By Patrick McCormack
The time that Queens native Kadeem Jack has spent playing for Rutgers University men’s basketball coach Eddie Jordan has him better prepared for his future in professional basketball.
The former Scarlet Knights forward learned a lot in his two seasons under Jordan, who had coached for three NBA teams.
“It was a great experience…” he said. “Had Eddie Jordan, an NBA coach, got a lot of experience.”
Jordan, also a Queens native, offered Jack a lot of wisdom, as well as advice on how to become a better player and learn what it takes to succeed at the next level.
“He taught me how to fight through adversity,” Jack said. “Being tough, just staying cool, calm and collected in every situation.”
Last season, he averaged 13 points and 6.4 rebounds per game for Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights went 10-22, winning just two conference games. Even after Rutgers’ first season in the Big Ten, one of the nation’s best conferences, Jack felt that the competition he saw there wasn’t all that different from what he saw in the Big East his first two years with the Scarlet Knights.
After graduating from Rutgers, Jack, who was named to the All-Met Third Team for the second time in his career, received an invite to work out with the Brooklyn Nets. Even though he wasn’t selected in the NBA Draft, he was grateful for the experience.
“I am very thankful that they even gave me the opportunity,” Jack said.
This summer, he is playing for Primetime in Pro City at Baruch College, facing off against players from the NBA and top professional talent from overseas. Jack has been playing against the top talent in the city since he was a high school student at Rice. The experience never gets old.
“I’ve been playing here since I was 14 years old,” Jack said. “It’s great. Good crowds come out to support us. Good competition. A lot of other leagues kind of get into one-on-one matches. This is a lot better basketball.”
The games at Pro City are helping Jack to work on his game as he sets his sights on playing professionally next season.
“Any basketball will help me,” he said. “This is just getting my game right.”
Jack, who doesn’t have a professional contract yet, has been playing in New York City, where he played with NBA star Kemba Walker in high school. It is a place he knows well, and a place where he believes he can ready himself to play professionally.
“There is nothing like New York,” he said. “The energy, the crowd, the game, the way people play. It is just totally different. There is a different feel over here. Growing up here, there is nothing like it.
