Catching Up With Mac Macdonald '21

One day when Mac Macdonald reflects upon his basketball life, he’ll no doubt consider the night of Dec. 21, 2022, among his many golden memories.
That was the occasion that the 2021 Collegiate graduate came to Richmond with his U.S. Naval Academy teammates to play Virginia Commonwealth University at the Siegel Center.
 
As Navy, a mid-major Patriot League affiliate, made an early run on the Rams, Macdonald, a 6-1, 180-pound guard, came off the bench and hit a quick 3-pointer, then another, then another.
 
Though VCU, a member of the high-profile Atlantic-10, prevailed 74-52, it was a breakthrough game for Macdonald. Playing in his hometown before a large assemblage of family and friends, he scored 14 points (equaling his career high against Lipscomb earlier in the season) in 27 minutes on 5-of-7 shooting (including 4-of-5 from behind the arc). He also collected a rebound and dealt two assists.
 
“The VCU game just felt different,” he said. “They have A-10 level talent. [VCU] Coach Mike Rhoades was really helpful to me in high school with my development and being honest about where I was as a basketball player.  And being in my hometown, I had a huge crowd everywhere I looked. It was a surreal experience. Being able to play well was just unreal. I wish we had won, but credit to VCU. They’re a really good team.”
 
At Collegiate, Macdonald came into his own as a junior in 2019-2020. He led the Prep League in scoring (21.9 points per game), averaged 6.6 rebounds, surpassed 30 points six times, and earned first-team All-Prep League and second team All-Metro honors. He had 737 career points with a season remaining and seemed well on his way to 1,000-plus before COVID restrictions limited the Cougars to practices and one late-season competition.
 
As a freshman at Navy, he played in nine games, logged 36 total minutes, averaged 1.1 points, and turned the ball over just three times. This season, he’s part of the regular rotation and averages 10.9 minutes and 4.2 points per game. He’s connected on 20 of 38 attempts from behind the arc and is 6-for-6 from the free throw line. He’s also grabbed 16 rebounds and dealt 15 assists for the Midshipmen, who evened their record at 10-10 with a 77-71 victory over Army on Saturday at West Point.
 
One day recently during a break between classes in Annapolis, Macdonald, an operations research major with sights set on Naval aviation, spoke of the journey that’s taken him from the playgrounds of Richmond through the Collegiate program and high-level travel ball to the Division I level.
 
Speak about your recruiting, especially when COVID took your senior year.
I was being recruited by a good number of schools. Got my first offer from Mt. St. Mary’s. Everything was looking really good. I went into the [spring 2020] AAU season with a little bit of hype. Then in March, everything shut down. I was only able to communicate with coaches via phone calls and Zoom. I only had film out there. Nothing was live. When everything happened, I was really upset. Then I was fortunate to get offers from VMI, Army, Navy, and Citadel, which is more than a lot of people my age were getting. It worked out perfectly. Everything was meant to be.  Now here I am, two years and loving it.
 
What did you learn about yourself during your senior year?
That nothing’s ever promised. The things you learn don’t come through in games. It’s hard work that sticks with you forever. I remember how I pushed myself but couldn’t play in front of a crowd and how happy I was that I found motivation even though there was nothing external motivating me. That’s something I’ll always be proud of.
 
Talk about your academic preparation for the Naval Academy.
It was definitely a challenge just getting acclimated. Going into Plebe Summer and then right into school where I’m taking 18 credits and trying to find my way through basketball was wild. It was a tough time, but I was able to get through it and have a good GPA. The time management I learned at Collegiate really bled through to the Naval Academy, and I was able to get through my freshman year a lot better because of it.
 
And your physical preparation? 
I was really well prepared. Plebe Summer was physically demanding. No one can do it perfectly, but I was really happy with how I was able to put out during that six-week period. Conditioning was one thing I was really good at coming into basketball. I was able to show the coaches that I could get up and down the court. I think that was a huge reason I got on their radar.
 
How have you improved as a player. What are you still working on?
I’ve gotten better at keeping things simple. Being around high-level guys makes you realize you don’t have to do nearly as much. I’ve just focused on being the best shooter I can be. My defense was the big question mark coming into college. I’ve gotten so much better on defense, but it’s also the thing I’m continuing to work on the most.
 
What have you learned about yourself so far at Navy? 
Honestly, what’s been most impactful for me is realizing that basketball is just a game. What I’m doing here and what I’m going to be doing in two-and-a-half years are so much more important than basketball. It’s made me realize how awesome it is to play basketball and how freeing it is to have this game in your life, to go out and not think about anything else, and thankfully be good at it. You work hard, but at the end of the day, it’s a game. It’s supposed to be fun. I don’t have much more time in it, so I’m thankful for all the little moments I have left.
  
What would you tell a kid interested in playing college sports, especially at a service academy?
I’d tell him it’s possible. When I was their age, no one would have looked at me and thought I’d play Division I sports. I look at myself and see a little ol’ chubby 6th grader. I also see is a kid who loved the game and was willing to put the time into it. With the right amount of time and work, it is possible. As cliché as it sounds, you can do anything you put your mind to.
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