Singleton, Mack spent three years in college
It’s the little things that Chris Singleton and Shelvin Mack benefitted from during their three years in college — a length of time that has become all too rare for NBA Draft picks.
Mack last played a game at Verizon Center for Butler in the second round of the 2011 NCAA tournament, when he inexplicably fouled Pittsburgh’s Gilbert Brown at halfcourt with less than a second remaining despite a one-point Bulldogs lead.
“Thinking about that game, it’s crazy. It got me an invitation to the ESPYs for making a dumb foul,” Mack said. “That’s probably the best thing that came from that situation.”
Mack, the Wizards’ second-round pick, was back at Verizon Center and seated alongside Singleton, the No. 18 selection, to be introduced as the newest members of the Wizards on Tuesday.
The Wizards believe the experience of Singleton and Mack, both 21, will help them quickly turn into effective players in the NBA.
“The more veteran you become both in college and in the NBA, you have the ability to adapt to situations quicker,” Wizards coach Flip Saunders said. “I think we saw that with [Trevor] Booker. He was able to progress, he was able to adapt and change his game and able to become very effective for us the second half of the season. I think they’re both going to have that same ability.”
Together, the 6-foot-9 Singleton and 6-3 Mack gained positive reinforcement as part of the select team of college players who served as sparring partners for the USA Basketball team prior to last summer’s FIBA World Championship title run in Turkey.
“I guarded [Kevin] Durant,” Singleton said. “I guarded Rudy Gay. I guarded Chauncey [Billups], [Derrick] Rose, [Rajon] Rondo, whoever they put out there besides probably [JaVale] McGee. That’s probably the only person I didn’t guard.”
Picking up full court pressure gave them a taste of the NBA’s athleticism. Listening to the pros’ pointers were lessons and ideas they took back to school. Watching how they acted, ate and took care of their bodies was a glimpse into the NBA life beyond the court.
And backing down wasn’t an option.
“The pros were trying to talk and get us psyched out,” Singleton said. “I hit like three or four 3-pointers in a row, and I started going off. We kept going back and forth, and I think that was the thing that probably I got out of it.”
Singleton used that confidence to lead Florida State to the Sweet 16.
Mack, who was also a member of the U.S. under-19 world title winning team, used that experience over last summer to help get the Bulldogs to their second-consecutive NCAA championship final. And during his time at Butler, he learned many lessons like the one he got away with at Verizon Center.
“I had an opportunity a lot of people didn’t have,” Mack said. “I look at it that way.”
