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[Lynn Burke]

From nice guy to pit bull

By Jason Jordan | jjordan@dailypress.com

HAMPTON - Memphis YOMCA guard Leslie McDonald is the type of guy who referees never have to remind to keep his shirt tucked in.

He's not the type of player that runs up and down the court reminding the crowd about the 3-pointer he just drained or who he just dunked on and, even in the most minimal of conversations, you'd swear his favorite two words are "yes sir/mam."

Like it or not, McDonald is a nice guy.

"I don't want to label him as a nice guy," Memphis YOMCA coach William Anderson said. "But he is very nice and very well mannered. Once he gets on the court he transforms. He's a pit bull on the court."

Added McDonald: "You've got to have two different personalities. Off the court you can be smiley and nice, but on the court you've got to protect your territory."

His team failed to do that in the opening round of the Boo Williams Invitational Friday. McDonald's potential game-winning floater fell short at the buzzer as YOMCA fell, 74-73, to the SYF Players at the Boo Williams Sportsplex. McDonald scored 14 points and had four rebounds and three assists.

"Leslie's like an old school guy," Anderson said. "He's not all extra with what he does. Leslie just goes out there and gets it done."

Despite not getting it done Friday, McDonald was right back to his gentlemanly roots just after the game.

"I embrace the nice-guy label," McDonald said. "My dad raised me to be a gentleman. I speak to everyone and try to have conversations with them. Who wants to be walking around all mad? Not me."

This past season, McDonald led Briarcrest Christian School, in Memphis, to a state title, averaging 21 points, 11 rebounds and five steals.

That earned him Parade All-America honors and Tennessee's Mr. Basketball.

"Mr. Basketball was really big because we've got some real talent in Tennessee," McDonald said. "It meant a lot to me."

The same sentiments colleges would have if they scored a commitment from the 6-foot-5 junior, who recently dropped in the recruiting rankings from No. 18 to No. 23.

In no specific order, Memphis, North Carolina, Duke, Tennessee and Georgetown make up McDonald's top five schools. All have offered scholarships. McDonald said he would make a decision "sometime near the end of the summer and the beginning of the school year."

"I'll hopefully visit all five this summer," he said.

McDonald also readily admitted that there is "a lot of pressure" to stay in state, but dismissed the notion that the pressure would weigh into his decision.

"I don't let what people say get to me," he said. "I mean a lot of people say that because me and Elliott Williams (2008 Duke signee) are tight, I'm considered a Dukie. I don't know. ... I'm just going to weigh out all of my options and see what's best for me."

Though the recruiting process can be a headache at times, the one positive is that McDonald doesn't have to worry about impressing schools anymore.

"Last year I wasn't highly recruited like that," he said. "I had to basically audition for colleges. Now that I've got the interest I can just work on my game. I can approach the AAU season a lot different. Now I can relax." Basketball isn't the only thing that helps McDonald relax. He also likes to draw and design.

"I love it," he said. "I'll probably major in architecture when I go to school. People get me to draw them things all of the time."

Just don't try and pay him. That just wouldn't be very nice. That just wouldn't be Leslie McDonald.

"Oh no, I just go ahead and give it to them," McDonald said. "I would never tell someone to give me money for a drawing."