The dream has never been easy for Devyn Marble.
In high school at Lathrup Village, Michigan, Marble was largely an underrated and unknown prospect. A two-star guard, according to Scout.com, with interest from Indiana, Michigan, Oregon and Providence. Iowa ended up being the school that gave him a chance and Fran McCaffery put him in a position to succeed as a combo guard in the rough-and-tumble conference.
Marble finished averaging 17.0 points per game his senior year in a career that saw him increase his role and his scoring average each year. He played at least 19 minutes per game in all four years.
That does not necessarily set you up for an NBA career. Not in the least. But it did give Marble a serious look from the Magic. He impressed enough in Summer League to earn a contract for this upcoming season. Marble was excited about that prospect and the chance to play off the ball more and show some of his other skills. At Iowa, he had to be the main creator and often played point guard.
This is a happy time for Marble. Except, there is a shadow over this first step in his professional career.
Like his son, Roy Marble was a standout at Iowa. Photo by Quad-City Times.
In August, Marble learned that his father, Roy Marble, a first round pick in 1989 who had a two-year stint in the NBA (with time in the CBA in between), was diagnosed with lung cancer. The Iowa community (Marble’s father also attended Iowa) has rallied around their alumni as Marble has spent a good chunk of his summer preparing for his first training camp back in Iowa and in his hometown of Flint, Michigan.
That is where, Marble said, his father is doing most of his recovery. The good news is Marble’s father is doing well. He said at media day that he just started chemotherapy and is spending time with his family and the people he grew up with. Marble said he is doing his best to stay in good spirits through this difficult time. The two have been in touch with Marble checking in on his father about every other day, he said.
“He’s still very active,” Marble said. “He’s not letting it slow him down the way it potentially could have. He is still getting around, still going to my brother’s football games and stuff like that. If you didn’t know that he had it, you probably wouldn’t be able to tell.”
This is obviously great news after what must have been a summer of mixed emotions — both joy at starting a NBA career and perhaps anxiety or fear over what might happen with the family. Marble said they are trying to contain it and keep fighting it as a family. Things will be all right if they can do that and enjoy every moment they have as a family.
Who knows? We may see Marble show up in Orlando for a game or he surely would travel to Detroit from nearby Flint when the Magic play the Pistons.
This week though is the first step. Marble was in camp and ready for the opportunity that lay ahead of him.
So now that things seem to be settling down and training camp is starting, what did Marble’s NBA father give as advice?
“He just said go out there and work hard and don’t hold anything back,” Marble said. “It’s something he has already been through. it’s a little different compared to when he was playing. He’s just telling me to go out there and do what I do.”