McClellan's Instagram post

[Goshzagit]

After last night's Championship win.

Thought to share…

"2 1/2 years ago I lost everything. Basketball, my education, etc. I didn't know what my next move was. A lot of people shook on me. I sat down with my mother and had one of the deepest conversations I've ever had. She told me, "when you think things are happening to you, they're actually happening for you." I was a prisoner of my own thoughts for a long time but through all that sh*t, I kept myself sane. I promised myself that I would correct my wrongs.

I lost it a little but through the mist, I found myself. God kept his wings on me and continued to guide me.
I was able to find a home in Gonzaga and through everything, it's been the best place I've been in my life. I thank everyone associated with this university for giving me this opportunity to not all share my gifts and talents but to also, inspire, find ways to serve, and love for all the abundance I have around me.

I took my wildest dreams and I mapped them out.
My brothers & I made history tonight. BROTHERS.

And as I share this story, I'm shedding tears because everything you put in your mind is real. It can & will happen. Just keep going! Please! This is for the crazy ones!

This is for the marathon runners.

This is for the one's with unwavering faith and extreme persistence!
This is for all those who believed in me.
This is for all the love.
This is for you.
#laps #thankful #WCCCHAMPS"

[TacomaZAG]

What a great story, for both EMac and the University.

This story is what is so valuable about athletics, higher education in general, and Gonzaga in particular.

This young man has righted his ship, thanks for sharing.

Go ZAGS

[gonzagafan62]

This family of ZAGS brings the best out in everyone

[former1dog]

This post should be pinned for the forseeable future. Its what makes Gonzaga a special place.

[LMUZAG]

Very emotional reading that. Amazing story of redemption. Whatever the future holds, Eric you have succeeded.

[Jstock12]

I have no affiliation with Gonzaga University, and that post just gave me goosebumps. Must be a great place.

[gonzagafan62]

I vote Eric McClellans post for HOF

[Bogozags]

I vote Eric McClellans post for HOF

+1
Brought tears to my eyes!

[3zagda]

He was "huuuuuge" last night.
What a great story. Hope some of his story comes thru in the HBO series.

[adoptedzag]

After last night's Championship win.

Thought to share…

"2 1/2 years ago I lost everything. Basketball, my education, etc. I didn't know what my next move was. A lot of people shook on me. I sat down with my mother and had one of the deepest conversations I've ever had. She told me, "when you think things are happening to you, they're actually happening for you." I was a prisoner of my own thoughts for a long time but through all that sh*t, I kept myself sane. I promised myself that I would correct my wrongs.

I lost it a little but through the mist, I found myself. God kept his wings on me and continued to guide me.
I was able to find a home in Gonzaga and through everything, it's been the best place I've been in my life. I thank everyone associated with this university for giving me this opportunity to not all share my gifts and talents but to also, inspire, find ways to serve, and love for all the abundance I have around me.

I took my wildest dreams and I mapped them out.
My brothers & I made history tonight. BROTHERS.

And as I share this story, I'm shedding tears because everything you put in your mind is real. It can & will happen. Just keep going! Please! This is for the crazy ones!

This is for the marathon runners.

This is for the one's with unwavering faith and extreme persistence!
This is for all those who believed in me.
This is for all the love.
This is for you.
#laps #thankful #WCCCHAMPS"

Link here: https://www.instagram.com/p/BCuPXUdI6Q2/

[TexasZagFan]

I have no affiliation with Gonzaga University, and that post just gave me goosebumps. Must be a great place.

It's been a special place for me for nearly 44 years. The experiences, the education, the friends that have stuck with me over the years.

When I'm out and about in North Texas, I'm often wearing a Zag shirt. When someone asks me about Gonzaga, I'll dust off a couple of quick anecdotes (even at my advanced age I can recall at least a dozen). Usually, I'm speaking with someone who went to a large state university, say UT, A&M, UNT, all with student bodies in excess of 30,000.

A response I often hear is "damn, my college experience was nothing like that."

I bumped into GoZags in Tulsa about ten years ago, when we played them in the Bracket Buster game. After our brief conversation, I was approached by several Zag fans from Missouri and Arkansas. They drove for hours to see a team they loved, without having any affiliation to the school. They had no idea where Spokane was, only that it was somewhere in Washington.

My wife accompanied me to my 25th reunion 15 years ago, and it wasn't easy getting her to join me. I persisted, as she needed to know why GU is such a big part of me. After two days of seeing the campus, meeting friends, and hearing one of Fr. Bob Spitzer's speeches, she was sold. Unfortunately, my daughter had no desire to go to GU, because she had been told stories of the rigors of attending a Jesuit university. She had a partial scholarship offer from University of Dallas, which she also turned down. She matriculated at UNT in Denton, and graduated with a business degree.

