Basketball: New Slingers signing Jameel McKay raring to go after quarantine ends

SINGAPORE - The Singapore Slingers signed Jameel McKay this month hoping the American will revive their struggling season but expectations of an immediate impact have been put on hold while McKay is stuck in his hotel room.

The 2.06m forward is under quarantine until March 17 as a precautionary measure as he was on a Turkish Airlines flight that landed in Singapore on March 3. The plane contained a Frenchman who tested positive for the coronavirus a day later.

McKay, who has shown no symptoms of any illness, travelled with the Slingers to face the Kuala Lumpur Dragons for an Asean Basketball League (ABL) game on March 6. He scored 10 points though the Slingers lost for the 10th time this season and upon returning here on March 7, McKay was placed under quarantine.

His Slingers teammates, coaching staff and personnel were monitored for the next 48 hours and were eventually given the all clear.

For McKay, 27, it has been an eventful start to his Slingers career.He told The Straits Times: "I played only one game for the Slingers, but it feels like I have been here for a year. I'm not big on social media but so many fans texted me and I really appreciate that so I have also been responding to their kind messages.

"It is a great feeling and it just gives me the strength to get through this."

A Slingers season ticket holder sent over a PlayStation 4 to keep him entertained while McKay has also been following ABL games on YouTube.

Restricted to just core exercises in his room to stay active, he said: "It's definitely boring and it sucks not to be able to train or go to the gym. But I'm also super motivated because of the love the people here have shown me."

He joined from Kosovo team KB Ylli as a replacement for injured centre Anthony McClain and arrived in the Republic with a solid resume. McKay was named the 2014-15 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year while playing for Iowa State and later won Australia's NBL Championship with Perth Wildcats in 2017.

Slingers general manager Michael Johnson acknowledged the various upheavals this campaign due to the Covid-19 outbreak have not been easy.

The ABL schedule is in constant flux - the latest changes have meant three games involving the Slingers from March 8-18 are postponed - and the team's next game is against Hong Kong Eastern at the OCBC Arena on March 27, three weeks after their last match in Malaysia.

Johnson said: "Jameel is very talented and an energiser bunny who has been unlucky with the quarantine. But when he gets up and running again, he will be a big plus for us.

"We have also kept Anthony on our programme as he rehabilitates for the next two to three months, because we don't know how long the season is going to last with the rescheduling. He has an old foot injury but did great for us in the last few games playing on one foot.

"The disruption due to the virus is not ideal but we will keep training and be ready when the next game comes."

McKay is also raring to get back onto the court. The Slingers, last season's runners-up, are seventh in the 10-team league with a 7-10 record and nine games remaining.

He said: "Everywhere I have been, I have won, so I expect to win with the Slingers too. But I also recognise that a championship is not the only measure of success.

"I love the environment and there's a lot of potential in this team. Once I learn the Slingers system and how the ABL games are refereed, I will be making big contributions."