Lowell Sun on JR

["hironaka@xxxxxxxxx"<hironaka@xxxxxxxxx>]

Here's an article on the kid who beat out the Big East's 
Omar Cook (now with Orlando) to step into Joe Forte's 
roster spot. On an Obie team, rookie PT might not be 
there. But compared to Forte last year, he's got a better 
opportunity for minutes.


http://www.lowellsun.com/Stories/0,1413,105%257E4767%
257E895346,00.html#

Tuesday, October 01, 2002 - 9:29:35 AM MST 

Celtic rookie has added incentive
By ROB BRADFORD
Sun Staff

WALTHAM Yesterday's Media Day for the Boston Celtics at 
their practice facility was pure window dressing for the 
majority of the participants. 

For players like Antoine Walker, Paul Pierce and even 
newcomers Vin Baker and Shammond Williams, the afternoon 
didn't mean anything more than an opportunity to echo pre-
season promises, analysis and optimism. To most, it was 
nothing more than the last day before the real practices 
begin.

There was, however, one exception. His name is J.R. 
Bremer and, for him, yesterday was special for a lot of 
right reasons and one wrong one.

The usually innocuous afternoon allowed Bremer, the only 
rookie under contract in the Celtics camp, a chance to 
wear a uniform for the first time as an NBA player. But 
this beginning was the end of a road that started the 
minute he got that phone call at 4 a.m. on April 5, 1997.

It was that morning that Bremer learned his father, 
Ernest Sr., was shot and killed, a victim of a carjacking 
in downtown Cleveland.

"Ever since I began growing up he always wanted me to get 
into the NBA. Now he's watching from above," said an 
emotional Bremer, who has the date of his father's death 
tattooed on his right biceps.

"It happened early in the morning and I got a call ... it 
was a hard time for a while," he added. "Everybody told 
me to keep playing because that's what he would want me 
to do, so that's what I'm doing. 

"It's hard to come to grips with it. I didn't have a time 
where I ever got over it and got my head on straight. 
It's still tough. He's in a better place, but you always 
want him to be here to watch."

Since the incident, which came just two weeks after 
Bremer led his Cleveland Heights High School team to a 
state title, the 6-foot-2 aspiring NBA point guard has 
played for his father's memory, and played quite well.

Bremer finished fourth in the nation in scoring in his 
senior season at St. Boneventure, totaling 24.6 points 
per game (best in the Atlantic-10). For his collegiate 
career, he set a school record with 88 three-pointers.

Still, it wasn't enough to prevent the second most 
disappointing day of his life draft day.

Despite his college successes, a 35-inch vertical leap 
and a bench press of 350 pounds (best of any point guard 
in the draft), no NBA team considered Bremer worthy of a 
selection in the two-round draft.

"I heard so much about going in the late first-round or 
early second-round, but then you watch the names go by 
and toward the end you know it wasn't going to come," 
said Bremer. "I thought I would be in the draft, but it 
all worked out for the best with a team that has a 
perfect style of play for me."

Bremer is joining fellow long-range gunners Tony Delk and 
Williams as the trio head coach Jim O'Brien is counting 
on to replace Kenny Anderson at the point.

"They showed interest and liked the style of my game," 
said Bremer, who was signed after just two games in the 
Shaw's Summer League. "They had a point guard opening, 
which made a spot for me, and that was the most important 
thing."

***

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