In his first interview since leaving Hapoel Jerusalem, Shelvin Mack explains the decision: "My family wanted me to stay in the US, understand Brown and Thomas."

• Mack in the Champions League. "We could get amazing things"

  Photo: 

  Bernie Ardov

When Hapoel Jerusalem began to organize for the return of the league, it had preliminary agreements with almost all foreign players on their return to Israel. There were financial and other matters that still had to be closed, but the club's management knew the direction was positive. Only one made it clear in advance that he wasn't coming back for sure - Shelvin Mack.

"My family preferred not to come back," the 30-year-old coordinator explains to Israel Today in his first interview since leaving the group, "I have two young children who I felt I should care about as a father. I had a great time there. I enjoyed a great organization and it was fun to live. In Israel, but unfortunately, it doesn't take long. "

The rumors about Jacob Brown's departure and Tashion Thomas, who had already arrived in Israel and then decided to return to the United States, reached his home in Atlanta. "I can understand them. Everyone in a different situation. If I was less financially stable I would probably be looking for a place to play, so I totally understand players who come because they need money and suddenly they feel unsafe and want to come back. It is very difficult mentally. Leaving your family and going to play basketball when the streets are happening is a huge sacrifice. "

Mack left Israel with mixed feelings. On the one hand, he is having a lot of fun, claiming that he was happy about the decision to come to Israel. On the other hand, he feels that the Corona has stopped him and his friends in the midst of a great season: "We had a tremendous team that could have accomplished amazing things. When we got on the field we knew we could win every game. We were obviously on our way to more titles, but keep in mind it's not that we lost, That the situation stopped us and got out of control. It's really not in our hands. "

When you arrived in the middle of the season, it was unclear how you would fit in and join a team that wanted so well together.

"I was relaxed because I knew the style of the guys in the team. They are not selfish and I am as well. We all realized we just wanted to win, and once you understand it, there is no competition within the team like other teams. In my last game (against Prishtri in the Champions League; JM) ) I scored two points, but I can tell it really doesn't matter to me. "

"Ketch very much wanted me to come back"

"It was a very good situation for me. One of the best in my career," he replies positively when I ask him if he is satisfied with his arrival in Jerusalem. "Everyone was great. From the managers, through the coaches and the players. Everyone was in the right place and exactly where they needed to be." 

What was it like to play alongside Jacob Brown and James Paladin?

"It's great. They are very close friends of mine and I enjoyed playing with them. We had a lot of fun, especially in the locker room with our jokes. They are very team-mates and just played good basketball together."

And what about your relationship with coach Oded Ketch?

"We had a good combination. Oded is a coach that every player wants to play for. He really wanted me to return to the team, but it didn't work out."

How about Tamir Blatt?

"The future of Israeli basketball looks good thanks to him. He knows how to lead, is not selfish and he is a great fit."

"The demonstrations are very helpful"

Mack and his agents start thinking about next season and hope that despite an unstable season, he will be able to find a good team. "I'm not worried about that. I just want to play basketball. I had fun at the BBC, but whatever happens," he says, "there are groups that need me in very specific situations, but I left because I wanted to and I want to be where I play. Lots of minutes, that's what guides me even now.

Mack was born in Kentucky, a place known for the many racist revelations he has had over the years towards blacks and is fully identified with the protests of the African American community. "Kentucky is a place that can be very racist. There have been occasions when I went to the store and people just ignored me and did not treat me as respectfully as the other people."

"I think it's imperative what's going on in our country right now," he continues, "a lot of things have happened over the years and people have to stand up and talk. In Atlanta, somebody has been killed by police, And that's a crazy situation. I think the demonstrations help us a lot because now people understand what blacks are going through. "