Lindell Wigginton reflects on his NBA success and the late brother who helps fuel it

When Lindell Wigginton phoned his mother recently to tell her he was signing with the Milwaukee Bucks, she somehow already knew.

"She was already crying and stuff and it made me cry a little bit," the 23-year-old North Preston, N.S., native told CBC's Information Morning.

There were many reasons for the tears.

One was that Wigginton didn't take a direct path to the NBA. He left college basketball two years early in 2019 to go pro, but went undrafted and bounced around different leagues before signing with the Bucks.

The tears were also for Wigginton's brother, Tyson James Bundy — known to family and friends as Fern. He died in a car crash a decade ago at the age of 19.

"He's always in my thoughts," said Wigginton. "I think about him every day. That was my best friend, so that's who I do it for."

The bio portion of Wigginton's Twitter and Instagram accounts have the same description: R.I.P FERN I do this for you.

In Wigginton's first game with the Bucks on Jan. 13, he scored on his first shot and played five minutes.

Since then, he's earned more playing time, culminating in a personal-high 28 minutes on the floor against the Indiana Pacers on Feb. 15. He scored 12 points in the game.

As a member of the defending NBA champions, Wigginton plays alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, considered by many to be the league's best player.

Seeing how Antetokounmpo works inspires Wigginton and reinforces what it will take for him to succeed at this level.

"It takes hard work to get here, but it takes even more work to stay here," said Wigginton.

In reaching the NBA, Wigginton hopes to inspire other Nova Scotians who have hoop dreams.

"I know what they're going through back there and it's definitely tough growing up from where I'm from,"