Memories of MJ: HoopsHD interviews former Chicago Bulls assistant coach Gene Littles

Posted on May 19, 2020 by Jon Teitel

When the NCAA tourney got canceled in March we entered a whole new world, which included a sports void the likes of which we have never seen before. The fine folks at ESPN came to the rescue in mid-April with “The Last Dance”, a 10-part miniseries about the 1998 Chicago Bulls and their quest to win a 6th NBA title in an 8-year span before Coach Phil Jackson and most of his star players all went their separate ways. While it has been comforting to spend the past several Sunday nights with behind-the-scenes stories from Steve Kerr/Scottie Pippen/Dennis Rodman, the star of the show as always is Michael Jordan. Even though the documentary concluded on May 17th, HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel has dug through his archives and discovered oodles of unpublished interviews about Jordan’s career, from his early days as the leading scorer for team USA at the 1983 Pan Am Games to a 55-PT playoff performance during Chicago’s final title run in 1998. We continue our trip down memory lane by chatting with Gene Littles about working as an assistant in Chicago to Doug Collins.

(photo credit: history.bulls.com)

In 1959 at McKinley Tech you were 1  of the best basketball players in the metropolitan DC area and were named to the All-Met team along with future NBA #1 overall pick Fred Hetzel, future NCAA championship coach John Thompson, and future Notre Dame president Edward Malloy: what was the DC basketball scene like back then, and could you ever imagine that your fellow players would go on to success in such diverse fields? Back in the day we played for the fun of the game: it was not like today where everyone wants to make it to the NBA. We just wanted to be the best players in our neighborhood/city.

You were an NAIA All-American at High Point: what did it mean to you to win such an outstanding honor? It was exciting to find myself in a situation where I made the All-American team 3 out of 4 years. I would have also made it as a freshman if I had not broken my hand. At the time it was just called High Point College so I was just trying to get a degree. It was a big honor to be named all-state alongside players from Duke/UNC.

You remain the all-time leading scorer in school history with 2398 PTS: did you realize at the time how prolific a player you were, and do you think that anyone will ever break your record? I think that it will be tough to break because good players just do not stay in school anymore after the scouting service tells them how great they are. Being from DC the closest pro team back then was the Baltimore Bullets so we did not see NBA games and did not think about getting to the next level.

In the spring of 1969 you were drafted in the 5th round of the NBA draft by New York (4 spots behind Willie Wise) and in the ABA draft by Dallas: did you ever consider going to the NBA, and why did you decide to join the ABA? The NBA was paying more money and was trying to buy up all of the young players. I wanted to stay in Carolina and be around my son but it is a whole different ballgame nowadays. I later got to know Knicks coach Red Holzman at coaching meetings and realized that I could have come off the bench behind Hall of Famers like Walt Frazier/Earl Monroe. However, I felt no regrets and had a good career.

In 1973 as a player for Carolina you lost Game 7 of the Eastern Division Finals to Kentucky: how close did you come to winning it all, and what was the reaction like in your locker room afterwards? We should have beaten the Colonels. I was the backup PG and scored about 17 PPG off the bench. I did not finish the game and we ended up losing a close 1. It was a great series and probably our best season in Carolina.

In 1975 you won the ABA title in your only season with Kentucky while playing with Artis Gilmore/Dan Issel: where do those 2 players rank among the best you ever played with, and what did it mean to you to win the title? I still have my ring and put it on every so often: if you are going to have a championship ring you should wear it! If you watch Hubie Brown on TV you will sometimes see him wearing his own ring. We challenged 1975 NBA champ Golden State to a “Super Game” but they turned us down. It was quite an honor to play with a pair of Hall of Famers in Artis/Dan: I later worked an an assistant under Dan. We had great camaraderie as well as our own plane, which most other teams did not have.

Your coach in Kentucky was Hubie Brown: what made him such a great coach, and what was the most important thing you ever learned from him? I played for a lot of different coaches in the ABA and Hubie was the most prepared coach  I ever played for. If you see him on TV you will hear him talk about all of the stats/tendencies of every single player. He was a no-nonsense coach even during practice.

