Pelicans guard Bryce Dejean-Jones dies from gunshot wound

MANILA, Philippines – New Orleans Pelicans guard Bryce Dejean-Jones died Friday, May 27 after being shot in the abdomen and bleeding to death, according to multiple reports. He was 23 years old.

“Bryce overcame a lot of obstacles to get to this point in his career,” Dejean-Jones’ agent Scott Nichols told ESPN. “He was a joy to be around, a talent just turning the corner in his career.”

Dejean-Jones, who played college ball at USC, UNLV and Iowa State, wasn’t selected in the 2015 NBA Draft but earned enough attention in the D-League with the Idaho Stampede to earn a pair of 10-day contracts with the Pelicans between January and February of 2016 before signing a 3-year deal.

SBNation’s Pelicans microsite “The Bird Writes” called Dejean-Jones a “fan favorite,” adding: “In a season that quickly spiraled downwards into an unfathomable abyss, the rookie out of Iowa State has been a rare beacon of light.”

Dejean-Jones played in just 14 games in the 2015-16 season, averaging 5.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 19.9 minutes. His season was cut short when he suffered a broken right wrist in a February 19 game against the Philadelphia 76ers, according to ESPN. Dejean-Jones played two more games before missing the rest of the season following surgery.

No additional information on what led to the shooting has been released as of this article’s publication. – Rappler.com