The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdosett@tribunemedia.net

MIKHAIL McLean has made the transition from the court to the bench as a member of the Houston Cougars’ coaching staff.

His career journey was recently highlighted by Dezmond Ewell and AT&T Sportsnet’s Houston Basketball Central TV.

McLean, now the assistant director of player personnel for the Cougars men’s basketball programme, detailed his experience in his new position.

“It has been a great experience for me, I loved it tremendously, I built a lot of people in my connection, my network in being here, the programme was on the up and up we had a lot of great recruits and great wins. We didn’t excel the way we wanted to put, just kind of putting down the foundation, coach Sampson came and he just built it up from there,” he said.

On the court injuries hampered his production as a player, while off the court his accolades have been numerous, including being named to the American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team and winning the Conference USA Winter Spirit of Service Award for community service.

In his final season McLean appeared in 28 games with 16 starts. He averaged 2.6 points and 1.8 rebounds per game before suffering a broken foot numerous times. A former St John’s College Giant, he graduated early with a major in health and a minor in human and developmental consumer science and merchandising.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in three years, he enrolled in graduate school.

In his sophomore season, McLean competed in the first five games of the season but was lost for the remainder of the year after being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right foot in early December. He received a medical redshirt for the year.

He received the Conference USA Winter Spirit of Service Award for community service in 2013.The award is doled out to “recognise the community service efforts of the league’s student-athletes, based upon significant community service, good academic standing and participation in their elected sport.”

Despite the injury setbacks, McLean said it allowed him to develop an early start in the coaching game.

“I kind of never had a best season, because whenever I played my best basketball I always had an injury. My sophomore year I had three good games and I broke my hand, my junior year I had a good stretch of games and I broke my foot then my senior year I broke my foot three times so I can’t really say I had a great season,” he said.

“My senior season when I broke my foot the last time I was out for about 11 games of the season, I was on the bench and I kind of became a coach at that point because I couldn’t do anything in practice so I just spent a lot of time learning the game. I would watch film and I would just help coach Sampson coach on the sidelines and I just kind of fell in love with it. When he offered me the opportunity I knew it would be a great one but I didn’t think I would take it this far. Three years in, I’m still learning and it’s just a blessing.”

As for his future on the sidelines, McLean, who first came to Houston through the Frank Rutherford Development programme and matriculated to Second Baptist, said he continues to use his advantages as a youthful member of the staff but remains a student of the game looking forward to new challenges.

“They can relate to me more...When they’re in the heat of the moment, calming them down, always being like a big brother with that connection,” he said.

“I watch Brad Stevens a lot with the Celtics, he’s a great young coach and a great mentor to have, I’d love to learn from him.”