Mello-Klein talks about everything from what basketball has been like during the pandemic to what his plans are after Bentley.
Q: What has training been like during the pandemic?
A: “Obviously, training has been like no other year for most people. During the lockdown, I was recovering from an injury suffered last season so it was actually convenient because I was able to get the proper rest and rehab (if the gyms were open it would be hard to stay away). Since then, I have been one of the more fortunate ones to have access to a court pretty much 24/7 so it's been pretty similar to more normal summers except without any live play. For us as a team, it has been difficult to really get in a groove with all of the pauses in action like most schools are experiencing right now, but it forces us to really take advantage of all the time we do get on the court together.”
Q: What was your reaction to finding out you won't be playing a full season, especially since it is your last year?
A: “It was difficult to hear, but we had kind of been expecting it and prepping ourselves for the news. It’s still hard to see other teams playing and we’re not able to, just as competitors we want to be out there competing for what we’ve been working towards for three years. As a senior you look forward to leading a team and accomplishing a lot in your last year, so to have to wait another year was definitely unfortunate.”
Q: Is the NE-10 or Division II considering giving players like you an extra year of eligibility, just like Division I gave its athletes?
A: “Yes, D2 is honoring eligibility for another year so I plan to come back and play my fifth year. This made the news that the season was cancelled a lot easier to hear. We were really excited about what our team could’ve done this season so to know that we’re carrying that over into next year is a bit of hope during a tough time.”
Q: Going off that, are there any plans to play a shortened season this year?
A: “I think there was towards the beginning to play local teams, but as the semester goes on I’m not sure how likely that is. We hope to get some scrimmages in of course, but our main priority is to get ourselves better and take advantage of the time we get together. This is the most time away from each other that many of us have experienced since being in college so we are all just excited to get back to practice and work and if we get to scrimmage someone then that’s an added bonus.”
Q: How tough is it balancing academics at a world-class university like Bentley with the responsibilities of being an athlete?
A: “It’s really difficult especially in the early years when you are getting adjusted to how serious the season is. I tell all the young guys to pace themselves because the season is so long compared to any high school season, there’s no preparation you can do for it, the only thing that helps is experiencing it first-hand. That added on to the five courses we take can be overwhelming. I definitely had to adjust and probably stumbled more than a lot of people, but you figure it out quickly especially with the help of the older teammates and coaches. That’s what they’re all there for.”
Q: What will you miss most about Bentley?
A: “I’m going to miss the team most without a doubt. The fact that we go to war every day in practice and in games and then go back and spend our entire rest of the day with each other. It’s a special bond that can’t be replicated through anything else in life. On top of that, playing for coaches and a program that really cares about us as individuals is something I have never taken for granted and will continue to remember after my time here.”
Q: What are your plans after Bentley?
A: “My plans after Bentley are to continue to play basketball overseas. I’ve always been someone who really likes to experience other cultures and going overseas to play ball is the best of both worlds. It will allow me to continue to do what I love while seeing the world and then bring what I’ve learned back here to whatever I decide to do after playing.”
Comments