Q+A: McCaw’s NBA dream could soon become reality

By Taylor Bern

Wednesday, June 22, 2016 | 2 a.m.

The son of a coach and a librarian, former Rebel Pat McCaw is certainly a product of his parentage.

When the St. Louis native gets home he said he has a copy of "Catcher in the Rye" waiting, the next classic he plans to dig into. But before that he needs to finish part of a journey his father and entire family have helped him pursue, one that will allow him to join the same NBA workforce as fellow St. Louis kids Ben McLemore and Bradley Beal.

“Those were like hometown heroes, where you really look up to them and that makes you work that much harder because they were able to do what you always dreamed of,” McCaw said.

Soon McCaw could find himself guarding those guys, or even playing alongside one of them. The 2016 NBA Draft is Thursday at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, and McCaw is one of a few former Rebels who might soon realize that lifelong dream.

McCaw and Stephen Zimmerman Jr. are projected as late-first to early-second round draft picks, while Derrick Jones Jr., Chris Obekpa and Goodluck Okonoboh are hoping they showed enough in workouts for a team to take a flyer or sign them to free-agent deals.

McCaw has his 14th pre-draft workout today with the Los Angeles Lakers, where Zimmerman and Jones are also expected to be in attendance. Last year’s leading scorer has run into all of the other former Rebels during his workouts, and he’s been able to lean on guys like McLemore and Beal or former Mac Irvin Fire teammate Jahlil Okafor for glimpses at what awaits him as a professional.

Following Monday's workout with the Los Angeles Clippers, the Sun caught up with McCaw to talk about the pre-draft process, what he’ll remember from UNLV and how he went from overlooked to a potential first-round draft pick:

What was your decision-making process behind entering the draft?

Me and my family, we wanted to make sure we made the right decision for us as a whole. We sat down, evaluated our situation and options, and it wasn’t easy for me to make the transition, but we decided that making the jump to the NBA was the best thing for me. It was tough. I really enjoyed my two years at UNLV. I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world. I definitely appreciate the opportunity Coach Rice and the staff gave me.

When you came to UNLV, did you imagine being a guy who could leave early for the pros?

I always wanted the opportunity to play in the NBA, but I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Especially being a less-heralded kid, I knew I was going to have to come in and work at UNLV. I just focused on what I needed to focus on and people started to see that I knew how to play the game of basketball and my name started getting brought up as an NBA prospect. It was crazy, because those types of opportunities you hope and dream for as a kid. Now that you have a chance, it’s surreal.

Were you ever disappointed or frustrated that you didn’t get more attention in high school?

I never really got down on myself or felt like I needed more exposure. I didn’t worry about the rankings. I just continued to play my game and have fun with it. I just love the game of basketball so much that nobody could have told me otherwise. That’s a huge tribute to my dad. He always told me to continue to work, and it’s going to pay off.

What do you think of when you look back on your time at UNLV?

The relationships and the bonds that I built with the coaching staff and the players. That’s the biggest thing for me, just the relationships I created and the fun that we had on and off the court. It’s great to have those guys in your corner, supporting you in what you’re doing and I’m supporting them as well. We had some great times at UNLV. I met some great people the past two years.

Do you guys discuss how you wish last season could have gone differently?

We all feel like we should have won more games, but us being brothers and having the relationships we had, we understood that we had some tough games and tough times throughout the season and we just continued to battle. We never gave up on each other. For us to all stay together and continue to play together is a huge tribute to our relationships on and off the floor.

Have you talked to the other former Rebels going through this process right now?

I talk to all four of those guys, almost every other day. Just to see how the workouts are going, how they’re feeling, how the traveling is, everything, because it can be tough. It’s good to have guys who are going through the same processes as you.

Getting drafted doesn’t define a career but it’s a big milestone. Have you thought about what it would feel like to hear your name called?

I think it’s just going to happen and then you realize how huge it is. Two and a half months of preparation, I never really embraced the fact that I could get drafted. I still took it as another step in my life that I have to continue to work for, but I never really felt good in the fact that I have a chance to be an NBA Draft pick. As it gets closer I still haven’t really embraced that feeling yet, and I think when Thursday comes that’s when all the emotions will finally pour over.

Who’s more likely to cry on draft night, Mom or Dad?

I think both of them will cry. And I’m going to cry, too, so we’re going to be crying together. It’s going to be a sight to see. I can’t wait.

Taylor Bern can be reached at 948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Taylor on Twitter at twitter.com/taylorbern.