"Gobble Up Boards, Hit the Gas and Float It Over the Big"

Jacob Mclellan

IG @jac0b_mclellan

6'3, Class of 2029

Mount Royal University, Canada

Jacob can gobble up a board and have the ball going the other way before anybody turns to find him. The Mount Royal guard can play the two or the one, and he’s at his best when he gets a step and puts a defender on his hip. He’ll slash to the rim and finish through contact, but he’s got a crafty answer when the big steps up to meet him. Jacob can get to his floater before that help gets close enough to take it away. He can start a possession with the rock in his hands or catch it on the move and get straight to the basket. Either way, once he sees a lane, somebody has to get in front of him.

Jacob opened his rookie season by leading Mount Royal in scoring in both games against Alberta. That gave him confidence early because the drives and finishes he trusted were already getting him to his spots in university ball. The Cougars won five straight at one point and finished 13–7 in the regular season. Jacob dropped 25 points on the Dinos in the second game of their set, helping Mount Royal close the regular season with a 100–91 win. Being from Calgary made that one a little sweeter. He got to close out his first regular season with a big night against a team from his own city, and the Cougars got the win to go with it.

Over 21 games, Jacob averaged 12.8 points, 4.3 boards, 0.9 assists, and 1.6 steals in 23.5 minutes per game. He shot 45.2% from the field, 35.1% from three and 73.2% from the free-throw line. He led Mount Royal in scoring and earned a spot on the Canada West All-Rookie Team. The scoring earned plenty of attention, and the steals and boards show how he can get a possession started before he ever gets a chance to finish one. In the playoffs, he put up 23 points against Trinity Western, but the Cougars fell 76–68. Going home that early stuck with him. He’d already shown he could put points up in a playoff game, and now he wants a chance to help his team keep playing.

The biggest improvement in Jacob’s game has been what he does with his speed once he gets into the paint. He still wants to get up the floor in a hurry, but he’s gotten better at easing off the gas when he sees the big step up. That little change of pace gives him time to get his feet under him and put the floater up before the defender can close the gap. The first step gets him past his man, and the way he slows down gives him room to finish the play on his terms. A big can be in the right spot and still have to deal with a shot that’s already in the air by the time he gets there.

University ball tested him when his first few shots wouldn’t fall. Early on, the frustration could carry into his next shot and get him to force a look. Jacob got better at putting his energy into getting a stop or grabbing a board while letting the next shot come to him. He still wants to let it go when that look comes. That’s a big part of his growth because he can stay aggressive without feeling like he has to get all those misses back on the same trip. He can help his team get the ball back and be ready to make something happen when it finds him again.

Jacob got plenty of shots up this summer, especially catch-and-shoot threes. Defenders know he wants to get into the paint, and he wants to make them pay when they back up to take away the drive. Leave him room, and he’s ready to let it fly. Run him off the line, and he can get by that closeout before the defender gets his feet back under him. The better he gets at making the first look count, the tougher it gets to sit on the part of his game everybody already knows is coming.

His offseason grind with Ty put a lot of attention on footwork and balance. Jacob went back to the same spots and got his reps at game speed, getting his feet ready before the pass reached him. That matters when a teammate kicks it out, and the defender is already on his way. If Jacob is ready to shoot on the catch, he can use the opening while it’s still there. He can also see that closeout coming and put the ball down without needing an extra step to get himself going. That gives him a way to do damage when another guard starts the play, and the ball comes his way late.

Rebounding is the part of Jacob’s game that can get overlooked. He pulled down 10 boards in the opener against MacEwan, and he knows guards can get a clean run at the glass when nobody puts a body on them. Once he gets his hands on the ball, he can push it himself. A teammate can take off up the floor instead of coming back for an outlet, and Jacob can see who’s ahead of the defense while he’s bringing it up. That’s how a board from the guard spot can turn into a chance to score before the other team gets set.

Jacob wants to bring the same competitive edge every weekend and help Mount Royal make a deeper playoff run with a shot at nationals. His family fuels that fire. He wants to make his dad proud, and he knows how much his mom has done to help him get here. He also flat-out loves to compete. If somebody gets the better of him one night, Jacob is already looking forward to seeing him again. That’s the same fire he’s carrying into another season with the Cougars and another chance to see how far they can go.

Jacob’s strength gives him a good answer when a smaller guard gets switched onto him. He has the body control to take that matchup inside, seal his man, and give a teammate a target for the entry pass. From there, he can use his shoulder to hold his spot and get a good look without needing much of a runway. That gives Mount Royal another way to get him a touch when the defense switches an action and leaves a smaller defender on him.

Jacob has the tools to be dangerous screening for another ball handler. A solid screen can give his teammate a step, and a quick slip can put Jacob in the middle of the floor if both defenders chase the ball. Catching it there would give him a short path to the basket with the defense already moving. That gives the Cougars room to use him in a two-guard lineup and let him open up a scoring chance before the ball ever gets to him.