After your playing career you were a head coach/assistant coach for several different NBA teams, including the Chicago Bulls during the Michael Jordan era: what is the biggest difference between being a head coach and being an assistant? You have a different relationship when you are an assistant because you can tell them what they want to hear. However, as a head coach you have to tell them exactly how it is and you cannot deviate from that. Moving over that 1 seat on the bench makes it a whole different game: there is a lot more stress/pressure.

You currently coach youth basketball teams in Arizona: how do you like it, and what do you hope to do in the future? I love the youth game. My son Gino played on an AAU team in high school and I enjoyed working with him and traveling to national tournaments. Stanley Johnson was 1 of my players and we were ranked as high as #2 in the country in our division. It was exciting to see a bunch of 14-year olds grow up and then make it to college.

When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most? I guess just as a person who loved the game. I did not play for the honors/rewards/recognition: I always played for the fun of it. I loved the game and played hard.

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Memories of MJ: HoopsHD interviews Ricky Wilson

Posted on May 18, 2020 by Jon Teitel

When the NCAA tourney got canceled in March we entered a whole new world, which included a sports void the likes of which we have never seen before. The fine folks at ESPN came to the rescue in mid-April with “The Last Dance”, a 10-part miniseries about the 1998 Chicago Bulls and their quest to win a 6th NBA title in an 8-year span before Coach Phil Jackson and most of his star players all went their separate ways. While it has been comforting to spend the past several Sunday nights with behind-the-scenes stories from Steve Kerr/Scottie Pippen/Dennis Rodman, the star of the show as always is Michael Jordan. Even though the documentary concluded on May 17th, HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel has dug through his archives and discovered oodles of unpublished interviews about Jordan’s career, from his early days as the leading scorer for team USA at the 1983 Pan Am Games to a 55-PT playoff performance during Chicago’s final title run in 1998. We continue our trip down memory lane by chatting with former GMU star Ricky Wilson about getting drafted by the Bulls in 1986 and cutting Jordan’s hair.

You grew up in Hampton, VA: what made you choose George Mason? I really wanted to go to Old Dominion: I had attended basketball camps there for a few summers and they were right in my backyard. I took a visit during my junior year of high school when not a lot of teams were recruiting me. Coach Rick Barnes was at GMU and really endeared himself to my mom/dad and made them feel comfortable. I visited the school and kind of liked it but my cousin who joined me loved it. I just felt like it was the right fit for me.

You played for Coach Joe Harrington: what made him such a good coach, and what was the most important thing you learned from him? He was there for all 4 of my years there, which was huge. You are probably closest to the coach who recruited you (which was Rick) but I spent a lot of time with Coach Harrington every single summer. They both cared about my development as a student-athlete and Joe taught me about the ramifications of my decisions.

Take me through the 1986 postseason:
You made the CAA tourney title game before losing to Navy: could you tell at the time that tourney MVP David Robinson (26 PTS) was going to become a Hall of Famer? I cannot say that I envisioned that. We really felt that we could overcome obstacles and did not think there was any team we could not beat. David was an indomitable force and it was apparent that he was really good. I did not give our opponent his just due: I actually have a video of me dunking on him! He was probably the best center in the country. I actually played in San Antonio in 1988 while he was still completing his military service. He was not a national star at the time because he was unheralded until his junior year when he started dunking every ball/blocking every shot. He could also run like a deer and was a beast in the paint: Coach Barnes recruited him when he was 6’7” but at Navy he grew to 7’.

In the NIT you had a 2-PT win over Lamar before losing to Providence: what are your memories of your NIT run? I remember both games quite well. I was really afraid before the Lamar game because I feared that it might be my last game as a college player. We played them in Beaumont and used that as motivation to make a last-second shot. That Providence team with Coach Rick Pitino/Billy Donovan just shuffled players in and out: they probably had a 10-man rotation and pressed us the whole time.

