- Elijah Bryant, former BYU star, continues his successful international basketball career.
- Bryant, now with Hapoel Tel Aviv, emphasizes faith, hard work and mental focus.
- He and his wife expect a new child, adding to their growing family.
PROVO — Elijah Bryant deserves a moment to call time out, exhale and reflect on the highlight-filled pro basketball journey he continues to trod following his college days at BYU.
Besides claiming an NBA ring with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, Bryant has been a key player on title-winning teams in the Israeli League and the 2022 EuroLeague crown. And this past season, the 6-foot-5-inch Latter-day Saint was named to the All-EuroLeague's first team.
But nostalgia's a luxury reserved for retired folks. Mid-career pro athletes such as Bryant are all about seizing every free moment to get a bit faster, a bit stronger and a bit wiser.
"I think it will all set in — once I'm done playing," Bryant told the Deseret News when asked about his ongoing globetrotting hoops adventures.
The versatile shooting guard can be forgiven for not setting aside time to reminisce on his playing career. Besides resting up in Utah for the upcoming basketball season with Israel's Hapoel Tel Aviv, Bryant and his wife, Jenelle, are now prepping for another life-changing domestic event.
"We are about to welcome another blessing to our family," he proudly reported. "So we are all over the place right now."
The Bryants are already the parents of a couple of little boys — Blu, 5, and Rocco, 3.
Still, when Bryant's competitive days are behind him, he'll surely relish an accolade-rich hardwood career made largely possible by, no doubt, his rare athleticism.
But he's also quick to equally attribute his ongoing success to hard work, daily prayer, then more hard work — all blended with his tenacious belief in himself and the divine.
Drawing down spiritual guidance
After averaging over 18 points a game during an all-conference 2018 junior season, Bryant opted to skip his senior year at BYU for the professional ranks.
Some told him to stick around Provo for another year, arguing it would boost his NBA draft stock. But BYU Coach Dave Rose supported Bryant's decision to leave early even though it meant bidding farewell to a special talent.
"Coach Rose listened to me and allowed me to carve out my own path," Bryant remembered. "That made my decision even more special because it was my choice. I wasn't leaning on someone else's choice for me."
Rose remembered Bryant being well-positioned to make that huge life choice because "he was so meticulous" in all he did.
"Eli was just really prepared to make that decision to move on, even though I would have really loved for him to come back and play that senior year," he said.
Bryant still solicits advice from trusted friends such as Rose. But ultimately he trusts his judgement. Then he moves forward.
But he doesn't make choices alone.
"I pray, and the Spirit tells me what I need to do," said Bryant. "Sometimes it's what I want to hear. Sometimes it's not what I want to hear. But over the course of my career, I've tried to follow the Spirit as much as I can.
"That's led to some cool things that have allowed my family to have some cool experiences and set me up for life."
Now 31, Bryant is enjoying a pro athlete's "sweet spot." He's still young enough to flex his physical attributes — but he's also equipped with the maturity afforded veteran players.
"I've changed my mentality in terms of just focusing on what I can control and doing the best that I can and not allowing outside noise to determine what I'm doing on the court," he said when asked about his memorable 2026 EuroLeague season.
"And also my faith and meditation are big parts of what have allowed me to get to where I am. And, of course, you have to put in the work."
Bryant changed his training regimen about three years ago, becoming "very objective" about his personal and professional development. That meant elevating his self-awareness while studying other ballplayers to emulate on the court.
The guy who gets most of Bryant's screen attention these days? Newly crowned NBA champ/New York Knick Jalen Brunson, aka "Captain Clutch."
"Brunson's the player I watch the most, and all my teammates know it," he said. "It's because of Brunson's ability to play off two feet. I've never been a guy who really plays above the rim. But I knew that if I was able to add that to my game — playing off two feet — it would allow me to not only extend my career, but make the game slow down for me."
Bryant also boosts his durability by incorporating new tech and research — using hyperbaric oxygen and red light therapies, while also eschewing bread and dairy from his diet.
The reward's in the journey. "I don't really set goals to achieve accolades — it's more about asking myself, 'How good can I be?'"
Bryant also buys into another essential attribute: mastering the noise between his ears during the good, and the not so good, moments.
"The biggest skill that I've developed over the past three years is the ability to control my emotions," he said. "It's one of the hardest things to do as an individual, even for someone not playing sports."
Given Bryant's experience and his on-the-court success, it's likely he will increasingly be looked to as a leader on the Hapoel Tel Aviv squad. "I've tried to lead more by example, but I think over the next few years I want to be a little more vocal in trying to help people."
Rose believes the same skills that served Bryant well as a college athlete in Provo continue to guide his growth in the pros.
"It was impressive to watch Eli commit himself to his mental routine and his physical routine," said Rose. "He would delve into anything that he felt could help give him an edge."
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Jason Swensen
