“My Mom Was Diagnosed With Breast Cancer”: 2005 NCAA Champion Recollects Championship Season Struggles on Gilbert Arena’s Show

The path to victory is usually tough; for some, it is unusually tougher. One such person is former Minnesota Timberwolves guard Rashad McCants. While the ex-North Carolina Tar Heels star won the NCAA championship back in the 2005 season, there was a lot he was going through. Appearing on the Gilbert Arenas’ show, Rashad has detailed the hardships he faced during the championship season.

“My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, had an intestinal disorder from the anxiety of it. None of my teammates visit,” the ex-UNC Tar Heels star stated. He further mentioned that things did not get any easier in terms of team support. He mentioned that none of his teammates visited him back then and there were conflicts with coaches as well. According to McCants, his ACC coaches believed that his getting back after a four-game gap was getting in the way of team chemistry.

“They (coaches) was able to say that they can win without me, so the whole tournament was more about us just executing, winning,” he said on the Gilbert Arenas’ show. Rashad further recalled not being nervous or excited about the final game, but more like it being just another game. He stated it was no longer about the Championship for him but the thought of what was next after the championship.

“Beat their a**. Time to go to the league… We came here, we might as well win. So that was the energy. Let’s get it done,” the 39-year-old said. 

However, despite his eyes being set on future goals and a successful NCAA run, one may wonder about McCants’ short-lived NBA career.

Detailing in on Rashad McCants’ NBA career and early exit

An impressive stat line during his college basketball career and NCAA championship to his name led to Rashad landing in Minnesota. Notably, he averaged 17.6 points per game during his 98-game-long CBB career. Meanwhile, registering an impressive field goal percentage of 48.6% and a 3-point field goal percentage of 41.5%. He was also awarded the 2002-03 ACC All-Freshman.

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However, contrary to majority expectations, the ex-UNC Tar Heels star failed to replicate his college career-like success in the NBA. Frequent initial phase injuries can also be viewed as one cause, but stats were not in the 2005 NCAA champion’s favor. McCants averaged just 7.9 points per game in his rookie season. His career-high stat line came during the 2007-08 season, in which he averaged 14.9 points.

Some expected this to be a comeback possibility, but that did not happen. Eventually, after a six-season career, Rashad bid farewell to the game. He had a career stat line averaging 10.0 points per game, 1.3 assists, and 2.0 rebounds per game.

However, there was also a popular rumor about Rashad failing at the NBA despite a successful run at the NCAA. It was a rumor about him dating Khloé Kardashian. Apparently, NBA fans believe that dating a Kardashian is a curse for players’ careers, as multiple players have experienced a similar fate to Rashad after dating one of the famous sisters. “I think that it exists… but only in our minds. It’s a mental thing,” McCants had stated in an interview on The Herd.

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