You still rank in the school’s all-time top-5 with 405 career AST: what is the key to being a good PG? I had to learn that position. My freshman year I was a backup to a good PG (John Niehoff): he could not even touch the bottom of the net but he knew exactly when/where the ball needed to be. He told us to run, he would find me with a pass, and then I would attack the rim for a dunk. I became a starter as a sophomore and learned to have a keen understanding of how to make the players around you better. Brian Miller was a better shooter than I was so I brought that skill set out of him.

In the summer of 1986 you were drafted 52nd overall by Chicago (8 spots ahead of Drazen Petrovic): did you see that as a validation of your college career or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA? It definitely was not the latter. As a kid it was really cool to watch guys like George Gervin/Gus Williams but I did not go to college expecting to get drafted. I was at a camp that day and a camper was the 1 who actually told me that I got drafted! I was super-excited but did not understand that it was the beginning of the odyssey. At the start of my senior year I did not think I was a shoo-in to get drafted, but after graduating and playing in some pre-draft camps against highly-ranked players and proving myself against them I felt that it might happen.

You were still 1 year away from having Phil Jackson/Scottie Pippen join the Bulls: did you have any interaction with a young 3rd-year player named Michael Jordan? I met Michael before I even graduated. I would cut hair to earn a couple of bucks. When Michael was in town to visit a guy I knew named Howard White they called me over and I cut Michael’s hair in Howard’s house in Maryland. Michael at least knew my name but I would not have made an NBA roster without getting to see how hard he worked during practice/in the weight room/etc. It was obvious from the start that he was playing a different game and had a better work ethic than anyone else. When I realized that he showed up earlier than I did, it made me second-guess how badly I wanted to make it.

In the 1988 Western Conference 1st round with San Antonio you were swept by the eventual champion Lakers: what was it like to face the defending champs with legends like Magic Johnson/James Worthy/Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? At 1st I was in awe of their team: they showed up with a different mindset than anyone else. There was some popular movie at the time that required an entire theater to be rented out: it might have been “Colors”. I was there and Byron Scott/Michael Cooper/Magic went as well so I had a chance to see them in a relaxed atmosphere. Once the game started it was weird to face a 6’9” PG like Magic. Kareem was still an effective post player (at age 41) so neither of the 1st 2 games at the Forum were close. I enjoyed being in that setting against those kinds of players. Once the ball is tossed up the butterflies go away…but I knew that we were not going to beat them.

You spent the next several years playing pro basketball in the US/overseas: what was the biggest difference between the NBA vs. other pro basketball leagues? Most NBA players have been reared from an early age to vie for 1-2 spots on a roster. You are busting your tail every day just to be the last man on the bench and nobody wants the coach to think that they are expendable. In Europe many of the guys worked during the day and simply showed up at night for practices/games. Basketball was just something they did rather than who they were. It was much less stressful in Europe: 1 game a week, shorter seasons, and practices at convenient times. In my era everyone wanted to be in the NBA but I decided to go to Europe, make some money, and learn about another country.

You spent several years as a color analyst for your alma mater: how did you like the job? I loved doing color with play-by-play guy Bill Roland. I remember listening to a game while driving in the car and wondering about what was happening during the game. I sat down with Bill and we went through the rehearsal of a game. When I 1st started doing it I would erupt in a screeching voice when something big happened but I later learned to control my emotions. I am a fan of the sport who loved watching Mason’s games and eventually I grew to become a part of it.

When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most? I think my contribution to George Mason was a huge part of where the school is now…although I do not think that many of the students there now would know who I am. To still be among the AST leaders after 30 years is cool but what I enjoyed the most were my teammates who I still remain close with. We reach out to each other and discuss what we are doing in our lives: there is a brotherhood and I was a part of an amazing group of individuals who made the NIT. Without the bricks that we laid I do not think the future success would have been possible.

