Parents Of Fallen NBA Player, Taft High School Graduate, Reflect On Son's Life

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Bryce Dejean-Jones grew up in the shadows of the Forum in Inglewood.

Jones played at Taft Charter High School in Woodland Hills, before going onto play basketball at USC, his father's alma-mater.

He also played at UNLV and Iowa State - where he helped his team win a conference championship.

Dejean-Jones was gunned down at an apartment in Dallas.

He was an undrafted rookie currently playing for the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA.

He had signed several short-term contracts before signing a two-year deal to remain with the team in February.

Investigators say Dejean-Jones kicked in two doors at an apartment where a man was inside.

The man told police he shot Dejean-Jones after the former NBA point guard broke in to a bedroom.

Saturday, Dejean-Jones' parents took the time to speak with CBS2's Jeff Nguyen.

"He grew up going to the local Y, YMCA and things like that. He just always had a desire to give back to his community," Dejean-Jones' mother, Franchesca Jones said.

"Inglewood was an area that he really wanted to focus on and work with the youth," she added.

K.C. Jones, Bryce's father, remembered his son as being "tenacious".

"He has had so many things that have happened to him along his path. He made up his mind that he wanted to do what he was doing -- play pro ball. And whatever it took, he was going to get there. He was going to do it." Jones said.

Dejean-Jones' agent says he was visiting his girlfriend in Dallas and he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The Pelicans and the NBA both released statements regarding Dejean-Jones' death.