Marcedus Leech, Jr. is a Langston basketball player from Cartersville, Missouri. He has many loves, from his three-year-old son to his passion for basketball.
His path started when he was young. “At first, I was getting in trouble until I had to go live with my guardian. He was a Navy SEAL veteran. And he pretty much like molded me into being like an athlete and in taking basketball really seriously,” said Leech.
“I would say it shaped me into the man I am today, because if I wouldn’t have got to live with my guardian, I don’t think I would be as like successful as a basketball player as I am now. Just because the discipline he brought to me,” Leech said.
Coming back from a year off was not only mentally hard but physically as well. However, taking time off to care for his child, Marcedus Leech the Third, and being mentally checked out from basketball made him come back stronger.
“Taking a year off and coming here, it was a rude awakening for me. It wasn’t that I wasn’t ready. It was just a lot for me at once after taking the year off, not really playing basketball,” said Leech. “This preseason was like the hardest preseason I’ve been through in my life. So I would say there was a big adjustment for me, getting past the hard parts of preseason.”
There are many goals Leech wants to achieve while being at Langston, from playing his best to winning the championship. His mindset helps in that aspect.
“I have a routine. I just follow my routine every day, and doing that just helps me a lot. Each and every day, just being the best person that I can be on and off the court,” said Leech. “I want to be remembered as a really good basketball player who was a really good teammate and helped his team win.”
Leech plans to play overseas in the next few years while continuing his studies in Liberal Arts. He has words for the young athletes that have the same love for sports as he does.
“Stay self motivated, because, when you are self motivated, you can push yourself farther than you think and always have a routine,” said Leech. “I love that I have a routine, being hardworking, being able to listen and take coaching.”
Bea Amukaya
Bea Amukaya is a Sophomore Broadcast Journalism major from Edmond, Oklahoma. She writes for The Gazette because she feels that is is important to educate people about their community and get the story out. She thinks the work they are doing matters because it gives people a voice. A fun fact about Bea is that she is a nail technician and has been one for 2 years now. She can be reached by email, beatrice.amukaya@langston.edu.