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Memories of MJ: HoopsHD interviews Fred Huff and Mike Evans about Jack Hartman

Posted on May 17, 2020 by Jon Teitel

When the NCAA tourney got canceled in March we entered a whole new world, which included a sports void the likes of which we have never seen before. The fine folks at ESPN came to the rescue in mid-April with “The Last Dance”, a 10-part miniseries about the 1998 Chicago Bulls and their quest to win a 6th NBA title in an 8-year span before Coach Phil Jackson and most of his star players all went their separate ways. While it has been comforting to spend the past several Sunday nights with behind-the-scenes stories from Steve Kerr/Scottie Pippen/Dennis Rodman, the star of the show as always is Michael Jordan. Even though the documentary concluded on May 17th, HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel has dug through his archives and discovered oodles of unpublished interviews about Jordan’s career, from his early days as the leading scorer for team USA at the 1983 Pan Am Games to a 55-PT playoff performance during Chicago’s final title run in 1998. We begin our trip down memory lane by chatting with former SIU SID Fred Huff and former Kansas State player Mike Evans about Jack Hartman, who passed away in 1998 but was Jordan’s coach when team USA won a gold medal at the 1983 Pan Am Games.

(photo credit: usab.com)

Hartman played basketball/football at Oklahoma A&M where his basketball coach was Hall of Famer Hank Iba (who he later worked for as a grad assistant): which sport was he best at, and what was the most important thing he ever learned from Coach Iba? Fred Huff: Jack only played 1 year of basketball before Iba told him to choose a sport. He chose football and was a decent QB: he later played 1 year in the CFL for Saskatchewan and was named an all-league QB. Mike Evans: Discipline: without a doubt he took a very stern approach to basketball and the way that we did things.

In 1962 as coach at Coffeyville CC his team beat Lon Morris to win the NJCAA national title and finish 32-0 (becoming the 1st unbeaten team to capture the JC national title): how was he able to keep his team focused for every single game that year? ME: He was 1 of the best prepared coaches that I have ever seen, with both his staff and his players. He was a detailed guy who taught us our opponents’ strengths/weaknesses and knew what would work best against them.

In the 1967 NIT title game as coach at Southern Illinois he beat Marquette to clinch the title (Walt Frazier was named MVP with 21 PTS/11 REB): why did he turn down a bid from the NCAA tourney, and what did it mean to him to win a title? FH: SIU was not a D-1 team back then and had lost the NIT title game each of the previous 2 years. They had a great team that year that had a 2-OT loss at Louisville before getting revenge on their home court. Their only other defeat was a 5-PT loss to SMU in El Paso after getting invited to a tournament there by his good friend/former Oklahoma A&M classmate Don Haskins. We had gotten a lot of press due to our past postseason performances: Hartman had the team vote on it and they decided to roll the dice with the NIT. It meant everything to him (as well as to the school) to win the title. The only people who knew about SIU athletics before then were those who knew about our gymnastics program! I spent 2 weeks in New York to beat some drums: it was easy to publicize a small school that ended up winning it all. We had a huge win over St. Peter’s and then every newspaper jumped on our bandwagon. Marquette coach Al McGuire called us the 2nd-best team in the country.

In the 1975 NCAA tourney as coach at Kansas State, Chuckie Williams scored 35 PTS for the Wildcats (including a 20-footer with 5 seconds left in regulation), but Rudy Hackett scored 28 PTS including a left-handed shot at the buzzer in an 8-PT OT win by Syracuse: where does that rank among the most devastating losses of his career? ME: It was a tough loss for all of us but we were in rebuilding mode. It was devastating but it was still a great accomplishment to make the regional final after losing guys like Lon Kruger/Dean Harris.

What are your memories of the 1976 NIT (James Lee had 20 PTS/12 REB in a 3-PT win by eventual champion Kentucky)? ME: We had a really good 1st half but they made an adjustment in the 2nd half to get the ball to their big men in the middle and we did not have anyone who could handle their size.

