By Achilleas Mavrodontis/ info@eurohoops.net
Olympiacos wing Shaq McKissic is a warrior on the floor and perhaps a bigger warrior of life, so he has every right to call himself like that. There’s no better word perhaps to describe someone who went from being homeless and doing time in prison to becoming a professional basketball player who is currently preparing to fight for the EuroLeague championship in the upcoming Final Four.
“High school dropout, college dropout. I didn’t like school I guess. Sleeping in the car. Being homeless. I lived this. To see the success I have now, with my beautiful family. My wife, my son. For me, it’s a dream come true you know. I feel like I’m a warrior,” McKissic told Eurohoops.
McKissic had faith that things will get better while he was coping with his struggles as a youngster but some others didn’t believe much in him. Like a judge who told him “See you soon” back in the day.
“I’m waiting to retire to actually have the energy to go back and find him and send him a postcard or follow him on Instagram or something. It didn’t matter. I believe. That’s all it took,” Mc Kissic said.
But all these are a part of the past. McKissic’s focus right now is winning the EuroLeague with Olympiacos.
“I wouldn’t say I’m anxious, but I’m thinking about it a lot. I just wanted it to be here already,” McKissic said. “It’s weird to finally accomplish something. Especially in a year where we didn’t have the expectations for the Final Four. I just knew the group of guys that we had [and] it seemed possible.”