I'm now working on my 14 YO son, who loves football, and has his sights set on LSU (???). If that fails, then my next best shot is my 5 YO grandson, whose favorite player is Sabonis. Looks like I'm going to have to stay healthy to see that come to fruition.

[ZagMan in Philly]

I am so happy for him that he is in a good place and his future is bright.
Definitely HOF post.

[vandalzag]

Icing on the cake is that post. Regardless of wins, this is what makes the program special. Emac joins the list of players with special experiences that go beyond the game.

[ProjectMKUltra5]

Honestly I'm just as proud of the reaction to Emac by our fans as I am Eric.

Didn't think ya'll had it in you

[BULLDOG#1]

beyond basketball. What a great story. GU, Few, et all should be proud.

[SWZag]

HOF for certain. This story resonates with so many and is a shining example of what can happen through hard work, dedication and commitment. Sometimes you need to put the past behind you and focus on the future and that's what GU, the coaching staff and ultimately what eMac did. Great story.

[Jstock12]

It's been a special place for me for nearly 44 years. The experiences, the education, the friends that have stuck with me over the years.

When I'm out and about in North Texas, I'm often wearing a Zag shirt. When someone asks me about Gonzaga, I'll dust off a couple of quick anecdotes (even at my advanced age I can recall at least a dozen). Usually, I'm speaking with someone who went to a large state university, say UT, A&M, UNT, all with student bodies in excess of 30,000.

A response I often hear is "damn, my college experience was nothing like that."

I bumped into GoZags in Tulsa about ten years ago, when we played them in the Bracket Buster game. After our brief conversation, I was approached by several Zag fans from Missouri and Arkansas. They drove for hours to see a team they loved, without having any affiliation to the school. They had no idea where Spokane was, only that it was somewhere in Washington.

My wife accompanied me to my 25th reunion 15 years ago, and it wasn't easy getting her to join me. I persisted, as she needed to know why GU is such a big part of me. After two days of seeing the campus, meeting friends, and hearing one of Fr. Bob Spitzer's speeches, she was sold. Unfortunately, my daughter had no desire to go to GU, because she had been told stories of the rigors of attending a Jesuit university. She had a partial scholarship offer from University of Dallas, which she also turned down. She matriculated at UNT in Denton, and graduated with a business degree.

I'm now working on my 14 YO son, who loves football, and has his sights set on LSU (???). If that fails, then my next best shot is my 5 YO grandson, whose favorite player is Sabonis. Looks like I'm going to have to stay healthy to see that come to fruition.

Nice!

[Dogtownkid]

Just a great post and a great tribute to Gonzaga and to Coach Few. A pretty great tribute to Eric as well.

[soccerdud]

not everyone with emac's past would have succeeded (let alone flourished) at gonzaga. but anyone with his spirit and character will, regardless of the path that brought them there. clearly coach few and co saw that.

as with any healthy relationship, both sides have much to be thankful for. much appreciation, respect, and zag love to e-mac. we're proud of the man you are both on and off the court.

but this is no wrap-up post, because "IT'S NOT OV-ER" (clap, clap, clap-clap-clap).

[ZAG'em]

Eric became my wifes favorite when he was redshirting because of the interaction with the coaches kids. They would move his chair, give a high five then pull back leaving him hanging, just always giving him a hard time. You could tell he is one of their favorites.
Great to see things have worked out so well.

[zagbeliever]

I love eMac! He has heart and it shows in his play. We are so lucky to have had him for the time we have


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[CdAZagFan]

Eric became my wifes favorite when he was redshirting because of the interaction with the coaches kids. They would move his chair, give a high five then pull back leaving him hanging, just always giving him a hard time. You could tell he is one of their favorites.
Great to see things have worked out so well.

Being close to the floor for a few GU games this year during warmups, Emac was always the most lively personality on the floor - teasing all the guys, high-fiving, chest-bumping. Great personality and I'm so happy this has played out the way it did for him - after missing that free throw at SMC to promising to bring back the Championship to the Kennel fans left after Senior night, to calling for the ball and wanting to finish that game last night. Just amazing. (Also cool to see on ESPN today they did a little Trending Now video clip titled "McClellans Promise" that showed him making the promise, then his clutch shots last night and finally with him after the game with tears in his eyes.) It was moving...

[Final4Zag]

Eric is a class act, wish we could keep him for a few more years.

[ZagNative]

The photo with that Instagram post is a keeper as well:

[DZ]

This post should be pinned for the forseeable future. Its what makes Gonzaga a special place.

This is why all those mid-majors who say they want to be or plan to be "the next Gonzaga" never will be. You can't be "the next Gonzaga" without a bunch of Zags, and you can't be a Zag without Gonzaga..