J Mac - A Hoop Dream
This is the story of Jason McElwain by ESPN - who produced the best piece on this amazing story
What we all want in life is a shot, but what we do with it. That’s the story we all want to tell. I’ve coached for 25 years, and I’ve never experienced that really emotional high on what happened. What happened for Jason McElwain or J Mac as his friends calling is about more than a shot. Diagnosed with autism at 2 years old, now identified as highly functioning. He’s never considered himself different or separated, especially when it comes to sports.
Sports’s always been, how can I say, his equalizer, he’s just like any other kids out there. It’s not a really big deal at all. I’m just normal like other people. That’s way I am. At 5 foot six (inches), J Mac didn’t make the junior varsity basketball team at his high school, Greece Athena near Rochester, New York. Instead, he became team manager a role he now has for the varsity as a senior, and the last three years in a white shirt and black tie, he’s missed only one game.
varsity basketball team : the principal (or representative) athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other ...
e.g. I made a varsity swim team for my high school, but had to drop out because of study.
Due on practice I set up the clock and get the water in the games and be enthusiastic. As the season is wrapping up, Coach Johnson approached Jason with an idea about the Trojan’s final home game of the season. I said, you know I’m really gonna try to get you in the game, but remember I can’t promise you that. And he said, OK coach!
February 15 (2006), Greece Athena against Spencer Port, Senior Night, with word out that Jason might play, the student section printed signs of J Mac’s face just in case and with 4:19 left in the game with the Trojans up by 20, coach called down to the end of the bench for No. 52.
I was just kinda trying to point him, and he was almost running out to the court. He was so excited. Hey, J, you gotta check in, so hits the buzzer, and he doesn’t go anywhere. I said, now you go in the court. He was so caught up in the moment.
caught up : having become involved involuntarily; "caught up in the excitement of the crowd"; "caught up in the scandal" e.g. That was not me, but an action caught up in the moment.
He came in the came all students stood up and put the signs, pictures of him and I got really emotional. And I said all right it’s starting correct. With 3:46 left, Jason got the ball. When he missed that first three (pointer shot), Oh~ and then air ball, like, Man, I really did want to see him score one time. Then put my haead on my hands, “Dear God, please just got him a basket (point)!”
Then, with 3:12 left, another chance, that third trip down to court, magic! First two of my first shots just got shoot and I was hot, I was a pistol. Shot after shot after shot, kept going in. The basket was like a big huge juice bucket, and I shot them like free throws. There’s like a big huge bucket… huge. Sounds like, Oh my God, here is really happening? He’s like more points than me, so these bragging over me. He was unstoppable at the moment in time. He was unstoppable.
When it comes down the court, right into the end with like three seconds left, he kept these one you know probably like an NBA three. As soon as it got the end, they storm to the court. I couldn’t, you know, just like a dream, anything like that. Probably like we won a championship, everyone’s just so happy for me.
In that 4 minutes 19 seconds, Jason was 7 for 13, 6 of ten from three-point range, 20 points in all! In the end, Jason McElwain was the game’s highest scorer. True emotion, incredible moment that I’ve ever had in coaching I was so touched and it was just so special to me that a young man, his dream came true. And I could help him to finish it.
What we all want in life is a shot. J Mac took his and now it’s a story we can all tell.
Could it sound like a story for Hollywood? You’d be right Kel McElwain, his parents, have been heard from some 25 movie production companies ranging from Walt Disney Company, ESPN’s parent company, to Werner Brothers and independent film makers. As with the Greece Athena’s point, the story doesn’t end. Tonight the team wins semi-finals sectional game, J Mac with them all the way, back in that white shirt and black tie, and adding up water bottles, encouragement and of course inspiration.