Patrick Beverley talks about how special Houston will always be for him and his NBA career

As Chicago Bulls guard Patrick Beverley returned to the Toyota Center on Saturday night for a game against the Houston Rockets, he certainly felt nostalgic. Beverley grew up in Chicago, but it was Houston where he began his NBA career. Drafted 42nd overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009, Beverley would not make his NBA debut until 2013, when the Rockets gave him a shot.

Long road to the NBA

After an international basketball career that took him to countries like Russia and Ukraine, Beverley got the NBA call he had been working so hard to get.

"They took a chance on me," said Beverley "I was so excited for my first NBA practice that I barely slept."

Though he only played a minute and 45 seconds in his NBA debut, it marked the start of a colorful 11-year NBA career that is showing no signs of wavering. Although he's now playing for his hometown team, Beverley will always hold the Rockets in high regard, especially with all their success during Pat's five seasons there, highlighted by a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2015.

Unwavering belief

Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said Beverley's arrival to his team is exactly what the doctor ordered. His confidence and intense attitude are rubbing off on his teammates, which helped the squad rise to 10th place and hold the last ticket for the play-in tournament in the Eastern Conference.

"I have great respect for guys that have this, like, unwavering belief," Donovan said. "He's got that. There's an edge and a competitiveness to him and a belief in how he feels he can impact the team. I think he's really good verbally. He's got a lot of experience. Even when he's out of the game, you see him talking to Ayo [Dosunmu] on who he's guarding, what he needs to be ready for."