“There were many days I’d be in on the hillside of South Kent just thinking, ‘Man, am I gonna make it?’” reflected Jordan Gainey.
In June, the South Kent School Class of 2021 alumnus signed an NBA Summer League contract with the Phoenix Suns.
The signing with Phoenix brought Gainey full circle. He grew up in Tucson, Arizona, before moving across the country for a post-graduate year with the Cardinals.
He played under Raphael Chillious, former South Kent basketball coach and athletic director, who transformed the program into a national powerhouse.
“I just knew one day if he got to the right place he had a chance,” said Chillious.Because he is such a good defender, smart player and really tough.”
Off the court, Chillious said Gainey was “really funny. But if you stood back from afar, you would think he was shy and quiet, but he’s not.”
While at South Kent, Gainey lived in the gym. He recalled spending hours memorizing his teammates’ moves nearly every day, for two semesters straight.
Gainey remembered practices with Chillious as some of the hardest of his career. The coach’s lessons remained with him through college.
“Be a coffee bean,” Gainey said. “Whenever things get hard and it gets hot, they do not break — they make coffee. It’s really being able to fight through adversity.”
Looking back, Gainey credited those countless hours in the South Kent gym for helping him fall in love with the game.
“He would always tell us, there are no cool jackets,” said Gainey. “You’ve got to be the one who does the dirty work, plays hard, and doesn’t care about looking cool — just getting the job done.”
Gainey graduated from South Kent School in 2021. He went on to play NCAA Division 1 basketball and made the Elite Eight twice with the University of Tennessee. This summer, he signed a Summer League deal with the Phoenix Suns.Provided
After his year in Kent, Gainey committed to the University of South Carolina Upstate. Two years later, he transferred to University of Tennessee to play for coach Rick Barnes as well as his father, Justin Gainey, assistant coach.
In his two seasons with Tennessee Gainey helped the Volunteers make back-to-back Elite Eight appearances in the NCAA March Madness tournament in 2024 and 2025. This past tournament, he averaged 13 points off the bench and was a strong contender for the Sixth Man of the Year award.
Among his college highlights is a buzzer beater against University of Illinois in December 2024 to keep the Volunteers’ undefeated 10-0 record alive.
His performances earned him a spot on the Suns’ Summer League team. Games were played in Las Vegas, where he vied against other top young prospects for an NBA contract.
“Vegas is a time, and it’s a great place to be,” said Gainey. “But when you’re here you got to treat it like a business trip... make the best impression on and off the court for anyone who could be watching.”
Gainey made the most of his opportunity. His best game came against the Portland Trailblazers in which he logged seven points, two assists and one rebound in 19 minutes of playing time.
Gainey’s NBA future is uncertain. He is competing against players who have spent similar hours in the gym and whose dream is to go pro.
But Gainey has spent a long time in the heat. Now, it’s time to make coffee.