In the 1977 NCAA tourney Butch Lee scored 26 PTS in a 1-PT win by eventual champion Marquette: how angry did Coach Al McGuire get after getting called for a technical foul in the 2nd half after an official thought that a choking signal McGuire gave to his team was directed at the official? ME: I do not remember that incident but I think that game was the most devastating loss. We had a lead late and a chance to win but there were a lot of questionable calls down the stretch. We should have had a 3-PT play at the end but did not get the continuation call from the refs.

That summer he signed a 5-year contract to coach his alma mater but then changed his mind 1 day later: why did he 1st sign the contract, and what made him change his mind? ME: Everybody has a dream job and at the time I think that he wanted to coach at Oklahoma State where his mentor (Coach Iba) had taught him the game. He just had some 2nd thoughts about it and decided to come back to Kansas State.

What are your memories of the 1980 NCAA tourney (Tony Branch scored his only 2 PTS of the game on a 15-foot jumper that bounced several times before going in with 1 seconds left in a 2-PT OT win by Louisville)? ME: It was just another example of great coaching by Jack. He accumulated some really good talent because he was a great recruiter. He may not have had the most talented teams but he always got the best out of what he had.

In 1981 he was named national COY: what did it mean to him to win such an outstanding honor? ME: Anytime you can accomplish something like that it is special. He devised his offense to fit what we did best from year to year and deserved that honor many times over.

In the 1981 NCAA tourney Rolando Blackman scored 14 PTS including a 16-footer with 2 seconds left in a 2-PT win over #1-seed Oregon State: where does that rank among the greatest wins in school history? ME: It is probably 1 of the greatest! Rolando was an incredible player and Jack knew to put the ball in his hands and what play to run in the crucial moment.

At the 1983 Pan Am Games he helped lead team USA to a gold medal as head coach: what did it mean to him to win a gold medal, and could he tell at the time that his leading scorer (Michael Jordan) was going to become a superstar? ME: That is just who Jack was: a winner. I am sure that he realized Jordan’s potential even back then but he was not a big talker.

His former player/assistant Kruger took over for him after he retired in 1986: when people look back on Jack’s career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? FH: As the greatest basketball coach in SIU history. When he 1st got to campus they played in a 1600-seat gymnasium. When the school announced its all-century team Hartman was 1 of the 4 coaches selected. ME: As 1 of the best coaches in the history of college basketball. He accomplished so much and is a Hall of Famer in my mind.

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2020 Draft Preview: HoopsHD interviews Montana State prospect Harald Frey

Posted on May 5, 2020 by Jon Teitel

On May 1st the NBA’s Board of Governors voted to postpone the Draft Lottery and Draft Combine in Chicago due to an abundance of caution regarding the coronavirus pandemic. The Board has not announced whether the NBA Draft will take place as scheduled on June 25th or if will be pushed back to a later date, but at least there is a precedent after the NFL held its own virtual draft in April. In addition to all of the seniors who have wrapped up their college careers, the deadline for underclassmen/international players to declare themselves eligible for the draft was in late-April and more than 200 of them (163 college undergrads/42 international players) filed as early-entry candidates. We will spend the upcoming months interviewing as many members of the 2020 draft class as possible. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel continues our coverage by chatting with Montana State prospect Harald Frey about being captain of the Norwegian national team and what it would mean to him to get drafted.

You were born in Norway: how did you 1st get into basketball, and what made you choose Montana State? I got into basketball through my parents. They were both basketball players and my first coaches. They created a team with the guys I went to school with when I was about 8 years old and I have loved basketball ever since. I did not really know a lot about the state of Montana or Montana State before I came here. They brought me out on a visit and right away I felt how much the community embraced/loved their Bobcat athletic teams. I really liked the team and could see myself fitting in really well in the community. I committed 1 week after my visit and have been happy with the decision!

