As the 2023-24 All-Mountain West Media Honorable Mention, junior guard Myron ‘MJ’ Amey Jr. remains a humble, driven and hardworking player despite a season full of adversity on the San José State basketball team.
Amey, who is majoring in communications, said his dad put him in many sports when he was younger including baseball, football and basketball.
He said his dad was a baseball player and wanted him to pursue the sport further, but ultimately did not care which sport Amey ended up playing in the future.
“I just had a different love and a different passion about basketball,” Amey said. “I always had a hoop outside of my driveway as a kid, so whenever I had free time I would go outside and play with my brothers or friends.”
Amey attended Vacaville High School for four years, averaging 27 points, 5 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals, according to the SJSU Athletics page. After graduating, he attended Scotland Prep in Pennsylvania, averaging 20.3 points in 3 games with a single-game best of 26 points, according to the same site.
He was offered a scholarship to SJSU by assistant coach Ben Johnson, and now averages 15.7 points per game.
“The thing about college basketball is that everyone is good,” Amey said. “Everyone has their own special ability that lets them play at this level, so my work ethic is something I rely on in order to get better.”
In the 2021-22 season, Amey averaged 9.4 points per game, along with 73 rebounds and 18 steals, according to the SJSU Athletics page. During the 2022-23 season, he averaged 5.6 points and played in nine games before an ankle injury robbed him of the rest of the season.
Amey said while it was a difficult time, he believed that the injury was simply a part of the plan God had for him and his future.
“I had to really explore myself outside of basketball,” Amey said. “I realized that one day, the ball is going to stop bouncing. So, it was good for me to explore and find myself outside of the sport at an early age.”
Amey also said he was able to spend time bowling, skating, going to the beach and taking himself to get food in order to cope with the situation.
Freshman guard Latrell Davis said he remembers Amey telling him that because Amey had been injured for so long, the 2023 season felt like freshman year for him again.
“When I first came here, he really inspired me,” Davis said. “His words always encourage me, and they really hit because I can relate to them. He really brings the energy and work ethic to this team.”
Davis said aside from being a hardworking player, Amey is a funny guy, and lightens up the mood every time he walks into a room.
“He’ll be in the weight room and will just start dancing, and they’ll be crazy dance moves, but only he can make them look good,” he said.
Davis also said basketball is more than just a sport to him. It’s also all about building connections and chemistry with his teammates.
He said it is about changing people’s lives at the same time.
“I would go to war with these people,” Davis said.
Junior guard Alvaro Cardenas said Amey is an amazing scorer, and that he is the guy who is always going to play as hard as he can.
Cardenas also said it is hard to stop him once he gets going.
“Against Boise he had 25 in the first half,” Cardenas said. “Once he sees the rim, it’s really hard to stop him.”
Despite the Spartans 78-69 loss against Boise State on Jan. 5, Amey continued to score even after his 25 points in the first half, according to 247 Sports. He ended up with a season high of 30 points overall, according to the same site.
Cardenas said Amey is someone he enjoys being around, as he is always joking and playing around off the court.
“He’s honestly the nicest guy to be around,” he said. “There’s really nothing bad to say about him.”
Alongside Amey were six other All-Mountain West Honorable Mentions, including Chibuzo Agbo and Max Rice from Boise State, Lamont Butler from San Diego State, Kalib Boone from University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Ian Martinez from Utah State and Sam Griffin from University of Wyoming, according to the Mountain West Conference website.
After being awarded the All-Mountain West Honorable Mention, Amey said it made him realize how far he had come after his injury and having to go through surgery.
“If someone had told me that a year after my surgery I would be getting this award, I would have said they were crazy,” Amey said. “I am extremely blessed to have been given this honor.”
