Connecticut Basketball Club is currently in the 12U race for Summer Slam and a lot of their success has to do with their engine; Jaecee “Mayweather” Martin. Martin is regarded as the top point guard in the region for this class and earned the title through his play. We hollered at the floor general and here’s our One on One.
One on One
BS: What are your goals for the season?
JC: Well, my AAU team has been doing a great job of putting CT on the map as far as on a National Level (with Andre Drummond and Kris Dunn). So I want to follow in those footsteps by making a run at a National Title in our age division, and by winning the Player of the Year from Basketball Spotlight.
BS: What do you think about your Mayweather nickname?
JC: I like it because a lot of people visit your site, so now when I walk in a tournament, even when we are out of state, I hear people saying my name “There goes Mayweather Martin” lol!
BS: Who’s your favorite player and why?
Chris Paul and Derrick Rose are my favorite NBA players. People tell me I play like D—Rose. But my coach makes me watch Ty Lawson and Kemba Walker because he says they will teach me how to play in the NBA without being over 6’0”! If I don’t get to be that tall, I need to know how to play at that level without being a big guard.
BS: What is the strongest part of your game?
JC: Attacking the defense with my scoring ability and most of all, my court vision. I take pride in being one of the best passers in the 6th grade in the country…I think.
BS: What part of your game needs the most work?
JC: EVERYTHING!!! Over the past year I have worked a lot of my jump shot a lot, but my coach says I shoot set shots. I need to work on pulling up off the dribble. Because nobody plays me close, it’s hard to not get used to shooting set shots.
BS: What’s your dream college?
JC: I would love to go to UCONN because I’m from Connecticut. Coach Calhoun puts his players in the NBA. But my coach also talks to me about Historically Black Colleges and Universities. He says to us all the time that if a player who was ranked nationally, decided to skip over the usual powerhouse school and went to a Black College, it would make a difference. I think I might be the first to try it.
BS: What’s your biggest moment at a Basketball Spotlight event?
JC: Coming back from down double digits to win by double digits versus Team IZOD in Atlantic City.
BS: Who’s the toughest player you ever faced?
JC: Because I played up for two years, I have played against some really good players like Tyus Battle, Juwan Gooding and Devon Liggeons. But in my class, Sa’eed Nelson, Nate Pierre-Louis and Kody Riley.
BS: This will be your second year playing in the Super Showcase, how was your experience?
JC: It was a great experience. I played up so it was great to play with Alani Moore, he’s the best guard I’ve ever played with. But this year I look forward to establishing my own name in the Class of 2017. Hopefully I get a chance to play with some of these great players instead of playing against them all the time.
BS: Who would you love to have dinner with?
JC: LeBron James. I would like to talk to him about how hard it is to be hated and criticized for everything, but still be the best player in the world. I want to be like that!