In 2017 you scored 13 PPG and were named conference ROY: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? I was lucky enough to come into a situation where the starting point guard (Marcus Colbert) was graduating so I knew that there was a huge void that needed to be filled after him. I knew I would at least have a chance to play since no one coming back had a lot of playing time at the point guard position. My teammates and coaching staff helped me out a lot in adjusting to the culture, brand of basketball, and everything else. I also think that playing in the Men’s league back home since I was 15 years old helped. I got to compete against the best players in the country and some really good American players who were playing abroad. I believe that prepared me well to come in and contribute.

You finished that season by scoring 19 PTS in a 4-PT 3-OT loss to Southern Utah in the conference tourney (Randy Onwuasor had 43 PTS/6 STL in 53 minutes): where does that rank among the most devastating losses of your career, and how exhausted were you after playing 48 minutes before fouling out? That was for sure one of the tougher losses I have experienced. We were playing really good basketball leading up to the conference tournament and thought we had a good tournament run in us. Unfortunately, we could not make the necessary plays down the stretch to pull out the win. It was definitively exhausting since the game lasted as long as it did. I did not really feel the fatigue that much until after the game: when you are in the moment of such an important game you are so invested/focused on the game and task at hand.

In the 2018 All-European Championship for Small Countries title game you lost to Malta: what was it like to face the 3rd-tallest active basketball player in the world (7’6” MVP Samuel Deguara, who finished with 24 PTS/14 REB)? It was a fun experience playing in San Marino. It was the first time that Norway had a Senior Men’s National team playing in years and it was also my debut on the team, which was a big moment and an honor for me. We ended up losing the championship game against a good team but it was still a good first step back onto the competitive scene for Norway and I am excited to see where we can go in the future! Playing against such a big/good player was a cool experience. He is a really good player and impacted the game right away when he was on the court.

Last summer as team captain for the Norwegian national team you were the team’s leading scorer at the 2019 Summer Universiade: what is the key to being a good leader? I think it is important to create relationships with all of your teammates so there is mutual respect and you have to know how to talk to certain people in certain ways. Not everyone can be talked to in the same manner: some you have to yell at while others you have to speak with in private. Knowing your teammates is essential in order to lead properly in my mind. It is also important to take care of your own responsibilities: leading by example makes it easier to gain the trust of the ones around you.

Last November you scored 14 PTS and banked in a buzzer-beater from past half court to clinch a 1-PT win at UNC-Greensboro: did you think the shot was going in, and where does that rank among the highlights of your career? That shot is definitively up there as 1 of the favorite moments in my career so far. We played a really good team in UNCG at their place and I do not think a lot of people gave us any shot at winning the game. We played well the whole game, which gave us a chance at the end. Their PG made a terrific play in the final seconds to give them the lead. I saw there were about 3 1/2 seconds left on the clock so I figured I would only have around 3 dribbles. I wanted to get up the court and get a clear shot at the rim and then just give it a chance. It felt good leaving my hand and after that I just remember the excitement with my teammates. It was an amazing night that I will not soon forget.

You finished the year by leading the conference with 87.4 FT%: what is the secret to making FTs? I think it starts with repetition: putting in a lot of work on your free throws and getting reps in every day. You will not get good at shooting free throws without spending time working on it. Second, I think there is a huge mental aspect to shooting free throws. Having confidence and the ability to block out distractions is key.

Last March you were named to the All-Big Sky 1st-Team: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It was exciting and I think it shows that the work I have put in over the years is paying off. I would not have been able to do it without my teammates helping me knock down shots and get the looks I needed to be successful. I wish we had a conference tournament because the award does not really mean anything in my mind compared to the conference championship and winning games, which is what I had my mind set for.

You set school records for games played/started with 127 and finished your career in the top-3 in school history with 1890 career PTS/514 career AST: do you think that anyone will ever break your records, and what is the secret to being a good PG? I have never really focused on records but am proud of what I was able to accomplish during my time at MSU. Records are made to be broken so I certainly hope there will be some talented players to come along at Montana State who can build on what my teammates and I started and take the program to new heights! Being a good point guard is a little like being a good leader: it starts with knowing your teammates and figuring out how to get the best out of them in order to win. You have to find the balance between scoring points yourself and finding your teammates. Sometimes it might be required that you score more, while other times you just need to facilitate. It all comes down to understanding the game and figuring out what your team needs.

