NBA draft preview: Chester background made Rondae Hollis-Jefferson tough

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had just completed a few drills at last month's NBA draft combine in Chicago. One of the first questions after he arrived at an interview session was, how does coming from Chester prepare him for the NBA draft process?

The small Delaware County city is a gritty, blue-collar place.

"I say the league is about toughness, man," Hollis-Jefferson responded. "At the end of the day, who's tough? Who can last? Who's the man? I will say my city helped build me and make me ready for that.

"Growing up in Chester made me grow as a man and a person. I think I'm physical enough. I'm ready and I'm just willing to work."

The 6-foot-7, 220-pound small forward, who left Arizona after two seasons, will learn his place of employment during Thursday night's draft at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

He's projected as a middle-to-late first-round pick.

NBA.com has Hollis-Jefferson going 17th to the Milwaukee Bucks.

NBADraftNet.com and CBSSports.com have him being selected 20th by the Toronto Raptors. DraftExpress.com has him 22d to the Chicago Bulls.

Wherever he lands, the 20-year-old will join Horace Walker, Jameer Nelson and Tyreke Evans as the only Chester natives to play in the NBA, according to basketball-reference.com.

Walker played one season (1961-62) for the St. Louis Hawks. Nelson just completed his 11th season. The point guard spent the first 10 with the Orlando Magic. He split time with the Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets last season.

Nelson made one all-star appearance - in 2009 - with the Magic. Meanwhile, Evans was the 2009-10 rookie of the year with the Sacramento Kings. He was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans on July 10, 2013, following four seasons in Sacramento.

"I'm one of the guys, I accept challenges," Hollis-Jefferson said of the pressure associated with following Evans and Nelson into the NBA. "I'm not afraid of it. I don't shy away from it. You know, give me your best punch, that's how I live.

"So at the end of the day, them talking about Chester greats, I'm in that category. I'm just willing to work at it. Go hard or go home."

And he's been going hard for a long time.

While at Chester High, Hollis-Jefferson became arguably the most successful player in the school's illustrious basket history.

He led the Clippers to a 91-5 record in his final three seasons. They won consecutive PIAA Class AAA titles in 2011 and 2012 before finishing as the state runner-up in 2013. His 2011-12 squad went 32-0 en route to becoming Chester's lone undefeated team.

In addition, Hollis-Jefferson finished his career as a McDonald's All-American, the Associated Press Class AAAA state player of the year and Chester's all-time leading rebounder (780).

He averaged 11.2 points and 1.2 steals while leading the team in rebounds (6.8) this past season at Arizona. In the process, Hollis-Jefferson garnered first-team All-Pac 12 and first-team all-conference defensive honors.

While he needs to work on his outside shooting, Hollis-Jefferson is one of the best perimeter defenders in the draft. And he embraces it.

"I want to say that I'm a basketball defensive genius," Hollis-Jefferson said. "That's a little along the lines as I get older, because a man isn't fully developed until he's 25. So I will say along those lines, I will be a basketball defensive genius.

"Right now, I would say I'm a couple of steps ahead of my generation of guys. I would say I'm playing chess out there and a lot of guys are playing checkers."