Connor McQuaid
 Illustration by Shataivian | |
| No. 76 – Seattle Summit | |
|---|---|
| Position | Forward |
| Species | Appaloosa ( Equidae ) |
| Gender | Male |
| Nickname(s) | |
| Attorney | |
| Personal information | |
| Born |
April 19, 1997 Detroit Michigan |
| Nationality | |
| Listed height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) |
| Listed weight | 250 lb (113 kg) |
| Shoots | Right-handed |
| Career information | |
| School | Chicago Bay |
| FBA draft | 2019 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8th overall |
| Selected by the Seattle Summit | |
| Pro playing career | 2019–present |
| Career history | |
| 2019 - present | Seattle Summit |
| Contract information | |
| Contract year | 2019 |
| 2020 Salary | $4 million |
| 2021 Salary | $4 million |
| Player Contacts | |
| (IC) Agent | Shataivian |
| (OOC) Creator | Shataivian |
| (OOC) Actor | Unknown |
| (OOC) Usage | Ask me before any use |
Biography
Connor McQuaid was born in Boise Idaho where he spent most of his childhood. McQuaid is the fifth born child out of seven with three older brothers, one older sister, and two younger sisters. By the time he was 11 his parents split, with his father taking custody of the boys and his mother taking the girls. At this time the boys moved to Detroit Michigan where McQuaid spent the rest of his adolescence. With this family dynamic, the four brothers felt it necessary to stay as close as possible since they would not have access to the rest of their family. Basketball seemed to be the obvious choice for them to achieve this. Games of one on one and two on two eventually became the norm.
While in Detroit McQuaid became the youngest member of the family where being the youngest didn’t come without some costs. The eldest of his siblings were “more important,” and therefor had to be the “stars” of their two on two games. They were the ones on the line and making all the shots. This left McQuaid to play mostly inside the paint. Of course, McQuaid wanted the “spotlight” as much as his older brothers but found it more rewarding to stop his brothers from ever standing in it. McQuaid worked to be a great shot blocker and rebounder, causing the offending older brother to miss his opportunity to “shine.” McQuaid grew so fond of his abilities that eventually he developed a habit of shouting out “objection” whenever he blocked a shot.
As the years passed each of his brothers one by one left home for college. When it was three of them, they were no longer able to play two on two. Now one on one games became the norm each taking turns to stand out of games. At this point McQuaid needed to start making shooting a bigger priority. With his height he developed his jump shot. Though he was able to make three-point shots he found staying inside the paint was his strong suit. Eventually he developed his jump shots to be almost impossible to stop. With three years of playing one on one McQuaid improved both his offensive and defensive skills.
By the age of 15, McQuaid was the only child left living at home. However, he continued playing, stating that “it makes me feel closer to the ones who are not here with me.” Having spent the most time at home when compared to his brothers, basketball became what McQuaid ate, slept, and breathed. Because of this he decided his sophomore year in high school to join the team. McQuaid was not conflicted when it came to which position he wanted to play. More than just skill, he wanted to continue feeling closer to his brothers. The skills he developed while with his brothers were the only motivation he needed; thus, he became the power forward for his high school’s basketball team. But now part of a team, his outlook on his role shifted drastically. No longer was he the focus, and no longer was there only one or two offending players to worry about. McQuaid now needed to learn how to be part of a unit.
Basketball was not the only thing McQuaid was focused on. His family was not well off and was forced to live in Detroit’s housing projects. With Detroit having the highest murder rate among major cities in the United States, his neighborhood especially was known for its high rate of crime. Unfortunately, the McQuaid’s had witnessed their fair trade of it. Determined to not fall into the fold, McQuaid focused heavily on his schoolwork, and anything else he put his mind to. This determination turned to almost an obsession, causing McQuaid to ignore social events and other goings on.
With this profound ability to focus McQuaid turned his attention to the team. He watched the point guard carefully. He learned to read them and understand their plays. He stayed aware of his surroundings. He kept his center of gravity low. With all his “studying” he improved his post ups. Now, he could continue utilizing the skills he developed while playing with his brothers and also be a useful cog in the machine, knowing when the best time was to get into position and shoot.
Once McQuaid graduated from high school he applied and was accepted to Chicago Bay, where he studied Criminal Justice and minored in Athletic Training. He continued playing basketball, becoming the power forward for the Buccaneers. But when he wasn’t playing for the team or studying for school, he volunteered his time to the local medium correctional facility. There he taught, trained, and played basketball with the inmates. With the reminder of how things were at home for him, McQuaid wanted to do whatever he could to improve the world around him. This included improving the lives of people such as the inmates. His time there and the eventual admiration from the inmates taught McQuaid that he was on the right path. With this knowledge and determination, it came as a surprise to know one that by spring 2019 he would graduate summa cum laude.
McQuaid’s fire and determination continues to grow with his sights now on the FBA. From there he wants to prove that he is not another statistic from his hometown. And with the rest of his family now living their own lives, he will continue to play basketball and excel at it to stay close to the positive things from his life.
Gallery
Illu stration by Shataivian
Illustration by Shataivian
