McCants Recants, Says UNC Unlike Prison



from the Associated Press :

North Carolina guard Rashad McCants is required to go to class, to show up on time for practice and to attend study hall. He has very little of the freedom most college students take for granted.

And he wouldn't have it any other way.

"I love North Carolina," McCants said Tuesday. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't."




McCants and Tar Heels coach Roy Williams held a news conference to explain comments McCants made to a local TV station last week.

In an interview that aired on WRAL-TV on Friday night, McCants compared playing college basketball to being in jail. He also said he considered his time in the program to be his job.

"It's to get up and go to school, get here and lift weights and play basketball," McCants said in the interview. "That's my 9-to-5. As my uncle said, I'm in jail right now. You're not allowed to do certain things, you're not allowed to say certain things.

"But once you get out of jail, you're free. So I'm just in my sentence and I'm doing my time."

He said Tuesday he meant to give an example of how regimented his life is with the Tar Heels. As he told Williams when explaining the comments, he couldn't go anywhere during fall break like many of his classmates because he had to get ready for the start of practice.

Posted: Tue - October 19, 2004 at 09:42 PM      

©