Natasha Mack, the 2021 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year at Oklahoma State who was the 16th pick in the 2021 WNBA Draft, currently plays in Turkey for Botasspor Adana. At 3-7, the team has not gotten of to a good start to the season in the Turkish Women’s Basketball League. In contrast, the Montenegro National Team, which she plays for, sits atop Group H in EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers with two wins and no losses, despite Mack missing both games. We were able to talk to Tasha about her about her past, present and future.
You’re known as one of the best shot blockers in the game. What’s your secret? Parts of the equation must be range—a 6-foot-11 wingspan is just crazy—speed and instinct.
I do have a really long wingspan. I also like playing defense. It’s all about the distance I am from when the shot goes up and how a person shoots the ball. Granted, I’m not doing math out there. I just try to time it perfectly or alter the way somebody shoots the ball.
You had the word “humble” tatted on your bicep, but covered it up.
I did have the tattoo on me, but I recently covered it up because I didn’t like how it fitted on my arm. I will be getting it tattooed back on me. It’s a remainder from my grandma. She always told me no matter where life takes me, what it gives me or takes away, to just remain humble.
There’s a one-year gap in your resume between high school and college. It was a time when you quit basketball and got into something different. Can you tell us again the unique story of how you returned to the sport and what you did during that time?
Ahh, I love telling this story! So I quit basketball because of an old relationship and toxic environment. So I got into cutting chicken wings at a chicken factory. Randy McKelvey, who was assistant coach at Angelina College at the time, approached me with the opportunity to get back into basketball. At first I turned it down because I really believed I was done playing and that I lost love for the game. During the next few days I was thinking like, “Damn, do I really want to work here for forever and miss an opportunity?” I hit him up a few days later and [he] came to my job to sign the paperwork to get back into it. He is definitely an angel in disguise and one of my many reasons for my getting back into basketball.
So the love has been back, safe and it’s not going anywhere?
Yes, the love is back and never leaving,…
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