Behind the Scenes of an NBA Call-Up, Part III: Mario Chalmers

This season, due to COVID-19. 101 players earned 120 call-ups to the NBA, which is a G League record. This three-part series is an in-depth look at how the process works and what it means for players to fulfill childhood dreams. We finish our saga with an NBA Champion. 

It is an incredible feat to make it to the NBA. There are millions of kids who grab a basketball and imagine being the next face of the league.

Those kids dream of making buzzer beaters that force overtime in the NCAA Championship game, scoring 25 points in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, and winning multiple NBA Championships.

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Those dreams require intense hard work and dedication to achieve something Mario Chalmers does not run from. And even though he has accomplished so much, there is still work to be done.

Chalmers was drafted in 2008 by the Minnesota Timberwolves before he was traded to the Miami HEAT. He started all 82 regular season games in his rookie year and began to make a name for himself on a team that was on the brink of something special.

During Chalmers’ nine-year NBA career, he spent seven full seasons with the HEAT. He spent part of the 2015-16 season in Miami, before being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, where he stayed until the end of the 2017-18 season. In those first seven years, Chalmers was able to help Miami win two NBA Championships.

Since playing in the NBA, Chalmers, like many other NBA veterans, went the overseas route.

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While his years overseas were successful and translated to more championships, it was not the best fit for Chalmers. He knew he belonged somewhere else.

“Overseas, I had my opportunities, but it didn’t fit me,” Chalmers said. “I needed to find somewhere that was going to let me play my game and let me be good at that. The next best thing for me to keep playing was the NBA G League.”

Chalmers was able to get an opportunity in the G League. On December 18, Chalmers signed with the Grand Rapids Gold to play in the 2021 Winter Showcase in Las Vegas, Nevada.

It was not too long after that he signed with the Miami HEAT on a 10-day contract.

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“It felt good to get the call from Miami,” Chalmers said. “I have been through a lot the past couple of years from playing overseas to getting back from an Achilles injury. It just shows that all the hard work and energy paid off.”

The amount of hype created when Chalmers re-signed with Miami was soon met with disappointment because Chalmers did not play a game with the Heat during his 10-day.

But Chalmers is a veteran and would not let that discourage him.

“It wasn’t a frustrating thing,” Chalmers said. “I was happy to be back. The only thing that was a little disappointing was not getting time on the court, but I’m still thankful for the opportunity and grateful for the occasion.”

After his 10-day expired, the Sioux Falls Skyforce was able to acquire Chalmers. Luckily, Chalmers found himself in an easy transition going from Miami to Sioux Falls.

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“The Skyforce is the baby brother of the HEAT,” Chalmers said. “They’re going to do everything their big brother does. Same thing, same offense, same game plan, same rules. Just being here, being with the HEAT, I know exactly what they want and expect. It makes it easy for me.”

For a lot of guys, getting an NBA Call-Up is surreal. But for an NBA Champion, it is a homecoming.

“It’s not really surreal for me,” Chalmers said. “It’s a little bit different for me from the other guys because in my career, I spent eight in Miami. It feels like I came back home, it is where I’m supposed to be. I’ve worn these colors for most of my NBA career so it finally feels like I’m back home.”

Getting another opportunity with the Miami HEAT is incredibly special for Chalmers. He does not take a second of this opportunity for granted.

When the Skyforce traveled to Austin, Texas to take on the Austin Spurs, Chalmers was able to share this special part of his journey with an old friend.

HEAT legend Chris Bosh was able to make the trip to Austin to cheer on Chalmers and the Force.

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“That’s a friendship. That has nothing to do with basketball,” Chalmers said. “When you go through certain battles and spend certain time with certain people, you develop a friendship. You develop a bond, and a brotherhood. Me and Chris Bosh, that’s a brotherhood. Wherever I’m at, he’s going to pull up and come say hi. We’ve been like that since he left Miami. It’s special to show that we still have that bond and connection.”

Chalmers has been an extremely important piece for the Skyforce as they look to get into the playoffs. Chalmers is a consistent starter for the Force and averages 24.3 minutes per game. His 11.4 points and 5.1 assists per game is a huge reason why the Skyforce were able to go 7-3 in the month of February and rock a five-game win streak at home.

To get back to the NBA, Chalmers knows he has to continue to have solid performances and lead the Skyforce to wins.

“I’ve got to keep being solid,” Chalmers said. “I’ve got to show I can run this team, knock down big shots and play tough defense. I’ve got to show that I am healthy and can still compete. That is the biggest thing, especially going into the NBA playoffs. Teams are going to look for a veteran so when something goes wrong, they can step in and fill that void right away. That’s what I’m trying to show I can still do.”

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You can catch Chalmers and the Skyforce seven more times at home this season, with a back-to-back on Thursday and Friday against the Texas Legends. Tip-off's from the Sanford Pentagon are 6:30 PM CST and 7:00 PM CST. To purchase tickets, you can go to the will call at the Sanford Pentagon, or online at ticketmaster.com.