It has been a whirlwind 12 months for Maceo Jack, who has gone from a timely mid-season signing to a vital leader for the Cheshire Phoenix in what has been a successful season so far for captain and club.
On October 18 2022, 6’5” Buffalo native Jack joined the Nix Nation, and with Head Coach Ben Thomas’ eye for identifying a standout rookie, people took notice of the British Basketball League debutant.
Since then, Jack hasn’t given fans much of
a chance to take their eyes off him, and in a superb second season for player
and team, the 25-year-old sat down to discuss the secrets to the Phoenix’s
success this term.
“The one thing you can put our success so
far down to is our unselfishness,” Jack said.
“You can see with our team how many
different guys have been Player of the Game – probably more than any other team
– because we don’t care who gets hot or whose turn it is to take the lead. We
just want to elevate each other and win.
“That attitude just fuels everything we do
on the floor. You can go into it in as much detail as you want and talk about
the three-point shooting or the tempo we play at or our size, but none of that
is anywhere near as effective if we aren’t unselfish as a group.
“We’ve had a lot of praise individually and collectively for the way we’ve started the season, and that is really nice to see, but what matters to us most is the bond we have with each other. If we’re doing what the coaches expect of us, and how that is helping us towards our goals – anything beyond that is just icing on the cake.”
A rewarding
rebuild
Jack was the only member of last year’s
Phoenix starting five to return to the team, as the majority of the roster
including Amorie Archibald, Jamell Anderson, Larry Austin Jr. and Marcus Evans,
Tahjai Teague and Will Neighbour all moved on to pastures new.
Elevated to captain’s status over the
summer, Jack was joined by fellow returners and fan favourites David Ulph and
Jack Hudson. But from there on in, the roster was composed mainly of players
who hadn’t sampled the British Basketball League previously, so the Phoenix
were an unknown quantity to many at the beginning of the 2023/24 campaign.
Sitting pretty at second place in the Championship at this stage and an 11-5 record only bettered by the London Lions, it’s fair to say the Phoenix have defied the expectations of most, but Jack detailed how early in the season he sensed that this team could achieve something special this campaign.
“We knew fairly early what potential we had as a team, and I think the first month was a big indicator of that. Coming out in game one and winning the way we did on the road (against Leicester by 24 points) was a perfect start, but then to lose a close game at home the following week was tough.
“It was our response to that loss which certainly showed me our capabilities, though, as we went on the road to Newcastle – who are a very strong team this year – and we beat them on their home floor to bounce back. I don’t think there is a much bigger sign of a team’s character than winning under those circumstances.
“It is a new group – we only have three
returners from last year – but from the beginning of pre-season I’ve had a lot
of confidence in us, and I know we all feel the same about each other. Only
time will tell how successful we can really be this season, but our ceiling is
high and I’m excited to see how our form so far can help the team evolve moving
forward.
The perfect
mentor for Maceo
If you read the headline and you’re still wondering who the legendary coach is that the Cheshire Phoenix captain could rely on for guidance throughout his upbringing, it is none other than his mother – Felisha Legette-Jack – who has one of the most notable NCAA playing and coaching careers you could imagine.
Currently the Head Coach of Syracuse
University’s Women’s Basketball Program, Legette-Jack has coached three
different Division One programs to 13 winning seasons, taking the likes of Buffalo
to four NCAA Tournaments and the Sweet Sixteen. That’s on top of an epic
playing career for Syracuse as well, where she still ranks in the top-10 of
their career scoring and rebounding lists more than 30 years after playing
there.
Jack’s father, David, is also a renowned
volleyball coach, so it seemed inevitable that Maceo would pursue sports. But
incredibly, he didn’t start playing basketball until he was 12 years old –
which by US standards is pretty late. The 25-year-old discussed what eventually
convinced him to lace up his sneakers:
“I remember a friend of my dad’s having a
team and wanting me to try out playing at around 12 years old. In my first
practice, I hit a couple of shots and had that feeling of excitement and a
little buzz around the game that I hadn’t had before, so I just took it from
there and never looked back.
“Although my mum has this incredible
history in the game as a player and a coach, looking back on it now, I really
appreciate the balance she was able to find between being a parent and a
basketball mentor for me. She never interfered with other coaches, she let me
grow how I needed to with their guidance but was always there if I needed
support.
“I think a lot of kids playing sports feel for whatever reason that there is pressure on them from their peers or elders, but my mum did such a good job of not being that way and being supportive all the time. Although she was always ready to give me guidance when I asked for or needed it. It’s amazing that she can watch me from home now on the YES Network, which we get in Buffalo, and I think the exposure we’re getting in the US is really exciting.”
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