Quincy Mack
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Quincy Mack (born April 23, 1976 Brantford, Ontario), better known by his nickname Q Mack, is a Canadian basketball player and motivational speaker. Named on a national list of the Top 25 Canadians To Watch, he is one of the most versatile children's entertainer to come along in years. He is a published author, a motivational speaker to millions of students, and is Canada's only professional basketball trickster. Signed and sponsored by Nike, Q-Mack has performed live for NBA superstars like Vince Carter, 2-time MVP Steve Nash, and All-Star Raptor forward Chris Bosh. Despite performing at 300 live events each year, he still finds time to add to his ever growing repertoire of 124 tricks. He can shoot basketballs over his head from half court, triple deflections off the walls and floor, and spin a ball on a 25 foot pole while it balances on his chin.
Mack was born and raised in Brantford, Ontario, also the hometown of hockey superstar Wayne Gretzky. At the age of eight, Q-Mack was the child in his third grade class who could not stop on skates, and realized his hockey career was going nowhere fast. In the fifth grade, he received a red and black basketball, the colours of his favourite NBA team, the Chicago Bulls as a present from his father.
Quincy was a fan of basketball, in a town where most children wanted to grow up to be like Wayne Gretzky. It is well documented that he was bullied for a couple years as a youth from a group of older kids who disliked his mini-basketball, and ridiculed him about his "cheap velcro shoes". Q-Mack speaks at 250 schools across the country every year, spreading his positive anti-bullying message and encouraging kids to stand up for each other with respect and responsibility. As a fifth grader, he learned some of his first basketball tricks from his older neighbour. He knew he wanted to practice and perform. This is when his talent started to grow.
Q-Mack has presented to over 2,000,000 school children between the ages of five and 18. He has also worked with the NBA since 1998 by hosting and performing at events like the national NBA Hoop It Up tour, The Steve Nash Charity Classic, and appearing on numerous television stations across the country. He attended the Radio Broadcasting Program at Humber College, which has probably helped him to become comfortable with speaking to audiences of up to 20,000 people at a time. He has also visited over 1,200 schools with his dynamic anti-bullying performance/basketball tricks show.
In 2001, he was signed to Nike, and in 2003, Q-Mack published his first book, Dare to be Different. In 2005, he was approached to host his very own television series known as Q's Crew.
Set to air in syndication in September 2007, he also has an available basketball trickster DVD released called Freestyle Frenzy Vol.1. Q-Mack is the creator of several tricks, including the SkyScraper, a trick in which he spins a basketball on top of a stick extended up to the ceiling, while balancing the stick on his chin. Well versed in the art of juggling, magic, and various side show acts, Q-Mack can throw a football 40 yards in a perfect spiral behind his back. He has appeared on numerous television networks, including CityTv, on MuchMusic, and on Rogers SportsNet, Breakfast Television, the Canadian edition of MTV, TVO, and YTV.
Q-Mack has been very successful in passing on his message against bullying to students, and explains that he enjoys every day of his life just "chillin' with the kids". A self professed Toronto Raptors fan, he currently resides across from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