What is the post-college plan, and what would it mean to you to get drafted? I have signed with an agency (Dynamics Global Management) and am excited about pursuing a career as a professional basketball player.  It is something that has been a dream of mine since I was a little boy. With the the whole COVID-19 pandemic going on there is a lot of uncertainty when it comes to professional basketball, as well as the rest of the world. For the time being I am just trying to work out, get better, and stay ready for a chance. As far as being drafted, it would of course be a huge honor but it is not something I put too much thought into. I know what I can do as a basketball player and am confident in my abilities. If I do not get drafted I will just keep working and pursue the dream I have of playing at the highest level possible. I am super-excited about what the future holds, and hopefully we can get past this whole situation in a safe manner soon and get back to work!

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2020 Draft Preview: HoopsHD interviews Georgetown prospect Mac McClung

Posted on May 2, 2020 by Jon Teitel

On May 1st the NBA’s Board of Governors voted to postpone the Draft Lottery and Draft Combine in Chicago due to an abundance of caution regarding the coronavirus pandemic. The Board has not announced whether the NBA Draft will take place as scheduled on June 25th or if will be pushed back to a later date, but at least there is a precedent after the NFL held its own virtual draft in April. In addition to all of the seniors who have wrapped up their college careers, the deadline for underclassmen/international players to declare themselves eligible for the draft was in late-April and more than 200 of them (163 college undergrads/42 international players) filed as early-entry candidates. We will spend the upcoming months interviewing as many members of the 2020 draft class as possible. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel commences our coverage by chatting with Georgetown prospect Mac McClung about being a great scorer and what it would mean to him to get drafted.

You gained a lot of notoriety as a high school player due to your dunking ability: how much of an advantage is your athleticism on the court? It is a big advantage. It helped me get my foot in the door but I still need to improve some other parts of my game.

As a senior at Gate City High School you broke Allen Iverson’s Virginia single-season scoring record with 38.4 PPG: what is the secret to being a great scorer? Practice. You can tell when scorers are comfortable on the court and it is mainly due to their work ethic.

In the 2018 state title game you broke JJ Redick’s state title game scoring record with 47 PTS/15-21 FG in a win over Lee High School to clinch the 1st state title in school history: what did it mean to you to win a title, and how were you able to play your best when it mattered the most? It meant everything to me and to be the 1st in our school’s history was very special. I was not focused on the outside noise or my legacy: I just wanted to win the game with my teammates.

In 2017 you decommitted from Rutgers and signed with Georgetown: what made you choose the Hoyas? Coach Patrick Ewing and the opportunity that Georgetown provided me. I liked the campus/people as well as Coach Ewing’s vision/winning attitude.

What makes Ewing such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him? He is never satisfied and neither am I. If we get back to campus from a big game and I put up 30 PTS he will still show up at practice the next day demanding more out of me as if I had gone scoreless the night before.

You started 29 games as a freshman and made the Big East All-Rookie team after scoring 13.1 PPG: how were you able to make such a smooth transition from high school to college? It was not easy and there were a lot of eyes on me. I was playing off the ball a lot but I worked hard and watched a lot of film to find a comfortable place within our system while competing every day.

In the 2019 NIT you scored 10 PTS in a 3-PT loss to Harvard: where does that rank among the most devastating losses of your career? I do not know where it ranks but it showed that we still had to grow as a team. Even though it was not the NCAA tourney it still mattered: a real competitor competes no matter what the game is.

Your father Marcus played football at Virginia Tech, your sister Anna finished her high school soccer career as the with the most goals in state history, your uncle Seth played pro baseball, and your cousins Correne/Colette Bredin both played pro hockey: who is the best athlete in the family? I do not know: I think it is yet to be determined. It is hard to beat my cousin Correne making the Canadian Olympic team: that is a top-notch thing!

