Rashad McCants: Basketball Player, Warrior Poet

Normally I leave the Carolina material to one of the other brahs because, as NC State fans, the material is much closer to their hearts…but when my boy ADUB brought the collected works of Rashad McCants to my attention, I could not sit idly by and let this man’s work go unnoticed by the masses.

A wordsmith extraodinaire, McCants proves he attended Carolina, not just as a stepping stone to the League, but as an institution of higher learning that would help him to one day articulate the torrent of emotions that flow through a young man as he chases his dream.

His site, RashadMcCants1.com, offers up his works free of charge, so that Johnny Everyman can come to the well and drink up his wisdom.

Scholars maintain that Hustle and Cream is his best work to date, and it’s tough to argue when you read lines with lines like this:

Should have held those words when your vision was blurred,
complain at dinner about the chicken that’s burned.
Attorney wanna talk about money that’s earned.

I prefer the softer, gentler side of Rashad that we see in his work entitled Love Thief.

I’m not a Grinch that stole love but I’m a thief with no love.
Eyes bright like city lights when she enters my life.
Every morning after yawning we make love to sweet nothing and birds chirping.
My tongue lurking for that spot that says stop and makes ya mouth drop.
I’d spit you out just to taste you again.
And again I’d have this dream during the day where my eyes lay wide shut.
Love has culture shocked my brain and blindsided my heart,
my skin crawls with butterfly touches that tickle my smile.
Her eyes drown me in her deep blue sea. I openly swim naked in her fresh water.
So natural she smells like rain….

If that doesn’t touch your soul, you’re not human.

This piece, I Love This Game!, is his treatise on his love. Of this game.

If there was one thing to check that could tell me what was best,
it would make everything I did correct. Being right is guessing wrong.
Taking the wrong right can leave you blind to the light. I’ve stood in these steps.
Feeling so tall. Reassurance of being loved can feel so small.
But You’re the tiny of my kind. I’m Divine body and mind.
My words grab your skin and my voice burns your soul.
My touch splits you in half but my spirit makes you whole.
The only love that is true is when it looks green but then becomes blue.
My sight of the highlife puts you in the twilight.
My Stars are dancing around your heart as I blow magic.
The moon sits blind amongst my eyes so sunrise is disguised.
I captivate your mind you surrender arms behind. I take you as i please,
I have these thoughts in threes…
Love live life.
Shoot long shots. Mind says right. Heart says might. Miss says wow.
Lips say how.
You love tomorrow. I love now.
I love this game!

Do yourself and those around you a favor and sign up for his fan club. It costs nothing but the few seconds it takes to sign up and you will receive emails when Rashad publishes his new works.

Tagged as: Poetry, Rashad McCants, Timberwolves