The original due date was the 30th, so I was kind of worried I was going to miss some games. More importantly, I was just worried that I was going to be on the court at practice or something and she’d call and I wasn’t able to answer. – Elijah Millsap
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Two weeks ago, Jazz coach Quin Snyder helped Elijah Millsap solve an important off-the-court dilemma that was weighing on the small forward's mind.
Millsap and his better half, Tyyone Wilson, were excitedly anticipating the birth of their second child.
That was the good part.
The conundrum revolved around the facts that the baby was due the day (Friday) the Jazz are scheduled to play in Philadelphia, and that Millsap was far from his girlfriend in Atlanta.
“The original due date was the 30th, so I was kind of worried I was going to miss some games,” Millsap said after the team’s shootaround Wednesday morning. “More importantly, I was just worried that I was going to be on the court at practice or something and she’d call and I wasn’t able to answer.”
Enter Snyder, who’s had a great relationship with Millsap since they both lived in Atlanta a couple of years ago. The Jazz coach threw out the idea that they might consider inducing Wilson a bit early so Millsap could be there without having to worry about missing games. The coach, it should be noted, was supportive of whatever was decided.
Turned out to be a win-win for all involved.
Millsap traveled to Georgia from Utah after Saturday's practice, his girlfriend was admitted to an Atlanta hospital on Sunday and they welcomed their second son into the world Monday at 6:23 a.m.
“It’s better for me to get it over with before the season,” Millsap said, “so I was happy about that.”
The Jazz player got to spend time with his family for their special moment and then rejoined the Jazz in Detroit on Wednesday in time for the NBA season opener, having only missed two practices.
More important than what he missed was what he didn’t miss.
The smile on his face as the proud papa talked about little Micah Elias Millsap was proof of that.
“My girl wanted me to be here (in Detroit) for my first regular season game. … It was a good thing that she was able to get her induced so I was able to be there,” he said. “Everybody knows that’s not even promised (the scheduled date), so I’m glad she held on until the end and I was able to make it.”
Millsap will play with the Jazz this week and head back to Atlanta after this road trip to spend more time with his young family. The Jazz have four days between Saturday’s contest in Indianapolis and the Nov. 4 home opener against Portland, so the timing worked out well.
Millsap appreciated how “very supportive” Snyder was to him.
“It’s an exciting, wonderful experience. My feeling is … if there’s an inkling that they want to be there, you want to encourage them to have that moment,” Snyder said. “Obviously you’d like to not miss anything, but I think clearly those are (important) moments. This is just basketball, right?
“It’s the most important thing while we’re doing it. … When the game’s over, there’s a lot of other things that are more important. Certain things trump the game.”
Family is certainly one of those things for Millsap, a proud father of two young boys.
“Oh man, it’s the best experience ever. At first I was nervous, but now it’s almost like they (kids) don’t care about basketball. They just love the fact that you’re there and you’re able to support them,” Millsap said. “It’s a good feeling to come home from a rough game, a tough game, or anything like that and have them there smiling, playing around, no cares in the world.”
The 28-year-old, whom some know as Paul’s little brother, laughed when asked about another Millsap being in the Jazz pipeline, as Kris Loertscher (@5kl) joked about on Twitter.
“There’s another one,” Millsap said. “We’re trying to build that legacy, keep it going.”
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