Pelicans guard Bryce Dejean-Jones dies at age 23

Undrafted rookie out of Iowa State just signed multi-year deal with the Pelicans in January, 2016

Shot in the abdomen Friday night and bled to death

He was visiting his “estranged girlfriend” for his daughter’s first birthday

He broke into a Dallas apartment he believed was his girlfriend’s and instead startled a man who presumably shot in self defence

Scott Nichols, his agent – Bryce  was “in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

New Orleans Pelicans guard Bryce Dejean-Jones was shot and killed early Saturday after he broke into a Dallas apartment he believed was his girlfriend’s and instead startled a man he didn’t know, according to police and his agent.
The 23-year-old NBA  guard “kicked open the front door” to a unit in the Camden Belmont Apartments, just east of Central Expressway and Fitzhugh Avenue, about 3:20 a.m., police said. According to the police reports, the man who lived there woke up, grabbed his handgun and “called out” to the intruder. But he got no answer.
When Dejean-Jones kicked the door to the bedroom, police said, the man fired, apparently in self-defense. Dejean-Jones ran out of the apartment and “collapsed in the breezeway,” police said. He was taken to a local hospital, where he died. The Dallas County medical examiner’s office confirmed his death Saturday, saying an autopsy had not yet been performed. His agent, Scott Nichols said Dejean-Jones died from a gunshot wound to his abdomen.

Apartment complex believe Dejean-Jones had been trying to get into the apartment of an “estranged acquaintance” and “inadvertently broke into the wrong apartment.”

ESPN reported that the acquaintance was the mother of Dejean-Jones’ child.
Nichols told CNN in a statement that the NBA player was in Dallas to visit his girlfriend for his daughter’s first birthday. He said Dejean-Jones was visiting her new apartment for the first time and, when he came back to the apartment later that night, he went to the unit directly below hers.Dejean-Jones, his agent said, was “in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
It’s unclear whether the unidentified man who shot Dejean-Jones will face charges.
Under Texas law, a person is allowed to use deadly force to defend himself in his home. It also says a person using force cannot provoke the attacker or be involved in criminal activity at the time.
Police are investigating. They do not believe that Dejean-Jones was armed.
The New Orleans Pelicans released a statement Saturday acknowledging Dejean-Jones’ “sudden passing” with “deep sadness.”
“We are devastated at the loss of this young man’s life who had such a promising future ahead of him,” it said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Bryce’s family during this difficult time.”
While in a statement the NBA mourned the “tragic loss.” “Bryce inspired countless people with his hard work and perseverance on his journey to the NBA, and he had a bright future in our league,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in the statement.

Dejan-Jones: College standout at Iowa

Th Los Angeles native attended the University of Southern California and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, before transferring to Iowa State.
according to ESPN. He joined the Pelicans as a free-agent rookie last year.
6-foot-6 guard, Dejean-Jones signed  who  recently signed a three-year, $2 million deal with the Pelicans as an undrafted free agent out of Iowa State. The Los Angeles-area native spent time at three colleges — USC, UNLV, and ultimately Iowa State — averaging 10.8 points per game over four seasons.
Dejean-Jones was waived by the Pelicans in October but was re-signed to back-to-back 10-day contracts two months later. He signed a two-year deal with the Pelicans in February and finished his rookie season having averaged 5.6 points and 3.4 rebounds in 14 games.

Let us know what you think of this article. Like? Dislike? Funny? Interesting? Cool?  Drop us a line in the comment box or join us on facebook and twitter to help us give you a better reading experience