Darius McGhee in the G-League
Darius McGhee in the G-League
One year removed from college, Darius McGhee reflects on his time at Liberty University and shares a message for Flames Nation.
I arrived at The Fieldhouse in Greensboro a few hours before the game between the Mad Ants and the Swarm. The sound of squeaking shoes and bouncing basketballs on the court echoed through the stadium.
When the gates finally opened, the first fans walking through the doors were wearing Darius McGhee t-shirts. Being from Roxboro, North Carolina, this game was practically a home game for him. But it wasn’t just his hometown fans that came out for the game. The crowd was thick with Liberty fans who came to watch their former star like they had throughout his college career.
The game itself was a tightly contested battle that boiled over into extra minutes, but one of the loudest cheers came when Darius checked into the game late in the first quarter. A smile crossed his face as he settled in on defense.
Darius hardly saw the floor during this game; only playing for five minutes. But during those few possessions, he managed to knock down a deep three — just the kind of shot we were accustomed to seeing from him while he played in Lynchburg.
Following the game, a mass of what I estimated to be 200 fans surrounded the players’ tunnel to meet Darius. Ever a man of the people, Darius took the time to meet with every last one.
After the meet and greet, I had an opportunity to speak with Darius. Curious, I asked what inspired him to be so generous with his time with the fans. He pointed to his mentors:
“The town of Roxboro is very small, everyone knows everyone,” he said as a faint grin crept across his face. “Two people that stick out in my mind, one of my first coaches Danny Winstead, and also my Uncle. They are super transparent people and are very comfortable with themselves. They were always themselves no matter who they were with. They treated everyone like a brother or a friend, I had that example for a long time.”
When the conversation turned to Liberty and his time playing with the Flames, I asked if there was a game that he wished he could change the result of. His answer was no surprise: “Probably that last ASUN Championship, trying to play through injury, not shooting the ball well.” He continued after a moment of reflection, “hats off to [Kennesaw State], they won the game, just wish that one was different for sure.”
“The game is the game,” he said when asked about his transition to G-League and what added pressure there is playing at the next level. “You always want to do well whether it's college or the [G-League]. As far as any added pressure, not really.” When the game is on the line and there’s next to no time on the clock, Darius has always been the guy you wanted to have the ball in his hands. Pressure is not one of his demons — pressure is afraid of him.
About the guys still playing in Liberty Arena and all of Liberty athletics, Darius had a message for Flames Nation: “They work very hard and represent the University... Our sports teams transcend so much just because we continue to support one another.”
Darius McGhee will finish his season playing for the Indiana Mad Ants this Spring. He is currently on an Exhibit-10 contract, which is a one-year deal with a two-way option. With the season winding down, Darius awaits front-office action to determine his future with the team. I look forward to seeing his career progress as he continues to represent Liberty.
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