Article in today’s DetNews abon Cleaves jr. Is he a lock for the Spartans?
# Basketball is a ‘family business’ for Mateen Cleaves and his rising star son
full article at link.
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Growing up, it was important to Cleaves Sr. that his son learn about his family’s roots. “I took him to some of the gyms I played in and back to my neighborhood," Cleaves Sr. said.
Cleaves Sr. also prepared his son by getting basketball lessons from Michigan State greats.
“I use all my resources," Cleaves Sr. said. “Coach Izzo, Steve Smith, Draymond Green and Mat Ishbia.”
The first test for Cleaves Jr. was when his father signed him up to play in JaVale McGee’s Flint Pro-Am.
“He was playing against pros and college players,” Cleaves Sr. said. “I put him in it at 13 and threw him to the wolves.”
Cleaves Jr. thrived under pressure, scoring 16 points in one game. As Cleaves Jr. got older, he went outside of his local environment to play the best competition.
“I have played up my whole life and I never shied away from competition," Cleaves Jr. said.
This year he played for Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, which won the Division 1 state championship a year before his arrival. Despite being a freshman, Cleaves excelled as a leader, with a limited role early on.
Cleaves Jr.'s teammate, Trey McKenney, served as a role model for Cleaves Jr., as McKenney stayed in Michigan throughout his high-school career.
Going into the season, McKenney faced a lot of high expectations, which accompanied Cleaves Jr., as well, so McKenney proved to be an ideal teammate.
“He was putting too much on himself, " Cleaves Jr. said of McKenney, who will play for Michigan next season. "I learned that you don’t have to prove anything to nobody, just go out there and play and have fun.”
This summer, Cleaves Jr. is playing up an age group on the Detroit Family’s 16U team. On a team full of players coming from basketball families, Cleaves Jr. has served as a connecting piece.
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No matter the results of the scrimmages, Cleaves Sr. only saw playing against older competition as a positive for his son. Cleaves Jr. is so advanced that his father views him as better than he was at his age.
“He’s far more skilled and advanced than I was, especially as a shooter," Cleaves Sr. said. “The difference is his father played in the NBA and mine did not,” he added, laughing.
Sunday means more to Mateen Cleaves Jr. than just playing in a high-level camp. It means playing with his father’s name on Father’s Day.