BILLINGS — Rocky Mountain College guard Mekhi Jourdan is forging his own path while following in the footsteps of his father Marshaun Jourdan, a two-time honorable mention All-American for the Battlin' Bears in the mid-2000s.
“My dad had a big role in my life in basketball. He was always pushing me to be the best I could be. One thing he told me all my life is, 'If you aren't in the gym, someone is,'" Jourdan said.
"My dad has always been there for me through the ups and downs. He's my dad, so he's always going to coach me on the things I could be better on. He just had a great impact on me. I'm forever grateful for him."
That coaching never stops. Jourdan always phones home after games, but his performance may dictate how those conversations go.
“I call my parents every time after a game, especially my mom. I call her win or loss. You just always want to hear your mom's voice," Jourdan said. "Sometimes you don't want to hear your dad's voice after a loss or a bad game, but he knows what he's talking about, as well. He was in my shoes once."
Jourdan was recruited by the same man that coached his father in Bill Dreikosen, but he’s found a home with new Rocky coach Danny Neville, as well.
Jourdan battled through injuries early in his career before persevering through to earn big minutes for Rocky this season, but he’s hoping to eventually help athletes go through those dark times that can accompany injury.
“I had tore my meniscus and had surgery on it and was out for a couple months. Being out for those couple months took a toll on my mental, especially being away from the sport I love," Jourdan said.
"I know what it's like to go through the injury problems, so hopefully I'll be able to help a couple other kids go through and improve their recovery process."
He’s certainly proven to be a bright light on the floor for Rocky, as the Bears are out to a 5-1 start this season and welcome Montana Tech next Friday.
