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Expecting his first child in February, Johnny McCants is all-in on his basketball career

Las Cruces Sun-News - 10/12/2021

LAS CRUCES — Johnny McCants is gearing up to be a dad.

New Mexico State basketball's senior forward said he has been psychologically preparing himself since he learned his girlfriend, Samantha Melendez, was pregnant in early June. The couple, who have lived together for over a year, will be having a boy in mid February, just as the basketball season is ramping up toward postseason play.

Like many young parents, McCants and Melendez have questions about their future, but say one thing's for sure: Their families will have each others' backs.

Melendez said learning he's going to be a father has changed McCants. He's learned to cook for a small family instead of just himself. And he tries to be more in the moment rather than letting a bad practice one day affect his mood the next day.

But he's also learned about the stress that comes with being an expecting parent and the mountain of questions that remain unanswered. Will he be present when she goes into labor? How will he find a balance between basketball and his son? And what will their financial situation be?

McCants plans on going all-in on his basketball career with hopes of playing professionally and providing for his family.

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"If I can make something serious out of it, it's the best way to make money and one of the best chances I have, so (I) just focus on it," McCants said.

Melendez, an NMSU senior sociology major, interns at Mesilla Valley Hospital and works as a server and bartender at Ruby Tuesday.

"I'm hoping the best for him and I always have, so I hope everything goes through after the season," Melendez said. "But the other day he made a comment. He was like, 'I don't make Plan B's, because then you'll just put Plan A at a lower standard.' He's aiming to reach Plan A, so we kind of don't really have a Plan B, I guess. Just go with the flow if (anything) doesn't go as planned, but I feel like regardless of whatever happens, we'll still be okay as a family — financially and in every aspect."

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McCants thinks about his family constantly, but he isn't sure what will happen once Melendez goes into labor. He isn't even sure if he'll be in Las Cruces.

Melendez is due to give birth Feb. 19, the day NMSU plays Grand Canyon University in Phoenix. They don't know how much McCants will be around the baby during the first month, either. The WAC Tournament begins March 9, and the NCAA Tournament begins March 15. If the Aggies make a March Madness run, McCants could spend weeks away from his son.

"I feel like it's going to be hectic for the both of us, especially him," Melendez said. "I don't know. I think about it all the time, because when (the team) travels out of state, they leave a day or two before, depending on where they're going. And then they're at practice all day long, so I'm like, 'Oh my God,'" she said. " ... But I know (our families) will do their best to support us. Especially when he's gone."

But spending time away from his newborn baby is a small sacrifice for a greater goal, McCants said. And if he achieves his basketball dreams, it will all be worthwhile.

"Throughout the whole year, I'm always going to have my child on my mind, but then I've got to look at the bigger picture," McCants said. "I'm always going to be there for him from start to finish, so I don't think me not seeing him for the first couple of weeks or a month or so is going to be too bad, just because there's just something bigger that I've got to do to better my life and his future."

Stephen Wagner is a sports reporter for the Las Cruces Sun-News. He can found on Twitter at @stephenwag22 and reached at SWagner@lcsun-news.com.

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