by Reeve Cononi 09-05-2008 02:00 AM
Hugh "Baby Shack" Jones has become one of the most prolific athletes on the And 1 Mixtape Tour. While I was aboard my plane in flight to Chicago, I realized there would not be a more appropriate time to write about a high flyer like Baby Shack. He is man blessed with a 50-inch vertical jump, and when he takes off, it is best that you do not jump with him because he is crash landing on the rim.
I asked him what kind of training or workouts led to such immense “hops”? His reply was, “It’s natural or god given.”
Hugh Jones’s game is not limited only to streetball. He attended Spingarn Senior High School in D.C. and joined the basketball team his sophomore year. What had attracted Baby Shack to playing basketball was his athletic ability. It wasn’t until later in his career that he developed a jumper and was able to fine-tune his skills. It was during Shack’s senior year when he began to emerge as a scorer.
After high school, Baby Shack took a year off to care for his newborn daughter. The results from this break proved to be more beneficial than he ever expected. He realized that while spending so much time playing ball and training, he had lost touch with what was most important to him— his relationships. The year away from basketball allowed him to continue building a relationship with his daughter, rekindle family relationships, and rejuvenate his passion for the game. The break also afforded him more time to spend with his greatest influence and teacher— his mother. She was the one who put the ball in his hand. Shack told me that she was responsible for teaching him everything that he knows, from how to carry himself to riding a bike and ice-skating. It was truly a revitalizing experience for Shack.
Baby Shack received his first real exposure playing for a Streetball Association exhibition team in the Harlem Basketball Tournament in Europe. Shaq became interested in the And 1 tour when he saw the Main Event on ESPN. Main Event issued a challenge, “Anyone who thinks that they can do what I do, then come and take it from me.” That is just what Shaq did, and now he is one of the headline dunkers on the tour.
Although And 1 has taken good care of Shack, like any great basketball player, Shack’s dreams and aspirations are to play in the “league” or the NBA one day. He began to realize that he might be closer to his goal when he received a boost of confidence from Shaquille O’Neal after an AND 1 game. O’Neal had been watching the game from the sideline. After the game, O’Neal told him that he was good enough and should be playing in the NBA [Editor's note: There used to be a video of Shaq's comments on YouTube, but it has since been taken down due to copyright violations]. Baby Shack now believes that he has a very good opportunity to play in the NBA. However, if his goal cannot be reached within the next five years, then he plans to start coaching.
I asked if he had any advice for aspiring basketball players. His response was insightful in that he emphasized loyalty and making the best out of your situation, no matter where you play:
"Don’t leave school because it is not a top school. Stay there and make it a top school. You are never too good for the school; don’t allow your arrogance to keep you from playing. If you are good, you will be noticed no matter what team you play for."
Furthermore, Baby Shack added, “Just because you play for a top school doesn’t guarantee that you will play well in the NBA.” He gave reference to J.J. Reddick. Reddick went to all of the top schools and now is struggling to succeed in the NBA. Shack also told me, “Find a school that will pay for your education, and remember to use basketball as a tool, never allow it to use you.”
If you want to get a glimpse of Baby Shack shaking defenders off the dribble and finishing high above the rim, then tune into ESPN 2 to watch him and his co-stars in the And 1 Mixtape Tour 2008.
Published 09-05-2008 © 2024 Access Athletes, LLC
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