" Cousins asked as he walked past.

"Jeremiah Martin," Cook responded.

"Yeah, I have no idea who the (expletive) that is," Cousins said, inciting a laugh. 

But that's the new reality Martin must face. He's no longer the school legend and leader of Penny Hardaway's group — he's just another player trying to find his way into the NBA. 

"It's not the first time I've been overlooked," Martin said. 

Taking the next steps

The former three-star recruit still lives in Memphis while he completes his college degree — a promise he made to his mother — but flies to Atlanta every weekend to work out.

There he works with Jeremiah Boswell, a well-respected name in draft preparation who has worked with NBA players such as James Harden, Paul Millsap and Dennis Schroder. After graduation Martin plans to move there full time. 

"The guys down there get me ready for the pre-draft events," Martin said. 

The guard spent last week playing in the Portsmouth Invitational in Virginia, a tournament consisting of 64 college seniors divided into teams of eight. Martin finished with 45 points, 17 assists and 16 rebounds over three games. 

"I met with a lot of teams up there," Martin said, "a solid, handful of teams. Now I'm just waiting until they come out with a list of names for the combine, but I know that I should have a good amount of pre-draft workouts, though."

Last year 69 players accepted combine invites, and although Martin falls outside of ESPN's top 100 draft prospects, he is remaining optimistic about a chance for his invitation. 

As for his chances of being selected by an NBA team in June, Martin is still unsure. He doesn't appear on any of the most recent NBA mock drafts.  

"I can't really say," Martin said. "Certain teams are really interested and others say I have a chance, different teams give you different answers. But I feel like I have a chance because I can play my way in like I did in Portsmouth."

Providing for family

Before he was an NBA champion, that's what Cook had to do. He offered a bit of advice to Martin that's already widely distributed in the Memphis area. 

"Keep grinding," Cook said. "You just have to keep grinding because this is a business and nobody is going to just give it to you. It can never stop."

Cook's encouragement is something Martin said he gladly accepts, pairing it alongside his motivation to make sure his basketball future pans out — his daughter. 

"That's the one thing that's on my mind when I go on the court," Martin said. "It's different now. I'm trying to make a living and be able to feed my family."

It's why Martin will have a tough decision to make in his near future — he knows a G League contract will not be enough to provide for his daughter.

Last season players under NBA G League contracts earned a base salary of $7,000 per month for the five-month regular season ($35,000).

"Nothing is guaranteed," Martin said. "It's a business; that's the one thing I'm kind of realizing. This is a whole different thing. I know I helped myself out a lot (in Portsmouth), but you never know. It just takes one team to really like me, that's all."

On top of salary, players under NBA G League contracts can earn additional money through affiliate player bonuses and NBA call-ups.  

Another possibility is a two-way contract, which allows a player to spend up to 45 days on the NBA roster. For every day the player spends with the NBA team, he earns the daily prorated rookie minimum. For every day spent with a G League team, the player earns the daily prorated $77,250 salary.

Overseas players earn a higher average salary than the G League, with the top Euroleague players making over $1 million a year.

Martin will do what he needs to do for his family but isn't ready to curb his NBA dream anytime soon. 

"I see myself in the NBA, like on a team," Martin said. "I know it's going to take some time. I could see myself going back and forth, from G League to NBA. But I think I'm an NBA player, I really see myself there."

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