Columbia, Mo. – Perth, Australia native Jayden Stone uprooted his life six years ago and moved over 11,000 miles for the sole purpose of playing basketball in the United States.
He took a leap of faith, leaving a loving family and an excellent support system behind to chase his dreams.
“When I first came over here, just a deer in headlights,” Stone said. “I didn't know what was going on. It was a real scary time.”
Stone was alone in an entirely unfamiliar continent, and still just a teenager. His way of living had drastically changed, and he was experiencing an American culture shock at full force.
"No one was speaking positive, or speaking life into me... there were no hugs" Stone said. "I grew up on that."
He was raised by a circle of his extended family, from his parents, aunts and uncles, his grandma and more. They'd often spend dinners together, living in conversations with each other and checking in on each others' feelings. The warmth and comfortability of family had defined Stone, but he'd have none of it in America.
Despite the private battles he fought, Stone succeeded on the court, earning All-State honors in high school and eventually committed to play basketball at Grand Canyon University– one step closer to achieving his dream.
He played a minimal role, however, averaging just 3.4 points across 30 games in two seasons with the program. Stone didn't take his struggles lightly, and his family at home still loomed heavy over is mind.
“As a freshman, I was way behind all these guys," Stone said. "I just want to go home. I just want to go back to my family.”
His next stop with Detroit Mercy, and averaged 20.8 points per game in his 2023-2024 season. Stone had finally blossomed into the player he desired to be – or so it seemed. His stellar individual play was impressive, but it was for a team who ended the season 1-31.
“I had the weight of the world on my shoulders," Stone said. "Coming after a game, no one's in the stands for you... it's a tough pill to swallow."
Many stuck Stone with the label of being a talented scorer, but not a winning player. The feeling of loneliness both on and off the court had caught up.
Luckily for Stone, he received and accepted an offer from West Virginia to join the program for his final season of eligibility in 2024-2025. Stone's scoring prowess projected to fit in smoothly with the Mountaineers as they tried to climb from the bottom of the Big 12 standings.
All the puzzle pieces were lining up for Stone; he'd developed into the talented scorer he knew he could be, and was set to join a far more competitive West Virginia squad than his previous team.
Stone fell on his head during a preseason practice in October of 2024, paralyzing and concussing him, causing seizures and derailing his plans in the process.
“I had lost movement in my left side of my body for about three weeks straight,” Stone said. “I just didn't know what the future was going to hold.”
Stone's entire identity in the United States revolved around basketball – he'd left himself as a person behind in Perth. He lived and breathed basketball before his injury, and now that it could be out of the cards, his first thought was to return home.
“I would have gone back home and just taken a little break," Stone said. I don't know whether it'd (include) basketball or not, but I got a lot of good people there. Got every support system, my uncles, my aunts, Mum, Dad. I would have been around as many good people as I had.”
His years of loneliness playing basketball in a foreign country had led him to develop a habit of isolation, making returning home all the more tempting.
"I kind of said all the things like 'Screw basketball', 'I'm getting hurt', 'Woe is me mentality' ," Stone said. "I was starting to get a bit indolent."
Before spiraling too far, Stone caught himself. He knew that returning home to his family would be the easy way out, not the way he truly wanted.
"'Are you going to fight to come back to give yourself an opportunity?'", Stone asked himself. "If I just sit here and just waddle in my own pity, it's gonna be hard to swallow going back home and be like 'What could have been?'"
Stone decided to stick around the States. He'd receive medical help from the West Virginia staff to recover from his paralyzation, three seizures and concussions. The staff assisted him to a full recovery, leading Stone to eventually get his opportunity, but it wouldn't be with the Mountaineers.
West Virginia head coach Darian DeVries left the program to take on a role with Indiana, meaning Stone had lost a major tie to the team. He initially didn't want to transfer again, as he'd already developed a notion among the media as a non-winning player. Stone knew how harshly college athletes are judged for transferring frequently in the modern era, and didn't want to become further subjected to it himself.
Given the pickle between his choices, he began to think his chances of playing college basketball again were out of his hands.
"I'm probably gonna have to go back home," Stone said. "I'm not good enough to play in the US."
That was until Missouri head coach Dennis Gates, a master recruiter, came calling.
“Glory to God and (assistant coach Kyle Smithpeters) and coach Gates," Stone said. "They said 'You can have a role here'."
Stone fills a much-needed role with the program as a spark scorer, given that the team lost both Caleb Grill and Marques Warrick over the offseason – both of whom contributed high-volume scoring at key moments throughout the 2024-2025 season.
"Every day has been been a blessing," Stone said. (Gates') has given me an opportunity to play and shoot. I'm really grateful, really blessed."
While he's used his time to recover physically and get his body right, Stone made sure to put focus into the mental side of things – a side all too important, even for athletes.
"You've got to develop your character," Stone said. "I always have to make sure my spiritual is right, my mental is right, otherwise you're just going to fall into a hole.”
Stone's journey to recovery prevented him from falling into that hole and spiraling. Whether it be cause by minimal playing time at GCU, low support at Detroit Mercy or career-threatening injuries with West Virginia, he's always had an urge to return home.
Now fully recovered and at peace with his state, Stone's ready for his debut with Missouri.
"Let me give it one more row," Stone said. "Everything I've got."