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Diamond Stone Wears "0" To Keep Motivation Close

ORLANDO – As Diamond Stone took a pass toward the top of the key, he bullied his way to the basket, made a spin move and worked for a lay-up during his NBA Summer League debut last weekend.

At that point, it was already clear he deserved at least one of his nicknames.

“’M&M,’” Stone said. “It stands for Many Moves.”

He gets that one from time to time. “D-Stone” is another, for obvious reasons. Strangely, though, it’s the one he still gets called constantly back home – his favorite nickname – that no longer really fits.

“’Chunk,’” said Stone, the Clippers’ No. 40 overall selection in the 2016 NBA Draft. “All my life, everyone just called me, ‘Chunk.’”

For most of the 255-pound center’s life, it made sense, and he’s not ashamed to admit it.

“Being chunky,” Stone said with a grin.

The nickname didn’t offend Stone the way it might others. In fact, a mention of the nickname lightens the 19-year-old’s demeanor, making him think of back home in Wisconsin.

Knowing the nickname no longer describes his physique anymore might help “Chunk” laugh it off even more.

“I realized (at Maryland) that working out is huge in this game, your diet and everything,” Stone said. “I started taking it seriously then, and right now I’m taking it seriously.”

Right now is Summer League. Right now is proving he belongs in the NBA. And, right now is an opportunity Stone relishes to show teams they made a mistake letting 39 picks go before him in the 2016 NBA Draft.

After averaging 12.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game in his lone season at Maryland, Stone declared for the NBA Draft. He felt he was a first pick, but he didn’t see his name called in that range. The Clippers held the No. 33 overall pick before trading down for picks No. 39 and 40, taking Stone with the latter of the two.

A glance down at his Summer League jersey, and Stone sees the memories of that day and the motivation going forward.

“That’s why I’m wearing No. 0, because zero people believed in me in the draft,” Stone said. “So, I wear zero just to remind me, always have that chip on my shoulder, just keep working.”

Plenty of people remain in his corner as he goes through that process.

Stone comes from an athletic family, his mother and father both former college athletes and his sister a college volleyball player. He speaks to his father every day and gets advice from former coaches, particularly longtime coach and trainer DeShawn Curtis.

In case that’s not enough, he can reach out to NBA players.

“(Bucks forward) Jabari Parker, me and him are really close,” Stone said. “I talk to him a lot through all of it.”

Since Stone went to the Clippers, that list has expanded even more, with Blake Griffin recently reaching out to him via text. He said it’s a good feeling to get that kind of welcome, particularly from a player of Griffin’s caliber.

“Me and him were just talking about working out and stuff like that,” Stone said. “So, when I come out there, we’re going to get in the gym.”

That’s something he’ll need to continue to do to find time at the next level.

Stone’s ability to score has never been questioned and was evident in even his 2016 Summer League debut, scoring eight points with five rebounds and two steals.

How Stone matures defensively may determine how quickly and how often he can find himself in an NBA game. He got a taste of the physicality it takes going against NBA bigs Sunday, fouling out while guarding 7-footer Dakari Johnson and veteran Mitch McGary in his second Summer League contest. Much like draft night for Stone, he’s in for plenty of ups and downs as he develops.

But the upside is obvious, as Stone continued to display his knack for scoring in a variety of ways, posting 20 points with seven rebounds Tuesday in his latest matchup.

It may take a while to go from No. 0 to hero, but he’s thrilled to get the chance alongside talented veterans on a Clippers team that could use the frontcourt depth.

“I’m on a great team with a great coach,” Stone said. “I see a huge opportunity.”