Basketball star playing for love of the game
Erika Dye
Jesse Childs, a 21 year old student here at MCC, was born to play basketball. His father, Chris Childs, is a former NBA player for the NY Knicks and certainly played an influential role in Childs pursuit of basketball.Although it may sound like basketball was forced upon him, Childs makes it clear that this could not be more untrue.
“I was never forced to play” says Childs. The love of the game and the motivation from watching his father play are really the factors in what inspired him.
“I’m totally doing this for myself.”
In fact, Childs revealed that he taught himself how to play basketball at the age of 5, with the occasional help of basketball camps, since his father typically was on the road.
“I always wanted my father around,” said Childs, but he notes that getting the opportunity to meet tons of celebrities is nothing worth complaining about.
When Childs was 13 years old his father brawled Kobe Bryant on the court in LA.
Although he thought the situation to be rather funny he and his family had to be escorted off the premises by security when some angry fans spotted them and began throwing beer their way.
Childs has made great strives here at MCC.
This basketball season he has taken on the duty of being the men’s team captain, been a starter in all the games, received Player of the Week honors by the Mesa Republic, and boasts that MCC’s men’s basketball team has had a better winning season this year.
As for Jessie’s future? He shares that some of his prospect universities are ASU, Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX, and South Florida State University.
Although his dream school, he admits, is UCLA.
His statistics thus far this year give him more than enough reasons UCLA should consider the young star.
On top of his court leadership, Childs averages 14.3 points a game, along with 78 percent shooting from the free throw line.
He is also among the league leaders in assists and steals, averaging almost five assists and two steals each contest.
To top it all off, he also has a great field goal percentage, over 50 percent.
Head coach John Mulhern has plenty to say about the star as well. Earlier this season, he gave full credit to Childs overtime play in a Mesa victory.
Childs knows that if he continues with his hard work both in basketball and in his academics he’ll eventually pursue his dream to play in the NBA just as his father once had.
