In My Words | Eric McGill - Southern Illinois University Athletics

Hey, everybody. I'm Eric McGill from Memphis, Tennessee, born and raised. I have three brothers and a sister. They're all at least eight years older than me, so that makes me the baby, the favorite. My mom, Pamela, works at St. Jude Research Hospital.

My dad, Dan McGill, passed when I was 11. He was my guy. He was a basketball coach and a teacher at Northside High School. I'm majoring in economics because of him. He had some businessman in him, and I feel like he left those genes to me. Econ teaches where a business can be made. When basketball is over, I'll be ready.

Growing up without him was different. Looking back, I think I was too young to know how important a father's impact can be. I had to learn a lot on my own, but it helped me grow. I took lessons from other people's fathers and taught them to myself.

My older brothers were football and track guys, but my sister played basketball at Northside when my dad was the coach. I was always around watching practice or shooting around, and I fell in love with basketball.

I've always felt that I was overlooked in high school. I was just a hooper. I played like I didn't care. I thought I was a big-time player, but SEMO was the only team that offered me. I signed with them really late—I think it was June or July. Somehow, they saw me play and gave me a chance.

That was the first time I realized that basketball could be over for me, and that's when I really started working at it—I mean really working. Basketball became more important to me, and I started working on the specifics of my game.

I went to Panola College in Texas after my one year at SEMO. Panola is actually the reason I wear #4 at SIU. I wanted #2, and I was so mad when my coach gave it to one of my teammates, but we had a good year and went to the national tournament, so now I think my #4 is good luck.

JuCo basketball is really big in Texas, and I wanted to do that and try out my recruiting process again. The national tournament got me a lot of interest from mid-majors and a couple high majors. I wanted to go somewhere I could play, and I wanted to go somewhere I could win. That's why I'm at SIU.

I came into this group that had already been here and been together, but it was instant chemistry. They're good guys, and I can become friends with anybody. On the court, of course I want to put up numbers, but I think I can do it all on the court—so what does this team need me to do to win? If I focus on that, I can fit into the team and help us win games.

The team needs to me play defense and use my athleticism in the open court. I had big plans last year, and then I got hurt. It was against Lamar; I ripped baseline and a guy slid in for a charge. He ended up falling on my hand, and all I remember is the pain. The next day, it was so puffy, I thought something bit my hand. I don't know the doctor terminology; I just knew it was hurt bad, and it turned into a whole season.

I always try to find the good in everything. At first, I was out of practice. Who's going to be mad about missing practice? Then, when I could come back, who's going to be mad about being able to play the game you love? Looking back, I try to look at the injury as something that helped me. I feel like I've grown from last year, and I got the year back, so it's a plus.

When I was out, I learned how to focus on the next play. Those 10 games that I played, I got in my own mind about every turnover, every mistake. I played like I didn't want to turn it over, and then I would turn it over again. My mind was a lot weaker. I had never been injured before. That was the first time I faced that adversity, and I saw how important the mental part of the game was.

I couldn't wait to get back. Everyone else is excited because we have a great team, and I am too, but I'm just excited I get to play again. And then I got hurt again in the preseason. This time, it was my foot, and that messed with my mental even more than the hand. It shook my confidence a little bit, but I got through it.

We have big expectations, and I know for a fact we're going to win a lot of games. It's no pressure. It's fun and it's competitive. We're focused.

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