It's been a long journey for Harker Heights High graduate turned NBA star Royce O'Neale, but his hard work and determination have paid off in a major way.

According to ESPN, O'Neale on Sunday agreed to a 4 year contract extension with the Utah Jazz worth $36 million dollars.

Although he could've become a restricted free agent this summer, O'Neale and his reps at CAA Sports negotiated a long-term deal that keeps him with the franchise that signed him out of Europe in 2017. - via ESPN.

At 26, O'Neale, who went un-drafted out of Baylor and played 2 seasons in Europe before signing with Utah, has become one of the true success stories in the NBA and one of the league's rising stars.

In his third NBA season, O'Neale has worked his way from being a reserve player to an essential player in the Jazz's current success as one of the top teams in the Western Conference and one of its top defenders. O'Neale has become a full-time starter for the Jazz and is averaging career highs in minutes, points, rebounds, and assists.

"Just the journey of how far I've come, I've come a long way." - Royce O'Neale via ESPN

Hard Work and determination do pay off, folks! Congratulations to O'Neale for proving that.

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