On his home court, Ottawa's 1st NBA hope has lots of support
CBC News | Posted: June 22, 2019 8:00 AM | Last Updated: June 22, 2019
Former high school coach says Marial Shayok always put in the work to succeed
As Ottawa's Marial Shayok laces up his sneakers and moves closer to becoming the city's first ever NBA player, the players on his home court couldn't be happier.
Shayok was selected in the second round of Thursday's NBA draft, 54th overall, by the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 23-year-old guard went to Ottawa's St. Patrick's High School, and his coach Matthew Koeslag said he was clearly an exceptional talent from the beginning.
"When he was in Grade 9, it took him about five games to figure out how to play at the senior level. And at the end of that season I contacted two international NBA scouts," he said.
'Naturally talented'
Koeslag said he knew what it took for Shayok to succeed in the game, but he wanted to ensure he steered the youngster in the best possible way.
"For a kid that naturally talented, who absorbs so much teaching so quickly, you want to ensure you are putting him in the right spots to be seen by the right people and get the right instruction," he said.
Shayok continued to work out and practice at the school, long after heading off to play U.S. college basketball.
Koeslag said that allowed him to show the high school's current crop of players what it takes to succeed.
"Everyone dreams of going to the NBA, but seeing someone actually do it from your own roots [shows you] can actually do this," he said.
"They have trained with him. They have been in the gym with him."
Students inspired
Shayok transferred from St. Patrick's to a New Jersey prep school before moving on to the University of Virginia in the NCAA.
He then switched to Iowa State, where he ended up on the radar of several NBA teams.
One of St. Patrick's current students, Precious King, said he's always been impressed by Shayok's work ethic.
"We saw him early in the morning, before school would start at 7 a.m. He would be here working out," King said. "It shows that hard work pays off."
Another student, Matthew Kendall, said Shayok is a real inspiration for current players.
"He is really humble," Kendall said. "And it's great to see people like that succeed."