MILWAUKEE — From watching him learn the game of basketball to witnessing him become coach of the year, Dennis McClain couldn't be more proud to see his former youth basketball player, Shaka Smart, evolve into the successful man he is today.
"I'm always so proud of him because I know that it took work and effort," said McClain.
Following an increase in Black children going through the juvenile system, the Madison Spartans Youth Basketball Programwas created in 1988 to help keep kids out of trouble. McClain became the team's head coach.
"I know in our hearts, we rescued a few kids."
Two years later, 12-year-old Shaka Smart joined the team.
"I saw this young kid show all this leadership ability, he played so hard," said McClain. "He was like a sponge. Everything I said, he listened. He probably learned my playbook after about one week of practice."
After leading the Marquette men's basketball team to the Big East Championship and a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament, McClain says he wasn't surprised to learn Smart was dubbed coach of the year.
"Eventually, he's going to get to the final four and eventually I think he'll win one of these years. I truly believe that."
And while they lost touch over the years, McClain hopes he and Smart will reunite, so he can tell him this:
"I'm waiting for that moment in my life where we connect and I can say, 'you know what my man, I'm so happy and proud of you.' That's what I want to tell him," said McClain.
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