Coming from Brown in the Ivy League, what do you say to critics that say you can't consistently win without athletic scholarships and high academic standards?
Well, being a mid-major program it's tough enough to compete against BCS schools who obviously attract top-notch talent out of high school. Yes, not having scholarships along with the challenges of the academic index make it harder for Ivy League coaches to get the players they want and need. However, it's not impossible as Cornell proved this past year and others such as Princeton and Penn have proved in the past. In my career at Brown we beat Northwestern and Providence, not because we were more talented or athletic, but because we were extremely disciplined, team oriented and skilled. For any Ivy League team to compete these components need to be present. This past year, Cornell had all of those traits and were extra special because they had some exceptional basketball players as well.
How much more difficult do you believe it is to attend an Ivy League institution and be a student athlete than it would be in the BCS conferences?
sometimes when after playing 30+ minutes and taking a 4 hour bus ride to the next school your legs don't make the trip with you. Then again playing in the Ivy League we don't have the pressure of earning a scholarship every year.
I imagine the intensity of our academics is higher that a lot of schools but then again there are some great academic BCS schools. In my experience college was what you made of it. I will tell you a lot of Freshman basketball players came into Brown looking to study pre-med or engineering and all the veterans let them know early it's just a matter of time before they chose academics over basketball or switched to a more manageable major and continued to play. There just isn't enough time.
What were a couple of your favorite memories while playing at Brown?
My favorite memories were just being with my teammates on and off the court. I have some really great friends that I made while playing at Brown, especially from the team during my senior year when we set the school record for wins. We are still in touch and about 10 of us talk everyday in a BBM group. It keeps my days over here interesting, especially when the group is filled with guys doing so many different things. Some are in college, law school, business school, on Wall St., and we have 3 guys currently playing overseas.
It's pretty cool because I think any of us could be in the other shoes so it's like we are all experiencing it together. My favorite basketball memory had to be during my sophomore year when we celebrated the 100th year of Brown Basketball during a game vs. Yale. We won in front of a full house packed with Brown basketball players from different decades. Afterward, we had a huge banquet to celebrate the 100 years and the win over one of our rivals. It was a pretty special event.
What arena did you enjoy visiting?
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| Mark MacDonald (55) receiving a pass and attempting a shot at the 2010 Pro Player Video Exposure Camp |
How has your game translated to the process of playing in exposure camps and ultimately professionally in Germany?
Exposure camps are always a stretch for my game. Being a big man you have to hope you get placed with some guards who understand and want to play team basketball, not just try to make a name for himself by breaking someone down off the dribble or showing their range. On top of that, I don't have an off the charts verticle so I'm not going to open any eyes jumping out of the gym. I just try to play hard, hit the boards and hit the shots that are given to me. I really like the European game and my game translates well. I'm most comfortable facing up and running a lot of pick and rolls makes that easy to do.Describe your emotions when you were offered a roster spot with Recklinghausen. Where were you when you heard?
It was great, I didn't believe that it finally came true. Basketball has been a long uncertain path for me as of late, but since playing with the New York Athletic Club in the New York City summer circuit I knew I'd want to get back in. Getting the chance to play with and against pros from the NBA and various European leagues reminded me that I have a talent and not to give up on it before I was really comfortable letting go. I want to play for as long as I can now! I'm not really sure where I was but I was sitting on some other potential
offers when it came in. After those fell through I was at home in Lexington, Mass with my Dad and girlfriend when I told them I was headed to Germany to play pro ball.
Besides success on the court, how have you taken to the German culture and what are some of the things you hope to do off the court?
It's a process for sure but it gets easier every day. The language is pretty tough since it's not a romance language. I've studied French and Italian and picked those up a lot quicker. The people here are great, very straight forward - there isn't much BS in Germany. I hope to travel a lot. Go to Munich, Berlin, Rotterdam and Amsterdam. After the season I hope to spend some quality time on some Mediterranean beaches. I'm going to take it one step at a time though.
What kind of advice would you give players who are having a hard time finding a place to play? How much of it is networking and marketing yourself?
Just keep at it and be patient. Video is king. You need good tape and good people working for you. Talk to guys you know who are playing or have played overseas. Ask them to introduce you to people they found helpful. Don't be shy and ask a lot of questions. Even if you have an agent reach out to teams yourself, maybe you'll get lucky.
What are the strengths of your game, and what do you strive to work on?
How important is it to have an agent and solid game tape readily available for teams to view?
The more agents the better but game tape is the most important, it's the only way most of these teams can take a look at you. I am constantly working on my tape making both highlights and picking out stretches of game tape where I really showcase what I can do.
Who are some people that you would attribute your success to?
never missed a basketball game. He is a special person and one of my role models.
My coaches over the years. My high school coach Bob Farias taught me how to be tough and how to win, he unknowingly shifted my focus from baseball to basketball which in heinsight was absolutely the right move. My first college coach Glenn Miller gave me the chance to play at Brown and really brought my sklls to the next level. Finally, my second college coach Craig Robinson challenged me to, most importantly, be more cerebrial. He taught me so many things I can't tell you all of them here because it would take up your whole blog but I owe a lot of who I am today to him.
I always appreciate all of my friends and family who helped me over the years in different ways, a lot without even knowing it. They mean the world to me. Finally, my girlfriend Natalie who really supported me and encouraged me to give basketball another go. Hopefully it pays off.
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