Orlando Sentinel Brian Schmitz column

Oct. 09--Rookie Devyn Marble is living a dream and a nightmare all at once.

He's wearing an NBA jersey for the Magic, an opportunity the second-rounder solidified with his play in summer league.

He scored 13 points in his preseason debut Tuesday night, eight of them coming in overtime as the Magic beat the Miami Heat.

The high that Devyn is feeling, though, is tempered by a grim reality.

The man who set him on this road to the pros -- his dad, Roy, a former NBA player -- is fighting for his life.

His father is battling stage 4 lung cancer.

"It's as bad as it could be," Devyn said.

Roy Marble Sr., 47, was diagnosed with the disease in August, two months after his son was picked at No. 56 by the Denver Nuggets in the draft (and traded to Orlando). Three tumors had been discovered in his body -- one on his temple, one behind his eye and another on his face.

Devyn said his father started chemotherapy last month and is "responding well."

"You know, we're all just taking it one day at a time," he said. "Everyone is hoping and praying."

A former first-round pick by the Atlanta Hawks in 1989, Roy Sr. played 55 NBA games and also at various minor-league outposts after starring at the University of Iowa.

He tweeted Wednesday, "Great job son in your pro debut 13pts total 8pts in OT solid performance see us soon! Go Magic!"

Devyn's birth name is actually Roy Devyn Marble. He was known as Roy Marble Jr. while playing high school basketball in Michigan.

Their bond is tight, but it's complicated. They had a long-distance relationship for years as Devyn grew up in the Detroit area and Roy Sr. lived in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

They grew closer when Devyn decided to follow his father's sneakered steps to his college alma mater. He asked to be called by his middle name, Devyn. He wanted to differentiate himself from his dad, the Hawkeyes' all-time leading scorer.

"He's played a large part in my life, getting me in school, seeing me through," Devyn said. "Having a father who played, it fueled me. It kept me hungry."

Roy Sr. has had his problems the past few years. In June, Roy Sr. was accused of domestic abuse, although he vehemently denied the charge on Twitter.

He issued a public apology after being charged in 2010 with driving while barred with no insurance and was convicted of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Devyn is focusing on supporting his father during his health crisis as are others.

A Website constructed by Team Marble is selling T-shirts to raise funds for his cancer fight. One T-shirt reads: "IOWAATLANTA HAWKS" with the words "Cancer Awareness." A Facebook page set up by a friend is devoted to Roy Sr.

NBA rookies like Marble have enough on their plates, trying to handle the pressure and acclimate themselves to the game. Devyn said the preseason game against the Heat reminded him of his days at Iowa, although he stopped himself and admitted with a large grin, "It really hasn't hit me yet."

Magic coach Jacque Vaughn said it's critical for a young player "to have as much of a clear mind as possible, not that he can."

Playing with a heavy heart isn't easy.

Vaughn has been there for Devyn off the court.

"Family is the most important thing," Vaughn said. "I tell him, 'Your dad is getting energy from it. He knows you're living out a dream ... Let that be your push, your drive."'

Devyn, 22, says his ailing father has told him much the same -- keep pushing, keep driving.

"Basketball has always been therapeutic for me," Devyn said. "I've never really lost anybody in my life. I think I've been dealing with it well, as well as you can."

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