You signed with an agent while testing out the draft process: what is the biggest factor in your decision whether to stay in the draft, and what would it mean to you to get drafted? It would be a dream come true. We are sitting down with teams to hear their feedback/get their advice and then we will go from there. Hopefully I can work out in front of them soon once the pandemic dies down but for now it is all done online.

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From NFL draft to college basketball coach: HoopsHD interviews former Bethune–Cookman coach Cy McClairen

Posted on April 26, 2020 by Jon Teitel

There were not a ton of 2-sport athletes selected during this week’s NFL draft but there is a long history of NFL players who also found success on the college basketball court: Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez, Jimmy Graham, etc. 1 of the earliest was Cy McClairen, who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1953 and spent 6 years as a wide receiver including a spot in the 1958 Pro Bowl. After retiring from the NFL he returned to his alma mater of Bethune–Cookman where he spent more than 3 decades coaching the basketball team. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach McClairen about getting drafted by the Steelers and becoming the the winningest coach in school history.

You played football/basketball/track at Bethune-Cookman: which sport were you best at, and which 1 did you enjoy the most? I enjoyed football/basketball. I did not particularly like track but the coach needed a distance thrower. I was best at football: I played tight end.

In 1953 you teamed up with future Hall of Fame coach John Chaney to lead the Wildcats to a 24-2 record and a SIAC title: how good a player was Chaney back in the day, and could you tell at the time that he would become a great coach? We had a fair-to-middling team until Chaney arrived: he revolutionized our program along with several other guys he brought with him. We started practicing more and we got to be pretty good. He was a bit of a ball-hog as a player but he recommended a lot of players from New Jersey/Philadelphia to come play for me.

In January of 1953 you were drafted in the 26th round by the Pittsburgh Steelers: did you see that as a validation of your college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NFL, or other? When they told me that I was drafted I did not understand it: if I had a choice I wish I could have gone to the Rams due to the nice weather in LA! They told me that it did not matter because I would get to travel to some warm-weather cities for road games. We did not have any weight training back then but they told me that if I worked on my endurance then I could end up as a good player.

You served 2 years in the Army before joining the NFL: what impact did your service have on you either on or off the court? It really helped me make the Steelers. In college we just ran simple numerical pass plays but in the Army I learned about complex pass patterns from guys who had played football all over the country. Once I was able to speak the language I knew where to go.

In 1957 you finished 3rd in the league in receptions and were named to the Pro Bowl as a tight end: how good a player were you, and why didn’t they get you the ball more during the rest of you career? I had to wait my turn because they already had some good receivers ahead of me and only had 3-4 African-Americans on the entire team. I barely caught any passes as a rookie because they only threw to the superstars but later on they saw that I could catch the ball/block so they let me get a lot more involved in the offense. The year after the Pro Bowl I started to have knee problems because I would get hit low a lot, so after a couple of knee operations I figured that I might as well get a job elsewhere and go to work.

In 1961 you became basketball coach at your alma mater: why did you take the job? The school president was my high school principal so I went back to campus to thank him for allowing me to get my degree. I found out that the former head coach had a heart attack and then they ended up hiring me.

What are your memories of the 1966 NAIA tourney (a 3-PT loss to Carroll)? It was a unique experience: we played them at 9AM in Kansas City! It was a tight game and the officiating seemed a bit funny to me. I had never coached that early before in my life.

In 1989 you were named MEAC COY: what did it mean to you to win such an outstanding honor? I thought that it was super-duper! I had worked very hard to get there but had no idea I would win it. I was actually named COY for both basketball and football, which was nice.

You remain the winningest coach in school history: what made you such a great coach, and do you think that anyone will ever break your record? It is tough now because they will fire you if you are not doing well. I had to run several different administrative positions without any experience and after doing it for a while I just got tired and recommended that someone else coach football while I remained the basketball coach.

When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most? I was a hard-working guy and did most of my own recruiting. I am glad to still be here.

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